Tenka Ransei
by VraieEsprit
Summary: Three millennia before blood was spilled at Third Division, Heaven's War ripped Soul Society apart. With the rebels gone, the Gotei are finally embracing peace, but scars of this ancient warfare linger right beneath the surface. The skeletons of the past are about to re-emerge from the shadows - literally - to drag the shinigami down to Hell. Meifu/Sukuse sequel: Review please!
1. Prologue: Three Milennia Earlier

**天下乱世** **  
Tenka Ransei**

Or

 _"The World of Chaos Beneath Heaven"_

 _Introduction and Disclaimer_

Hi everyone :) It's been a while.

Today is December 21st (GMT), which is Juushirou's birthday, and so I decided that if I was going to do this at all, it should be today.

I don't know if anyone is even reading Bleach any more, so if you are reading this, **please take the time to review.**

This disclaimer may have a few manga spoilers in it, but I have been circumspect as much as I can. However, if you are unsure, **feel free to skip it and go straight to the story.**

For anyone unfamiliar with my work, **these stories are set in a timeline 2000ish years before Bleach canon**. This is in keeping with the timelines of Old Bleach. This story is designed to connect to the existing timeline set in place by the Meifu stories (Juushirou and Shunsui at the Academy) and Sukuse. I did this because I wanted to focus on the Senior Captains - Juushirou, Shunsui, Genryuusai and Retsu. This story will actually go even further back into Seireitei history, to a time point approximately 5000 years before canon. Just so people are aware - I like old stuff ;)

When I began writing about Juu and Shun, Bleach was still ongoing. In spite of that, there were numerous spooky coincidences with stuff I wrote about before Kubo-sensei had revealed elements of those characters in the manga. Not everything matched his intentions, but I like to think that, up to the end of the Fullbring arc, I understood his idea process for these characters and worked really hard to keep with that programme as I wrote up to the end of Sukuse.

I do not like the Final Arc. I'm also not the kind of fan who thinks its okay to badmouth the creator of a series when it doesn't go my way. Kubo-sensei tried something new with the Final Arc, he changed concepts and moved away from the original continuity in a lot of places to inject new themes and ideas into his story. That was his right. I am a fan of Old Bleach. That is my right. That is as much as I intend to discuss that. Everyone has their own views, but for me, the Final Arc is largely irrelevant in the writing of this story. I ask for readers to understand this.

I'm writing this because when I finished Sukuse, I still had ideas noted down that I hadn't used. I didn't write them because I wanted Juu's Bankai before I did. We never were given that. But now the series is over. I'm sure you know what that means. The fanfiction floodgates can open. I can't change the Final Arc, but I can give Juushirou the dignity that, as his fan, I believe he deserves.

There is no Mimihagi in my concept of Juushirou and there never will be.

As some of you know, I'm a student of Pre-modern Japanese literature and history, with a special soft spot for the warriors of 12th century Japan. This often influences my writing and this story was my opportunity to actively inject some of those earlier concepts and cultural twists into a Bleachverse. I've done some experimenting with ideas, themes and history in this story. The prologue will give some clue about that, although the full concepts are still developing. This is a story of the past colliding with the present. It is possible now only because Bleach is over.

I can make no guarantees about the timescale of uploading the chapters. Nor in what order or quantity any character will appear. I guess we'll see where we go. There's 24 chapters or so already written but my schedule is a bit mad. I haven't forgotten **Marigold** , either. But everything in its time. Juushirou seems more deserving right now.

If you've read my previous work, you'll also know that death happens. I won't promise that won't happen here, and I won't apologise if it does. ;)

Without further ado, onto the story!

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **Seireitei, Three Milennia Earlier**

 **瀞霊廷・** **三千年前**

 _ **The Tokitori Manor, Unohana Province**_

 **時鳥邸・卯之花国**

"And that is definitely the last of them?"

Tokitori Tsuneyoshi set down his writing brush with a sigh, rubbing his temples as he felt the deep throbbing ache of a migraine beginning deep beneath his skull. It had been a long morning, following on from an equally long night that had given little time for respite. Although the sun was high in the sky, there was a cold chill in the air; a constant reminder of the wave of death that had surged over the valleys and hills of the Seirei domain over the last three violent weeks.

The killing had stopped - for now - but for Tsuneyoshi, the clash of swords and sweeping hum of arrows had been replaced by the soft wailing of dead souls in the ether, coupled with the pain vibrations of the wounded being treated in the great hall below. The war had ended, but the damage was considerable and, as he gazed down once more at his list, his heart thudded heavily into his stomach.

It was a Lord's duty, but it was not a duty he relished.

"It's the last, my lord," the young warrior who stood at his side bowed his head respectfully. He was prompt and bright eyed, apparently unconcerned by the trail of headless corpses that had been laid out on the grasses of the Unohana estate the previous morning, or the thick clots of blood that now stained the petals of the flowers that normally bloomed there. For Tsuneyoshi, it was distasteful, but he had long since learned that to voice such an opinion in a clan of war like this was anathema. In this time of unrest, he would do best to keep his thoughts to himself, he reasoned darkly. The Unohana were devastated enough already.

"The corpses have been burned, as you instructed," the young warrior was speaking again now, his words deferential and respectful, but his eyes still glittering with the fervour and excitement of the battle's aftermath.

"And the search for my niece?" Tsuneyoshi asked softly. "Has there been any news?"

"Not yet, my lord," The warrior's eyes clouded for the briefest moments at the mention of the missing princess. "We have sent out searches from last night and again at dawn. My father asked me to tell you that there would be not be a single moment of rest among our Endou clan until some trace of the _hime_ is found, so please, try to rest your heart. We will find her, my Lord. We will find her, and alive, too."

"That is reassuring to hear," Tsuneyoshi managed a feeble smile. "It is definitely true that without the involvement of a strong warrior house like the Endou, putting down the internal rebellion would have been very hard. The Unohana have always been a fierce warrior Clan, but that also means that it breeds ambition and hate between individuals who want particular rank and influence. My brother was a victim of that anarchy, and my niece...I pray she remains alive."

"With respect, my Lord, I cannot imagine there are many blades capable of slaying one like the Unohana hime," the young Endou soldier offered a smile. "In any case, we won't rest. The Endou are loyal to the Unohana and it is a bond of warrior blood we won't forsake easily."

"You took losses too, I think?" Tsuneyoshi asked, and the young man shrugged.

"Traitors. Rebels. Corpses that don't matter," he said dismissively. "Some of them we burned alive for their betrayal. The Endou are unforgiving about such things - you shouldn't concern yourself with such minor trivialities, sir. My father, Lord Hiromu, gave the order and it has already been carried out. Our code of conduct is simple. Those who died for the right cause will be honoured. Those who didn't will be destroyed. Such a minor thing as disciplining our own rebels is hardly likely to impact on our ability to carry out an effective search."

Tsuneyoshi swallowed hard at the graphic description, made worse by the casual and dismissive nature of the youth's speech.

"I see," he managed eventually, and the young soldier eyed him in surprise.

"Tokitori-dono, is something wrong?"

"No. No, I'm fine. Just tired from the long night," Tsuneyoshi shook his head hurriedly. "There is so much to do, and with my niece still missing..."

"Tsunenao-dono has been summoned to the main house," the young retainer said helpfully. "He rode there this morning, with my father as escort."

"Tsunenao?" Tsuneyoshi looked startled. "My son? But why would that happen? Nobody notified me. My niece is still the heir to the Clan, and..."

"My father said that the main house want to take precautions," the young soldier replied. "They want to protect the future of the Unohana, with the _hime_ still missing."

He eyed his companion curiously.

"My lord, it may be an impertinence," he said softly, "but I was surprised that it was Tsunenao-dono that was summoned. I mean, my Lord, you are...well...if the _hime_ is not...then surely...you..."

"I am not wanted by this Clan," Tsuneyoshi said flatly. "I am too much trouble for them. Useful at times like this, perhaps, but definitely not someone they trust to take the reins. As the younger son, they have been able to ignore me most effectively until now, and that has been my preference, too. My brother was a much more suitable leader, and therefore I have been able to live at my own devices for a long time, but this war has changed a lot of things. With my brother dead and his daughter missing, you are correct - I should be next in line. I am not the leader they want, though. I trained with my father and learned to use a sword just as my brother did, but I am not like him and never was. I am not the image of a fierce Unohana warrior...and I never will be, I suppose. Maybe that is why they sent for Tsunenao without asking me. I am not a good influence. I suppose that, if my niece is still missing, they are prepared to name him Head of the Clan and bestow upon him the duties of the Unohana Warlord. It matters not that he takes after me, rather than after them. They probably still want to take my son and heir and baptise him in Unohana warrior blood while he is still barely more than a child."

He got to his feet, moving to the window to survey the blood splattered surrounds of his estate.

"You seem sad about that, sir?" the young warrior followed him, keeping a respectful distance. "Surely for Tsunenao-dono to be head of the Clan would be a great honour?"

Tsuneyoshi shrugged.

"I am not a soldier in the sense they want me to be," he said softly. "I can fight, but I dislike doing it. I am still alive only because I am too much trouble to kill. It gives me no joy to think of my son becoming a butcher on the battlefield, as his uncle and grandfather were before him. But my niece is the heir to the Clan, not my son. Precautions are just that, though it is a low blow, even from the Clan elders, to take a boy not yet in his teens as a political hostage when my guard is down. Tsunenao is young and naive, and his coming of age ceremony was only a matter of weeks ago. He has also always been taught to trust in the loyalty of the Endou Clan. He would not have questioned the instruction if it came with your father as surety - which is doubtless why they sent him directly, and bypassed my authority. They would know I wouldn't have allowed it, and they've taken advantage of this momentary chaos to seize him behind my back."

He fixed his gaze once more on the field of blood and flowers just beyond the rise, and sighed.

"At least I can trust Hiromu-dono not to let Tsunenao come to harm on the journey, if assassins still lurk in the woods and valleys," he reflected softly. "And it is a temporary precaution, that is all. When my niece is installed as Clan Leader, I will have someone at the main house who will listen, and I will demand my son's return. The Clan can follow its own path - but my son will follow the one I set out for him, not the one the family has stained in blood."

The young warrior did not respond to this, but, although he was not looking directly at him, Tsuneyoshi had the direct sense that the youth was mulling over these words with great care and detail. He rested his hands on the sill of the window, trying to filter out the waves of spiritual pain he could feel emanating from the floors below. Some of the injured men were going to die, he knew, and yet, while hearing their internal moans of pain was bad enough, the cold emptiness that followed their descent into the world of dead reishi was infinitely worse.

 _Those who heal hear the pain of the living, but I hear the drifting cries of the dead just as strongly. I'm glad that nobody questioned my decision to burn the corpses. It probably helps that the Endou use cremation on a regular basis. I suppose they thought it a just punishment for treason and an effective way of disposing with unwanted felons, but the truth is that fire quickly shreds apart the remains of lost lives. It silences the god-awful wailing and moaning of those spirits fragmenting beyond the grave, and I have enough to deal with without hearing the broken regrets of defeated warriors as they gradually scatter into the ether over time._

He let out a heavy sigh.

This is the wrong place for all this to be conducted. I knew it was a mistake, letting myself become so embroiled in this, but there is nowhere else, and nobody else who could be trusted to carry it out. Not since my brother was carved up by those under his command under the pretence of fighting Heaven's cause. My brother and I may not have been close friends, but he trusted my loyalty, and that means so do his men.

He cast the young Endou a sidelong glance.  
 _  
Fortunately, the core branch of the Endou would rather dye themselves in blood than betray their ancient oaths of loyalty to the Unohana, and Hiromu-dono's forces put paid to most of the assassins, but with so many innocent men injured among his retinue and the loyal Unohana who tried to protect my brother, what else could I do but have matters brought here? This was the closest safe place, and some of the wounded would not have lasted a night out in the fields without proper care and attention._

This had always been his safe haven, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to leave it far behind him. In fact, had his brother's assassination not taken place so close to the border with his own land, he would likely have avoided the mess and drama of the Clan's upheaval entirely.

But the death of the Clan Leader and the missing state of the designated heiress to the family had thrown everything into unusual uproar.  
 _  
Tsunenao is only twelve years old, and yet they want to impose this bloody clan of murder on his shoulders._

He let out a heavy sigh.  
 _  
What kind of a father am I, that I didn't see this possibility? I have clearly been naive to think that, because the Elders disdain me, they also disdain my son. I need the Endou to find my niece quickly, if I am to protect Tsunenao. They will listen to her, even if I have to beg to bring it about. Tsunenao is a kind child, empathic and sensitive, and I wanted to protect him from this war and its bloody fallout. For that reason, I sent him to my sister's manor, away from all the bloodshed. How could I be so naive as to let him out of my sight? Because I am unfit, the Clan Elders will seek to break and destroy my son until he adheres to their goals, or is driven mad in the process. Those sympathetic to the rebels will see an opportunity to control a puppet lord, imposing their ideas on a vulnerable youth. All of this happened because of a senseless, needless war, fought for no reason than other people's honour and individual ambition. How I hate this Clan. I must protect my son from its poison somehow, even if I am forever trapped in its chains like this. Even if I must grovel before my niece to achieve it, I must make sure my son is safely returned to me unscarred._

"Tokitori-dono?" The young retainer was speaking to him again, and he turned his head, realising that he had lost himself in his own reverie and had not heard the question.

"What is it?"

"I beg your pardon, sir, but I was curious to know something," the young man asked the question earnestly, and Tsuneyoshi saw the bright, pale eyes dart towards the sheathed sword that hung over the mantle of the window. "About...about that, sir. I mean, I know about it, sir. It's one of _those_ swords, isn't it? So I wondered...why it is that you say you're not a soldier. If you hold _that_ sword, I wonder why..."

"Because I hold that sword, I'm _not_ a soldier," Tsuneyoshi said simply. "That's all."

"I don't understand," the youth looked bemused. "It's the Soldier's sword, isn't it? How can you hold it and yet not be a soldier?"

"It's complicated indeed,"Tsuneyoshi offered him a faint smile, "but that is the lesson I have learned from holding it. Because I hold it, the Clan hide me away here and choose to impose on my son instead of me. Because I hold it, I don't choose to fight. Because I hold it, even my brother would not challenge me, and preferred to leave me well alone. Only my niece is never frightened to come talk to me face to face, knowing that sword hangs here as it does. I am a nuisance to the Unohana, but because I hold that sword, they cannot easily kill me. Thus I am a problem for them in all regards - that sword brings nothing but ill fortune and distress, and is better sheathed. Just like me."

"Tokitori-dono! Tokitori-dono!" At that moment, the door of the chamber slid back, and a breathless retainer hurried in, stopping only to pay the briefest of respectful bows to his superior. "I'm sorry to interrupt so rudely, sir, but there is news. News of the _hime_ , sir! She's been found!"

"Found?" Tsuneyoshi was alert in a moment. "Where? When? What news of her? Is she injured? Can she be brought here? Says she anything about what happened? The main house must be notified at once. Have you sent a messenger? If not, then someone must go at once! The heir to the Clan is found, and so..."

"My lord..." the warrior stepped forward, bowing again and then raising troubled eyes to his companion.

"My lord, the _hime_ is dead," he said softly, and Tsuneyoshi froze, staring at the other man in disbelief. Cold dread seeped through the core of his heart, even as he heard his young companion from the Endou exclaiming in dismay at the news.

"Dead?" he whispered, and the older retainer nodded.

"Yes, sir," he agreed sadly. "We found her body, bound and mutilated, by the river. My men have brought it here, and she lies downstairs, awaiting the memorial rites for the next world. She had been discarded there. I think they meant to throw her in, sir. But...with the coming of the Yamamoto and the brave work of Harumizu-dono and the Yamamoto heir's flame, it never..."

He faltered, swallowing hard, and Tsuneyoshi could see the glitter of tears in the older man's eyes. He battled hard against his own emotions, his mind again flitting to his vulnerable young son. In that moment, he knew that the one person who might have saved the young boy from the Unohana's brutal darkness had been ripped away from him, sending a black curtain of despair down over all his hopes and thoughts. Tsunenao was an empath, a peaceful boy, a kind child...and yet they would turn his mind and make him a killer, until the son he loved with all his heart would stand before him, a stranger with madness in his eyes. It had happened before, to men of the Unohana, and it would happen again, unless he did something about it.

 _I must protect my son._

Time seemed to stand still, but then as his panic began to morph into a desperate impulse, he hurried across the chamber, pulling his sword from its resting place. He gazed at it for a moment, brushing the dust from the sheath and turning it over in his hands. It hummed faintly beneath his touch, and at its reaction, he felt his fear harden into a dark sense of resolve.  
 _  
I am the Soldier, and even this soldier, sometimes, has a reason to fight. Whatever else happens, I must protect my son. There is only one way to do that, and only I can do it. Whatever the consequences might be, I must save my son. If not, how can I call myself a father?_

He twisted the weapon around so that the sheathed tip was facing his body, then slid it roughly through the _obi_ of his court clothing.

"Tokitori-dono?" Fear flooded the eyes of the older retainer, causing the Endou youth to stare at him in surprise. "Tokitori-dono, what are you doing? That sword...you know that...it's not permitted. You can't..."

"My name is Unohana Tokitori no Jirou Tsuneyoshi, younger brother of the previous Clan Lord, Yoshinao, and second son of the great Warrior Lord, Tsurugi no Shichitou Yoshikata. If my niece is dead, _I_ am the heir to the Clan, not my son." Tsuneyoshi suddenly swung around on his companion, anger and resolve glittering in his dark eyes. "I won't see Tsunenao manipulated and soaked in blood for the honour of this family, not when I still have life in my body. My brother was no great warrior, but he was a killer till his last breath, and yet that killer was sliced apart by men he trusted. His daughter was a warrior worthy of my father's notice and favour even when she was a young child, but rebels managed to kill her all the same. They were fighters, but my son is not. What chance has he, in an environment such as this? Either my niece inherits this Clan, or I do. The choice is yours, but Tsunenao will not be turned into a killer while I stand back and watch."

"Tokitori-dono, if the _hime_ is dead, how can she..." the young Endou began, but his more senior colleague cut across him, fear glittering deep in his greyish eyes.

"That question must not be asked. That thought must not be voiced," he said in low tones, and the young Endou shot him a confused look.

"I don't..."

"It must not be asked," the retainer insisted. "Tokitori-dono, I beg of you, sir, please reconsider. I understand your grief and your concern, but this is not rational! Come pay your respects to the Lady Hime, but please, re-hang your sword and come as her uncle, not..."

"I am coming as her uncle," Tsuneyoshi said softly, patting the hilt of his sword but making no attempt to obey the request.

"My Lord, you mustn't!" the retainer hurried forward to try and take the sword from the man's belt, but Tsuneyoshi pushed the man away with a swing of his left arm, glaring at him.

"I may not wear armour, but I am still an Unohana. I am good with this blade and I can fight to immobilise, even if I don't want to kill," he said darkly. "Some blades are better sheathed, but as I just told you, if my niece is dead, I am head of this Clan now. You can choose to come with me, or you can sit in my cells. It's up to you. I am going to my niece - and I'm taking my sword with me. We both know that I'm the only one who can, and that getting in my way would be a very bad idea."

Despite himself, the older warrior quailed back at the uncharacteristic threat in the lord's voice, and, at his withdrawal, Tsuneyoshi nodded his head curtly at the young Endou retainer.

"You, come with me," he said briskly. "We'll go pay our respects to my niece."

"My lord?" The young Endou was hesitant, and Tsuneyoshi's lips twisted into a cold, hollow smile. He closed his hand around the hilt of his sword.

"We'll pay our respects and we'll fix the future of this Clan, too," he added frankly. "Once and for all, in a way only the Soldier can."

* * *

 ** _Kurokawa Valley, Yamamoto Province_  
** **黒川谷・山本国**

The silence that pervaded the valley that morning was deafening.

Halting his horse, the youth sat back in the saddle, gazing over the scorched earth and the remains of the skeletons that lay scattered about, no longer recognisable as anything but bits of bone and ash. They had been proud warriors, he remembered with a moment of regret. They had charged forth, crying their battle cries and raising their bows and swords to meet him. Across the feet of one corpse, a ragged, bloody standard fluttered forlornly in the breeze, the Clan _monshou_ that had adorned it smeared with dirt and detritus from the battle. It had wrapped itself lovingly around the legs of its bearer, acting as a shroud now that the battle was over, but, as the young man dismounted his horse, he could see that the charcoal fingers were still clutched determinedly around the remains of the flagpole - protecting the colours of the Clan until the last.

He moved towards it, bending to brush the edges of the flag with the tips of his fingers. It came apart beneath his touch, and he drew back, chewing on his lip as, once again, he registered the devastation all around him. It had been his first foray into battle, but already he knew that he wanted it to be his last.

"The work of a demon, or a monster," he murmured, more to himself than to the corpse that lay before him, but, although there was no answer, suddenly he felt as though he could not meet this dead man's hollowed eyes.

The colours of the banner seemed stark and painful, the white and silver of his own family lying smeared in the blood and dust. It was proof of how painful this rebellion had been. No, he corrected himself bitterly. It had not been a rebellion, so much as a war that had poisoned Seireitei to its core. Not one of the four Great Clans had been spared from its wrath. It was not just the Yamamoto, he mused with deep regret. The skilled and lauded Kuchiki heir had been killed with his entire force, fighting against the rebel army, while the Shihouin had fled underground after their leader had defected to follow his own ambitions. Even the warrior Unohana, famed for their military might, had been rent apart, their lord's throat slit and their warrior princess stolen in the night by her own people. Her retainers had scattered, routed by the ensuing drama. Brothers had been slain by brothers, and sons by fathers alike.

Unohana rebels too lay dead among the charcoal, the youth reflected grimly. The black damage spread for several _ri_ , crossing the border between Yamamoto and Unohana land and searing through the valley towards the banks of the winding river. A steady stream of bodies lay in the wake of its destruction, mingled with fallen trees and the remains of animals and birds that had been caught up in the inferno. It had been a single rush of adrenaline, he remembered bleakly. Some soldiers had raised their blades to meet him, but they had been charred to ash in one great flame of retribution. His rage had seared through acquaintance and stranger alike, turning them all into identical, unrecognisable cadavers. Now, four days later, some areas of ground still smouldered, and many corpses still lay unclaimed and unidentified - the undeniable proof of the Phoenix blade at work. The rebels who had escaped the fire purge had been rounded up by Harumizu, his late father's most trusted warrior, and at the sight of the flames several had fallen on their own swords, others dropping their weapons and begging in vain to be treated with mercy. Some had been beheaded, their heads adorning the pine trees that stood at the edge of the Yamamoto land, while the others - the truly dangerous ones - had been thrown into the abyss. The young man had seen them, swallowed by the dark Dangai into which few people ever ventured and from which many never returned. Dangai exile was a punishment designed to prevent a sinner's soul from rebirth in Seireitei - a fate worse than death, for it meant utter oblivion. It was a punishment only used in the most extreme circumstances - an order given by the Heaven Realm and its representative in Seireitei, the Regent. There was no court of appeal, not even for blood kin forced to fight, and, as he considered this, the young man resented the fact that, although this war had begun in Heaven, it had been the Clans of the Seirei on whom had fallen the greatest burden and loss.  
 _  
We are all just puppets of the Heaven Realm, used to fight their wars, without a thought to our lives. Even now, when all is calm, they leave us to clean up the mess they caused. It's as though we're not here. As though we have no purpose. Father had no purpose except to die because of them, and I had no purpose but to kill on their behalf. Our families are rent to pieces for a war that wasn't ours, and the only consolation is that some of us remain alive to regret it happened at all. Grandfather may consider it an honour to go there, or to serve the Soul King, but I don't. I consider it an insult, and I always will, making enemies of people who had no axe to grind before the Heaven Realm started playing games._

He gazed up at the sky, remembering again the struggles of his uncle, Kunimori, as he had been tossed into the black. Then, he had felt nothing, the adrenaline of battle still pumping through his system but now, in the cold, stark light of the aftermath, doubts nagged away at him. The Dangai punishment was a fate for monsters and those too dangerous to be allowed to remain. Kunimori had been the only one who had not been fearful, but angry, shouting threats until he had disappeared for good into the shadows. Had the man really been so dangerous that letting him be condemned in Seireitei was too much of a risk? Was _he_? It was hard to tell, but the thought of that yawning darkness gave the youth fresh chills. He glanced down at the sword sheathed at his side. Maybe he was. Maybe, one day, the Dangai would be his fate, too. Maybe it would be the next time his flames seared the whole world to ash. He had seen his own kin tossed into the darkness, chained and bound. It was in his blood, to be a demon and a killer, and there was no keeping the secret, now, that his sword was one of _those_ swords. It was surely only a matter of time before he, too, became a creature beyond redemption. Surely that was why his father had tried to keep him from battle, despite his having already entered his fifteenth year?

"Santarou-dono?"

The voice startled him, and he swung around guiltily, meeting the concerned gaze of one of the manor retainers, and his _menoto_ , Sasakibe Tadashige. He had not even realised Tadashige had followed him, but, although the man's dark hair was peppered with the white of approaching age, he was still as stealthy and skilful a rider as he had ever been, and he had crept up on his preoccupied charge, watching over him from a distance as the youngster had surveyed the fruits of his own dark labour.

"Tadashige," eventually Santarou found his voice, his emotions suddenly threatening to get the better of him, and Tadashige sighed, dismounting his own steed and leading it forwards until he stood a mere metre from his companion.

"You should return to the manor," he said softly. "Everything there is in disarray. Our battle was a victory, but without you..."

"Without me, this level of slaughter could not have happened," Santarou's words broke slightly as he remembered again the fierce blaze of flame searing deep into each person, burning out their heart and their life with terrifying ease. The screams of the dying were sounds he could not forget, but although he did not know how to explain it, Tadashige's expression softened as though he understood. Gently he rested a hand on the young man's shoulders.

"It was necessary," he murmured. "I am not happy, either, that you had to face this at such a young age. But, Santarou-dono, only you could've done this. Only you could've settled this fight and brought the world back to peace here. The Yamamoto Clan have suffered grievous wounds, and you have suffered them too. This is the first step towards becoming an adult. Your father delayed your coming of age because he wanted to protect you, but there's no protection from the reality of war. So long as you are here, the Clan has nothing to fear."

"Or everything," Santarou dusted the ash from his fingers. "Father delayed my coming of age because he feared my blade, not for any other reason. He feared the monster that can bring everything to ash. A child who can burn their way through the family's rebels with just a single sweep of a blade...who wouldn't be afraid of that?"

"Your father was not afraid of you, and nor am I," Tadashige assured him. "He made the decisions he did for his own reasons, and he is no longer here to explain them to you. I am not even half his equal, Santarou-dono, but I am here and I am always on your side. Your father entrusted that guidance to me and I take it seriously. I am growing older, and I do not have the great power that you do, but I am loyal and so are my kin. Now all that is left for you is to take your adult name and rise to lead the Clan. Your Grandfather abdicated to serve the Soul King, and your father is dead. Your uncle is exiled, the rebels destroyed. The Clan looks to you now, and so it should."

"Father..." The young man faltered for a moment, then shook his head.

"There is much dust to settle," he murmured. "The scars aren't just in this Clan. I will come of age, Tadashige, but I will not lead this Clan. A sword like mine should not ever lead this Clan. A sword which can destroy it in one breath can never bring it to prosper. A sword that should never be used cannot be raised in the defence of its people."

"But Santarou-dono!" Tadashige's eyes opened wide with dismay, and Santarou offered him an empty smile, patting the hilt of the sheathed sword lightly.

"I have a brother," he said simply. "Sanjirou is only two years younger than I am, and he is intelligent and brave. He is not a monster, and he has not shed the blood of his cousins in the way I have. I will become an adult, Tadashige, but I will not lead. I will swear allegiance to my brother, and I will follow his lead. That is my decision - for the future of this Clan, I will no longer use this sword. And a leader who does not use his weapon cannot be seen as a leader."

He took up the reins of his horse, launching himself deftly into the saddle and turning the beast around, gesturing for his companion to follow suit. Tadashige hesitated, then did as he was bidden, a look of consternation on his lined features.

"The Clan won't like it," he warned. "You know that your bloodline..."

"They will accept it," Santarou said frankly. "I will make them accept it. They are afraid of me, Tadashige. They will do whatever I say."

He offered another flinty smile, lifting the reins more firmly in his hands as he prepared to ride back towards the manor.

"You will conduct my coming of age," he added. "I will take your name kanji, along with my father's 'Kuni'. I will become _Shigekuni_ , and from this day on, I will be the Yamamoto demon in the shadows."

* * *

 **Author's Note**  
 **  
Glossary of terms:**  
 **Tokitori** 時鳥 - think of this like the Genryuusai in Yama's later name. It's something of a nickname or a title given to him for a specific reason which I will probably explain later. For a hint...Tokitori isn't the only way those kanji can be read when put together.  
 **  
Menoto** 乳父、also 傅- this is a funny word to translate. It actually means something like 'wet-nurse', but obviously, Tadashige is a guy! Basically, in old Japan, a family of lower rank would be appointed as 'menoto', or a pseudo guardian role to a child, and they would be closely involved in their upbringing. In very few cases did this actually involve wet-nursing by the women, and in terms of the men, it meant mostly the forging of a close bond which, at times, became like blood family. Sasakibe is obviously a familiar name, and Tadashige is a predecessor of Tadaoki, the man who will, ultimately, be the Choujirou we know from canon. I suspect Tadashige may be his grandfather, but it is uncertain yet.  
 **  
Santarou** 山太郎- well, obviously by the end of the prologue it's clear who this is, though I think it is throughout. While I have ignored this fact for most of my stories, because this is going way back into past, I have decided to stick to tradition whereby a warrior only attained his adult name with his coming of age, or _genpuku_ rite. If canon Bleach world is Edo influenced, then going back even further into the past must pick up some of the features of old warrior Japan. Well, I think so xD. I thus gave Yama the childhood name Santarou, or first child of the Yamamoto. After his coming of age ceremony he receives his official adult name, which as canon tells us, is Shigekuni 重国 - a very old school warrior name!


	2. The Spirit Academy

**District One, Seireitei  
 _Three Milennia Later_**

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Spirit Academy**

The trees that surrounded the old Yamamoto manor were already pink with sakura blooms, and, as the old warrior gazed up at the branches pensively, the light spring breeze gently teased a few early petals loose, sending them drifting down onto the grass below. The sky was clear, with only the most hazy wisps of cloud breaking up the blue. It was deceptively peaceful, and the man ran wrinkled fingers thoughtfully through his long white beard, contemplating the calm before the storm that was undoubtedly on the horizon.

It was graduation week at the Seireitei Spirit Academy and, before long, the estate would be a hive of activity. The younger students had long since finished their assessments, waiting impatiently for their seniors to gain rank and promotion to squad so that they could think about going home for the brief spring holiday that separated the spring term from the summer of the new academic year. For those graduating, there was still the excitement and uncertainty of future squad placements, exam grades and family expectations, and, as a result, the old warrior expected that by the time he made the short walk back towards the estate and his office, the training grounds and gymnasium would all be full of young hopefuls working off their adrenaline and stress. It was a nice time of year, but also a sad one - a parting and a beginning as well as the culmination of hard graft. Whether these young ones would make a mark on the flourishing military structure of Seireitei's Gotei Shinigami Squads would remain to be seen, but in its fifty or so years in operation, there had already been both startling successes and painful tragedies.

Such was the reality of the modern world.

The old man let out a soft sigh of resignation. Three milennia had passed since that day in the valley when he had first shed blood in terrifying quantities. In the aftermath of that battle, he had sworn not to use that power ever again - to be the shadow, no more a killer, who disappeared into the recesses of the Yamamoto Clan. He had handed over the responsibility of leadership to his younger brother and, for some time, had travelled, visiting the scarred lands of his neighbours and seeing for himself the devastation of what had become known as Heaven's War - the battle of the Royal Realm which had spread into the Seirei, sacrificing the lives of individuals used as puppets in the plans of those who lived above.

Three thousand years had been enough time to make the young Shigekuni into a wise old man. It had been a long life, and in the course of it, he had seen many allies die, some slain in battle, with others succumbing to the failings of old age or the lures of madness. Three thousand years had been enough to see Clans rise and fall, families destroy themselves or reinvent their identity in a desperate attempt to shake off the shackles of past shame. Over those years, Shigekuni had come to one key conclusion - something that he had not known himself as a young man, but which now he knew and felt with all his heart and soul.

He wrapped his hand around his wooden walking stick, feeling the soft hum of the _zanpakutou_ sword that slept deep inside its seal.  
 _  
Well, Ryuujinjakka. So another year comes to an end. Our school is growing. Thirty seniors graduate this year alone. That's the most in any year so far, and more than half of them are from the Districts. Squad Captains will come here, recruits will grow and flourish as parts of a well functioning team. The balance of this world is no longer left to the Clans, and we are no longer the puppets of the Heaven Realm. They say that swords like you are here to change the world - and maybe, at this age, I now see how we are. By burning away the corruption, we lay the seeds for a new world. This Academy is the future of Seireitei. From the ashes of the corpses of that valley beyond this house, we have grown the seeds of the future - not within the Yamamoto family, but across all sections of Seirei society._

He turned back towards the school, keeping a brisk pace despite his age as he made his journey back to the main building. As he approached it, he could already hear the sound of voices, excited young people squabbling in the breakfast hall for the best seats, punctuated by the occasional scolding of his Senior Class. Graduation was days away, but the familiarity of these sensations brought the old man comfort. Some of them were doubtless as naive as he had been as a teenager, but here, in a place like this, he could protect them, and teach them how to protect themselves.

Five years earlier, when the rebel Aizen Keitarou had threatened the fundamental framework of Soul Society, it had been Shigekuni's former Academy students who had held firm against the onslaught, emerging triumphant in their battle to return peace to both Inner and Outer Seireitei. In his long life, Shigekuni had trained his sword to the ultimate level of control and understanding, but, in the defeating of Keitarou's rebellion, he had seen that, through the Academy, he had honed even more precious weapons - a future generation who believed in justice and stability rather than chaos and individual gain. Even the Heaven Realm now recognised the shinigami of the Seireitei as the protectors of balance and the hunters of Hollows. No longer puppets of higher orders, the shinigami now ruled their own realm with authority and pride...although Shigekuni knew that the battle was not yet even half over. Hierarchy and status were still barriers that divided high from low.  
 _  
I am an old man, now, but there is still life in me. I trust that, in my lifetime, I'll see those barriers come down a little more. My students take with them into the world the benefits of teamwork and meritocracy. I know you are always at my side, Ryuujinjakka, but the young ones are the weapons I prefer to use to change this world. I hope I never will again see a world that requires turning to ash...I hope that all our work over so many years will prevent such a world from ever coming to pass again._

As he approached the main building, he realised that, although the students were all preoccupied with their morning meal, the grounds were not completely deserted. Standing by the rear gate, gazing up at the building with a pensive, almost nostalgic expression on his sallow features was a young man robed in black shihakushou, his shoulders covered by the stark fabric of a white haori. The number thirteen was slashed into the back in Japanese characters, and lank white hair fell in a loose tail over the individual's shoulder. He was of average height, and, at first glance, seemed underweight and perhaps in poor health, his skinny body swallowed up by the voluminous folds of the black and white uniform. Shigekuni knew better, however, for the gleam of a carved ebony sheath and the unmistakeable presence of a sword hilt at the individual's waist was proof that this man was as much a soldier as he was himself, a graduate of the Academy of some thirty years before. The white haori, his badge of office as a Captain of the Gotei indicated that this visitor was a person of significant spiritual presence and rank, but to Shigekuni he was something more important than that. He was Ukitake Juushirou, the Academy's first graduate from outside of the Noble Clan families, and a student who the old warrior still saw as something like a surrogate son.

"Sensei!" At his approach, Juushirou turned, and Shigekuni - or Genryuusai, as he was generally known these days - offered him a smile, raising a hand to acknowledge the other man's presence. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be trespassing all over the place like this, but Tadaoki-dono said that you had taken a walk around the grounds, and it made me nostalgic, seeing the trees over the horizon."

"You don't need to apologise to come here, my boy," Genryuusai assured him, as he reached his former student's side. "Besides, I was expecting someone from the Thirteenth this morning. I may have become a little nostalgic myself - but at this time of the year, I think about the students who have already gone to squads, and whether the young ones leaving this year will be able to make a difference in the Gotei in the years ahead."

His smile widened, humour glittering in his dark eyes.

"When you become an old man, Juushirou, sometimes you think of the world you will leave behind when you are no longer here," he said matter-of-factly. "I have no plans to die any time soon, but at my age, it's hard to know what the future holds. I trust to have put good enough foundations in place - but it will probably be young people like you and your peers who will really capitalise on the pipe dreams that started this Academy."

"I imagine you'll outlive us all, Sensei," Juushirou's own expression became one of amusement. "As for me, I have no excuses, really. It's been thirty years since Shunsui, Enishi and the rest of our Senior Class graduated from here, but it seems like yesterday. Time has gone so quickly...but it's the first time I've been back here myself since that spring."

"Thirty years is a drop in the ocean, my boy," Genryuusai told him firmly, as the two men headed into the school building. "I admit, I didn't realise that the Thirteenth Division was sending its Captain to me today, but I have no complaints. It's become something of a tradition in the last couple of years for squads to send representatives to meet the students and talk to the undecided new graduates about recruitment during this week. The last couple of years Enishi has been here and done a fine job inspiring the young ones as your Vice Captain - but I am sure that there will be much excitement when the story spreads that a Captain of the Gotei is at the Academy. Especially this Captain,"

He paused, eying his companion pensively.

"For some reason you seem to be something of an idol among my District born students. I wonder why that is."

"Sensei," Juushirou's pale cheeks reddened in embarrassment, and Genryuusai chuckled at the other's discomfited reaction. "Don't tease me. If they know who I am, I'm sure it's only because you've been using my Captaincy as much as you used my low birth as a magnet to attract other District students the whole time I was a student here. It's a perfectly polished PR exercise to make sure the District students believe they have as much chance of ranking as anyone else - and you know it as well as I do."

"Perhaps," Genryuusai acknowledged, rubbing his beard. "But you haven't let me down. I don't have to make any particular attempt to promote your achievements, Juushirou. They're known. You're the first District Captain, and you hold your own in a world of Clan squads. The Thirteenth Division has been the final destination for many of my best young District hopefuls, and I imagine, the same will be true this year. I know some of the other squads have increased their attempts to recruit from the District pool in the last five years - but it's still generally thought that Thirteenth Division is the District Division and the first choice for many of them when considering their future."

"Well, that's why a Captain comes directly, to offset the opposition and secure the best candidates," Juushirou laughed, recovering his composure and allowing his companion to lead the way into the Headmaster's Office. "I can't be too careful, or let my guard down. I have some stiff competition in recruitment these days, and Thirteenth Division remains one of the smaller squads. Aside from a couple of exceptional examples, our intake is one hundred percent from the Academy, whereas the Great Noble Families still have private training programs that the Council of Elders recognises as adequate for recruitment. This is the most important time of the year for the Thirteenth. It's true that I like to keep a close, team atmosphere, but I don't want us to lose out because we became complacent."

"I see," Genryuusai looked appreciative. "Well, if that's the case, I can put your mind at rest. As you know, I have thirty graduating students this year. Fourteen belong to different Clans. They have all recruited to their selected squads - they have all chosen to recruit to Clan squads, which is perhaps disappointing, but not surprising given that the world can only change so much in a short space of time. The other sixteen are District born. I know I sent you information on six of those, because they expressed to me a clear desire to be part of your squad. The other ten are undecided. They are taking advantage of this new proactive approach by squads to send representatives to talk to them about life within a particular division. You are the first representative to arrive, and you have come in person. I think that will carry weight - although I believe that I am to expect your colleague from the Ninth tomorrow."

"Sora, huh." Juushirou pulled a face, and Genryuusai nodded. "Yes, I thought so. Since she took over the Ninth five years ago, she's looked for all and every opportunity to promote the squad. She's a Shiba, even if she doesn't follow the Clan's way of seeing things. Her private information network is phenomenal. I'm almost surprised that she hasn't been through your students already - I've no doubt she knows more about those ten undecided youngsters than I do."

"But you are here now, and competition among Captains make for good future squads," Genryuusai settled himself behind his desk, indicating for Juushirou to take one of the big, soft cushions that lay before it. "Well, this is also a nostalgic feeling, my boy. It's been a while since I've had you in my office like this, hasn't it?"

"I almost wonder if I'm going to be scolded for breaking curfew, or sent to do some kind of training duty with a difficult junior student," Juushirou admitted with a rueful grin, sinking down onto the cushion and allowing the old man to pour a mug of the hot steaming tea that had clearly been delivered to the office moments before, in anticipation of the Headmaster's return. "Thank you, it's welcome. I came early, and left everything in Enishi's hands - but I confess, I haven't entirely come about the graduates. They are my priority, but I wanted to speak to you myself, and, if possible, ask your advice."

"Advice?" Genryuusai had been about to drink his own tea, but at this, he paused, gazing at his former student in concern. "Something is amiss? You don't usually call on me this way."

"I know, and it's not really fair of me to do so now," Juushirou said apologetically, lifting his own mug and taking a sip. "You have your own things to deal with, especially at this time of the year, and you already spared time five years ago to come to Seireitei on the same errand. But there really is only you I can talk to about this - and I wanted to, because, well, it seemed the right thing to do."

"I see," there was a pause, and Genryuusai eyed his companion keenly. "This is about that boy again, then? Aizen Kohaku, your Rukongai recruit?"

"Mm," Juushirou set his mug down on the desk. "Or, well, no. He's not a recruit any more. It's been five years since his father Keitarou died, and five years since Shunsui and I bullied the Council into accepting Koku as a member of my Division. Since then he's worked hard, proven himself capable and trustworthy and been fully ratified as a shinigami. He's a good member, and although he still has some issues with his shunpo when he's not focused, I'm pleased with him. He's made decent progress, and as of last month, I've given him the Twelfth Seat. He's really become a part of the family, I think."

"In that case, I don't understand why you need my help?" Genryuusai looked thoughtful. "If Kohaku is settled, happy and working well, what's on your mind?"

"Maybe it's that exact thing," Juushirou chewed on his lip. "He is stable and happy. I want to keep things that way. I've noticed, lately, that his spirit power is flickering a little at times. I don't know if he's having any kinds of dreams again, because he's not talked to me about it - but he doesn't seem out of sorts. I think maybe it's not a big deal, not yet - but I'm aware of what Koku's _zanpakutou_ is, and what we discussed, five years ago, when you came to see him at Thirteenth. I know and you know that Koku's power was still raw, under-trained and far from it's final level, then. I think maybe, with the training and work he's done, it's maturing. I want to be ready for that, when it happens - so that I can make it as smooth a process for everyone as possible. Kohaku's spirit power is not...well, it's not something you want to see rail out of control."

"No..." Genryuusai glanced at Ryuujinjakka's sealed form, shaking his head. "I see your point. Like Ryuujinjakka, Kyouka Raigen would indeed be an unforgiving sword in unprepared hands."

"That's my thinking, too," Juushirou admitted. "I've discussed it with Enishi, and you know my Vice Captain - he's practical and often mystified by spiritual nuances of the type Koku goes in for. He's fond of the lad, though, and he agrees that the more we know the better, in case it becomes a bigger issue later on. That's why I came here this time, rather than him. He likes meeting the graduates, and visiting this place, but he wasn't confident he could explain the situation in the best way, and really, I suppose it's something I'd rather do in person, since I'm the one who took responsibility with the Council for Koku's training after Keitarou died. I've come to speak to new student hopefuls, but I hope I might beg some of your time later on this evening to talk about the matter in more detail. You're the only person in Seireitei who has encountered Kyouka swords before...and I remember...well, I know that the last holder...it didn't end so very well. I want to make sure Koku's future is better than his past was...I want to see him master this, and for that I need your expertise."

"I always have time for former students, especially in cases such as this," Genryuusai assured his companion. "You are one of my success stories, and I confess, Koku is an interesting young student. I'll make sure we have that discussion, later, and if need be, we can find accommodation for you to spend the night. I have no classes to call me away, and I'm sure that I can entrust any student enquiries to Tadaoki and Kazoe if necessary, if you are happy leaving your overnight responsibilities to Enishi and your other high seats while we discuss Koku's progress."

"Thank you," Juushirou's expression was one of clear relief. "I already alerted them to the possibility, and I appreciate it."

"You've taken my advice, I see," Genryuusai observed.

"Advice?" Juushirou looked surprised, and Genryuusai nodded.

"You've taken on the burden of adoptive father to that boy, as well as Captain and mentor," he responded, and Juushirou looked sheepish.

"I think that it would be foolish of me to deny it," he owned. "Koku's choice to protect Seireitei against his father's anarchy meant that he was left with nobody else to turn to, and I promised to make sure he was all right in Seireitei. I've kept my word, but yes, I suppose it is like that. I don't suppose it could be any other way, given the circumstances under which he came into my care five years ago."

"It's no bad thing," Genryuusai said wisely. "He needed stable guidance without ulterior motive."

"I hope that I've given him that," Juushirou reflected. "In any case, that's a conversation we can consider later. I heard the breakfast bell as I came in, and I don't want to interfere with your planned schedule where your graduates are concerned. I know how busy this week is for everyone, and it can't be derailed for one Twelfth seat from one Gotei Division."

"That is also true," Genryuusai nodded approvingly, setting his mug aside and getting to his feet. He moved to the shelves of books and files at the back of the room, rummaging through some of the more recent documents until he found the papers he was looking for. "I'll move to immediate business, then, if I may. I mentioned the six I sent to you. You said you'd take my advice in terms of whether I passed them on to you, and I haven't heard anything to the contrary, so I'm assuming that there's no issue with them being accepted into the Thirteenth come the end of the week?"

"No, no problems at all," Juushirou shook his head. "We've gone over all of them with a fine tooth comb, but, really, Sensei's recommendation is as good as a golden handshake when it comes to their potential. They're quite evenly balanced in a lot of skills. In particular one or two of them seem to have scored quite highly in their practical Real World mission, which is encouraging. I tend to find, with thirty years of experience behind me, that the most valuable graduation mark to our squad is that one...how they act in the face of real action, and how well they put together the skills they learn in class."

"That's why the Real World is necessary, if dangerous, before graduation," Genryuusai set the papers down on his desk, resuming his seat. "You're right, of course. That is generally the case. This year are a good class, though. They worked well as a team for the most part, and I haven't experienced much prejudice or divide between those from Clans and those from the Districts. There are a lot of friendships that cross both worlds, which I know you will approve of thoroughly. It's true that, in some cases, my Clan students still have better grounding before they come to me, and they often have an advantage when it comes to rank - but one or two tend to upset the normal order of things, which keeps life interesting."

"Yes..." Juushirou looked thoughtful, brushing a finger through the papers and pausing on one particular sheet. "I do remember one of them standing out. I think he scored second overall in the class of thirty? That's no mean feat for a District child - as I know from my own experience."

"Yatsubashi Shinobu," Genryuusai took the proffered sheet, glancing at it and nodding his head. "Yes, he was my Anideshi this year, and he's proven a very good leader among his peers, even despite his birth, and the fact he wasn't one of the oldest in the year."

"I think the application said he was twenty one," Juushirou reflected. "I assumed he'd either skipped a year somewhere, or begun quite young - I remember I came to you at seventeen, and, even with skipping the fifth year, I was twenty-two when I graduated."

"He was fifteen when he enrolled," Genryuusai nodded. "I don't tend to take students younger than that. He came to me very eager but extremely raw, so he's gone through the whole programme with the same students. I think that's part of the reason he's come on so well, but he's worked very hard from the start, really. He's from District Seven, originally - which is something of an achievement given how many spiritually gifted District families were killed on account of their potential around the time you and your fellows were studying here. He has a good, strong _zanpakutou_ mentality, and his shunpo and kidou are exceptional. He works well in the field and, generally, keeps his head in a crisis. His classmates all respect him, and he has the confidence to take charge, even if that means overruling someone's Clan ego. If he has a weak point, it's that he's overly confident at times, and rather single-minded. When he has his mind made up...well, he's not the most flexible. That could do with being trained out of him - I think experience would help in that regard."

"That's what Thirteenth is for," Juushirou replied. "I'm happy with those six applicants, and I'll be sure to put them to good use. It's my policy to keep recruits at that level for a year or sometimes two, to let them really absorb life in the Gotei and their position at the bottom of the hierarchy. I find it useful after they've been Seniors here, to understand that they have to begin all over again, especially coming up against people from Clan squads. There'll be plenty of time for Yatsubashi to realise that sometimes, lives depend on being able to change strategy, and that other people may at times know better what is right."

"Then about the other ten, I've told them to gather in the Senior Study once they've overseen breakfast," Genryuusai told him. "You'll have a chance to meet Yatsubashi, too, as its normal for my Anideshi to attend meetings with Gotei members as a matter of good manners. He was quite agreeable about meeting the Thirteenth's representative, though I imagine he will be especially happy when he realises its you," he added, a grin touching his lips at Juushirou's expression. "He's a big fan of yours, you know. He's said so from the start - that you're his benchmark, and he wants to be as successful as you've been out there in the Gotei world."

"Oh boy," Juushirou looked apprehensive. "Well, I suppose that's all right. I mean, being a Captain, you should want people to look up to you - though to know that they've done so since the start..."

"I did say as much."

"Yes, but I thought you were teasing me," Juushirou sighed. "Oh well. Such is my job, and I will handle that, too."

"In that case, shall I send for some breakfast of our own, and then you can encounter the youngsters on a full stomach?" Genryuusai suggested. Juushirou grimaced, nodding his head.

"I think that would be a good idea," he confessed. "Thank you, Sensei. I don't want to disappoint their expectations!"

* * *

"I swear, if there's one thing I'm not going to miss when we graduate this place, it's overseeing feeding time at the zoo,"

Naniwa Hiroshi leaned back against the door of the dining hall with a sigh of relief. "I really thought they were never going to finish shovelling their food into their faces this morning. Talk about being more interested in gabbing than eating - you'd think that they'd wait till after the holiday to chat themselves stupid. It's not like they haven't been shoved together every single day, and they can't possibly have anything left to talk about."

"You're unusually impatient this morning," his companion cast him a surprised look. "What gives, Hiroshi? You're normally not bothered by the juniors and whatever they're about. Why today?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Hiroshi tut-tutted under his breath. "Shinobu, you're slipping. Don't tell me you ditched your Anideshi hat a few days early? Or are you just so settled with your own future that you forgot that Division representatives start coming from this morning? Sensei told us to be in the Senior Study right after breakfast. I thought the kids would never stop eating - being late doesn't make a good impression."

"If you wanted to be less nervy, you should've made up your mind already," Yatsubashi Shinobu retorted smartly. "You're the idiot, you know that."

"Maybe I am," Hiroshi sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Truth is, I wasn't confident of my final exam marks, and so I didn't know if I was even going to graduate with you all. It made me hesitate...I didn't want to apply for a Division that would just laugh in my face."

"You thought you were going to fail?" Shinobu's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "That's also not like you. I don't understand why you've suddenly lost confidence in yourself, you know. This year has been pretty crazy, but even given the step up in workload, I don't see why you'd feel like that."

"No, you wouldn't," Hiroshi clapped his friend warmly on the back. "You're the star act. Taking the second rank, topping the District students...the thing is that, now there are so many Seniors, it's harder for those of us who are just average to stand out. We're not all as good as you are, you know. I was worried I wouldn't rank highly enough. I don't have a Clan to fall back on, or any particular skills that make me notable. There are sixteen District students. I guess I just felt scared that I wouldn't be good enough."

"Well, you passed, and you did fine, so you can shut up with the negative monologuing," Shinobu told him firmly. "We're going to the study, we're going to be polite to the representative from the Thirteenth and you can fix it all how you like. The one advantage I suppose is that you can now meet with these people and choose where you go...because you ranked above halfway, so you needn't worry anyone would not take you now."

He cast his companion a sidelong glance.

"I'd like you to come with me to Thirteenth," he added, "but it's your choice, not mine. We're not kids, and I'm sure that, if we went to different squads, it would be fine."

"Well, I've never had any real preference that way. I am just happy that I have an option to join a squad, and can be proud of my final grades," Hiroshi admitted. "In a way, you're lucky. You always have known, right from the start, that you want to go to Thirteenth. You've set that as your target since I first met you, and you've never wavered. I'm not as decisive about things as you are - I guess I need that discipline whipped into me, or something."

"Another good reason for you to come with me," Shinobu joked, as they reached the door of the study, Hiroshi trying the door to see if it was unlocked. It was, and, as they entered, those of their classmates who had already arrived welcomed them with warm greetings of acknowledgement. "Morning, all. Mission accomplished. Brats fed. Now onto stage two. Has anyone heard anything from Sensei? Do we know when he's due to come up?"

"No message yet, because we've all been at meal and, probably, so has he," a petite young woman put in from her seat by the window, lowering her book to shoot Shinobu a grin. "He didn't come to the dining hall, remember? He's entertaining company in his office, which means that it probably won't be too long."

"We're still down a couple of people, anyway," Hiroshi observed. "I count eight of us, plus you, Shinobu."

"Takahashi went to neaten up. He ran from morning training to breakfast, and looked like he'd jumped in a mud pit inbetween," one of the other students remarked. "Kazoe took him to pieces for his appearance, so he went to change. I saw him hurrying up the back stairs, so I guess he'll be here soon."

"I should probably go to Sensei's office, then," Shinobu cast a cursory glance in the small mirror that hung in the corner of the study, brushing down his own dark tail of hair with a sigh. "It's fine, meeting the rep from the Thirteenth. I mean, it's good to make a positive impression of my future superiors, so I don't mind, but I'm pretty sure I'll be a spare part during all of this."

"You won't feel like that when you know what we know," two of the students exchanged glances, and then the taller of the two, a fair haired youth with freckles and pale green eyes offered a broad grin. "We saw, you know, this morning. Didn't you see? We saw. Weren't you paying attention, Anideshi-sama?"

"I told him already that he's slipping," Hiroshi dropped down onto one of the cushions with a grin. "What did you see, Morata?"

"The representative from the Thirteenth Division," Morata paused for dramatic effect, eying Shinobu with a mischievous glance. "Who do you think it is, Yatsubashi?"

"Who do I think it is? What is this, a guessing game?" Shinobu's brows furrowed in irritation. "If you've something to say, Morata, spit it out."

"The last couple of years, it was Houjou Enishi. Thirteenth's Vice Captain...Uebashi-sensei told me so when I asked him last night," Hiroshi agreed. "Houjou-dono is a Yamamoto, I think, although he chose to go to the District Division when it started, instead of following his Clan. This is his home territory, and that would make Sensei his kin in a roundabout way. It makes sense for him to come here, so I guess it will probably be him again?"

"It's not," the young woman's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Morata and I both saw the representative arrive, when we were gathering our stuff together this morning to go to breakfast. There wasn't time to mention it when we were eating, and in any case, with Kazoe-sensei on the warpath, I didn't think we should be gossiping and ignoring the kids. But we both saw it."

"The representative is Ukitake-taichou," Morata agreed. "I saw the haori, so there's no mistake. He's thinner than I thought he'd be in real life," he added with an after-thought.

"Ukitake... _Juushirou_ -dono?" Shinobu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, unless you know any other Captains by the name of Ukitake."

"Are you kidding?" Shinobu demanded. "You're kidding. You're winding me up! I hate when you do that - you have an evil poker face, and for a moment then, I almost believed you!"

"That's nice," Morata snorted. "I share some happy news with you, and you think I'm lying. Kawakami, back me up, will you? I wouldn't joke about something like that."

"He's serious, Yatsubashi-kun," the young woman nodded her head. "It's not a joke. I really did see it as well. I don't know why, but Ukitake-taichou has come here himself to meet with us all today."

"Really?" Shinobu pressed his lips together. "In that case, Morata, I take it back. But I still can't quite get my head around it. Captains don't come here themselves. They send other people...why would he be..."

"The Captain of the Ninth comes every year," Morata pointed out. "Why should it be odd that the Thirteenth Division Captain comes? I think it's cool, to meet the head honcho himself. It's easier to find out about a Division from the boss, right? And if he came here in person, he's obviously interested to meet us and find out what we can do."

"And persuade us to join his Division," Kawakami agreed. "Yatsubashi-kun, are you all right? You look kind of shell-shocked - are you going to be able to keep your cool when you go to meet Sensei?"

"He'll be all over the guy for an autograph," Hiroshi smirked. "Well, Shinobu? You'll get to meet your hero a little earlier than you expected - doesn't that make it worthwhile, tagging on with us this morning?"

"Don't be stupid," Shinobu hurriedly pulled his composure back together, sending his friend a dark look. "I'm Anideshi. I have to think of the honour of the school, and I'm not a little kid. I'm not going to flap and fawn all over him like a dizzy fangirl. But if it's true, I am glad of the warning," he added, glancing at Morata. "It means that I'll be prepared, when I meet them. I don't know why he'd be here himself, but if he is, then it's even more important that I make a good impression."

"Ukitake-taichou is a former graduate of the Academy, isn't he?" the young woman said thoughtfully, and Hiroshi nodded.

"He is. Thirty years ago," he agreed. "That makes him our senpai...which is a weird thought."

"It makes him someone worth looking up to," Shinobu pulled his _zanpakutou_ from his obi, checking to make sure that there was no dust on the sheath or on the hilt before returning it to its resting place at his side. "He's proof that someone from the Districts can go all the way to the top, and that's something to believe in for all of us. I'm going to head up to the office, anyway. I'll be back soon, with Sensei and our visitor, so you guys should find Takahashi and whoever else isn't here yet, and make sure everything in here is tidied up before I get back. Remember that, even if a Captain has come all this way, he's already accepted six applications from Sensei and his coming doesn't mean he's obligated to take anyone into his squad as a recruit. Kazoe told me he usually takes a maximum of ten overall, so, including the six of us, that makes it tight for you lot. I said that I want to make a good impression, and I do, but I suggest you stop teasing me. This week's meetings with representatives will decide your futures beyond graduation, so think of it like that."

"Ukitake-taichou is meant to be quite kind," Kawakami mused. "He might be prevailed upon to take more than that, if we really impressed him."

"He might be, but he's still a Captain," Hiroshi shook his head. "Shinobu's right, Kawakami. You don't get to the point he's at by being soft when the big decisions come up."

"And, considering that he spent a good seven years working in Seventh District with the Endou, I imagine he knows exactly what he wants before he even gets here," Shinobu agreed. "I'm serious. And Ousaki is here," he added, as the door slid back to reveal one of the missing students, "so I suggest that someone goes to the Senior Dorm, drags Takahashi out of his room and brings him here before I get back. If you have to dress him, do it - I don't care, but if you're not all here and neat and tidy by the time I get back with Sensei, there'll be hell to pay from me too, not just from him!"

With that parting statement he withdrew from the study, closing the door quickly and hurrying back along the corridor towards the staircase. Although he had rubbished it before his peers, a flare of excitement had seared up inside of him at the thought of meeting the Captain of the Thirteenth that morning, and he fought to quell it, taking the steps two at a time and almost running into two junior students who let out exclamations of indignation at meeting their Anideshi at full tilt along the corridor.

"If it was us, we'd get yelled at for running in the halls," Shinobu heard one of them mutter, but he paid it no attention, determined to reach the Headmaster's study before the old man thought of leaving it.  
 _  
I want to make a good impression on my future Captain. That's all. I just want to make him see that I'm reliable, because recruiting is a competitive business, and who knows what it will be like when we enter squad._

He repeated this under his breath a few times, trying to convince himself that it was the truth but, as he reached the Headmaster's office, he felt his heart still pounding in his chest.  
 _  
Ukitake Juushirou. Captain of the Thirteenth Division._

He sighed, sinking back against the wall with a sense of relief. From within the office, he could hear the low sound of voices, indicating that he had made it in good time and, although he could not hear any of the conversation, he felt sure that he had time to gather himself, rebuilding his composure.  
 _  
None of the others understand, and explaining to them is pointless._

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

The reason that District Seven is as it is - the reason the shinigami are as they are, and the reason that my family live in peace, unmolested...it's all because of him. It's all because he came to Seventh, he led there, and he changed things forever. He's the reason I wanted to become a shinigami. How can I explain that to anyone else?

He closed his eyes.  
 _  
District shinigami from the Seventh District are rare. So many people with spirit power were killed, or left as refugees because of the Clan purges, or the exile, Aizen Keitarou, doing spirit experiments on the populace. There were so many people in my family that I never met because of those atrocities. Then Ukitake-dono came there, a District Captain, into a Clan land that hated District spirit power, in order to put things right. Father never tires of talking about it. How things changed. How the Seventh shinigami now treat District people with respect. How Seventh Division accepts District members. How even the Head of the Endou, Hirata-sama, looks up to him, and listens to him, even though they were born so many leagues apart. Who wouldn't want to be like that kind of person? If you come from District Seven, you understand more than anyone else how important all this is. Because of Ukitake Juushirou, there's a future for us. Not just as shinigami, but to even be alive. It's not something I can explain to someone who grew up in another District. Only if you grew up with the scars of the purges still warping your family tree can you really appreciate the power of that one man to change our world._

The sound of the door jerked him back to attention just in time, and, as the divide slid back, he bowed his head very properly in a gesture of respect. He was the model of a perfect, deferential Anideshi student, but as he saw the white folds of fabric cloaking Genryuusai's companion, he felt his heart skip a beat again, and he hoped that the other man could not sense his nerves.

"Good morning, Yatsubashi. You're here in good time. Thank you," Genryuusai's voice made him raise his head, meeting his teacher's gaze with a grave one of his own. "I trust that your fellows are in the Senior Study, as agreed?"

"I've been there and told them to be ready," Shinobu gathered himself a second time, nodding his head. "Most of them were there when I left, sir, and the others on their way. I'm sure they are all assembled in readiness, and I've come to meet you, as per my duty as Anideshi."

"Ukitake-taichou has come in person from the Thirteenth to meet the students," Genryuusai indicated his companion, and Shinobu lowered his head once more in deference to the Captain. "Ukitake, this is Yatsubashi Shinobu, my current Anideshi, and one of the students who applied directly to the Thirteenth Division."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Yatsubashi," The voice was low and even, the words clear and lacking the edge of a clear regional accent or dialect, and, as Shinobu raised his head, he met the interested hazel gaze of a man of about his own height, robed in the smart black and white of the Gotei. As Morata had said, he was a thin individual, with a sallow, pale complexion that was made only the more stark by the straight white hair that fell in a longish tail over his shoulder. Although at first glance he appeared delicate, there was something steely in the man's clever gaze that told Shinobu that all the stories he had grown up with in District Seven were probably true, and more. The Captain's _reiryoku_ was neatly controlled and there was no hint as to the power that slept within the ebony scabbard at the man's side, but there was something about the general aura of this individual that made him stand out.

"Genryuusai-sensei has told me much about you, and I've seen your application and your academic achievement," Juushirou was still speaking, and Shinobu pulled his attention back to the conversation, hoping that his moment of curious contemplation had not appeared rude. "I'm sure you realise that being a recruit is quite different from being a Senior student, here at the Academy, but everything I've seen makes me think you'll make that transition without too much trouble."

"I'll do my best, sir," Shinobu said honestly. "I'm very glad to be joining the Thirteenth. I've had that ambition for a long time, and I promise I will work as hard as I can to make sure you don't regret recruiting me to your squad."

"I don't think I've ever regretted recruiting anyone," To Shinobu's surprise, Juushirou looked thoughtful at this remark, as the trio began to make their way along the corridor towards the Senior wing. "I've sometimes regretted when a good member of mine has transferred and taken up rank and office in another squad, but as I'm sure you've heard, one of the things I value most about the Thirteenth is the team chemistry. Being able to work together and trust you have the same collective goal is very important when you are putting your life on the line - and there are no safety nets when you are actually in uniform."

"Yatsubashi has shown himself to be an excellent leader among his peers," Genryuusai interjected now, causing Shinobu to flush red with embarrassment at this clear piece of praise. Juushirou smiled.

"Well, I seem to remember that being your Anideshi is no easy task," he ruminated, sending Genryuusai a sidelong glance, and Genryuusai laughed.

"Indeed," he agreed, amused. "But being Sensei to an Anideshi of your calibre was also sometimes a challenge."

"I'd heard that Ukitake-taichou was also once Anideshi," Shinobu nodded his head eagerly. "And I know that you graduated first in your class, sir, and that the Thirteenth Division was begun with you in mind. Is that true?"

"It's more or less true," Genryuusai was the one who responded, for Juushirou had hesitated, as if trying to work out how best to respond. "Juushirou graduated joint first with his classmate - now the Captain of the Eighth Division - Kyouraku Shunsui, who I imagine you will also have heard much about in your time here. I had the idea for a District Division some time back, but yes, Ukitake was the candidate I pinned my hopes on. It's something for you to keep in mind, Yatsubashi. You were born in the Districts, but that no longer matters once you step out in the Gotei. Your education, like that of your fellows, is equal to anyone else and you are as capable as any of your Clan-born peers when it comes to changing the world. Ukitake was my District Captain, but, as I know he'll agree, there are many other significantly powerful and capable District Shinigami now operating in Seireitei. Many of them you will come to work and train with. Some of them may, in the future, change this world even more."

"That's the kind of shinigami I want to be," Shinobu admitted, as they reached the Senior Study. He cast Juushirou another glance, then, "I was born in Seventh District, Ukitake-taichou. I know that you made a big difference there. I suppose I hope that I can do that, too, one day. I'm one of the lucky ones who was born after the purges and after the danger was over, but I've heard so many stories that I know how much one person can do, even if not Clan. I really want to help make that continue. I've been Anideshi this year, but there's never been any issue with Clan classmates over my authority. The way people see District students has changed, I'm sure, since you graduated. I really think that it's important that we learn to protect this world too, and so I want to make sure that its possible for more people like me, from District Seven, to train and take up arms to protect Seireitei."

"I see," Juushirou's expression became one of comprehension. "Well, that's something in which I can definitely encourage you. As you said, I know Seventh District very well, and I want to see the same thing. I'm glad to know that there are District students with that strong intent even before they reach the squad. As you probably know, my Vice Captain and my Third Seat are both Clan born, but both of them have discarded those connections in order to protect and defend the rights of the Districts. Thirteenth is the smallest squad, still, but we are close-knit and we keep pace with the others. It means hard work and a lot of knuckling down, sometimes to boring chores or routine exercises. I think that if you have an end goal, those things are made easier. Military life is difficult and challenging...but if you come from District Seven, I imagine you understand those things already. The Head of your District, Hirata-dono, is a good friend of mine - and so I know that although much has improved there, there are still scars."

"Yes, sir," Shinobu said soberly. "I don't think there is a single family in the area I grew up who didn't lose some family in the purges. In some families, whole generations were lost, and the old people wind up alone if the villages don't take care of them. There are still fields that were so badly scorched and trampled that now, nothing will grow there, and stretches of forestland which haven't quite grown back. The mines are thriving again, but for a lot of people it's a hard life, and for people like me, the choice is to sacrifice our spirit power by going down the mines and being poisoned on a daily basis by Sekkiseki...or to come here, and train it to do something better."

Genryuusai looked thoughtful at this, but, as Shinobu began to wonder if his Sensei was going to scold him for bringing up District politics on such an occasion, the old man smiled.

"I believe we've given your peers enough time to prepare themselves," he said evenly, gesturing to the door of the study. "Yatsubashi, if you please."

"Yes, Sensei," Shinobu hurried to slide open the door, and Genryuusai led the way inside, indicating for the Captain to follow him. Shinobu brought up the rear, letting out an inward sigh of relief as he realised that not only were all of the anticipated ten Seniors present, each one of them was the picture of a smart, alert student, ready to greet their important visitor. His gaze fell on the late Takahashi, but although his classmate was, perhaps, a little out of breath, his uniform was clean and neat with no sign of his earlier physical workout.

He let out his breath in a relieved rush, stepping forward to take his place among the other students.

"Everyone is present and correct, Sensei, as instructed," he said evenly, bowing his head towards his Headmaster before turning to repeat the gesture once again before the Thirteenth Division Captain. "Ukitake-taichou, please, allow me to present to you my remaining classmates."

* * *

"Kirio-chan, if you tie the bandage that tight, you're not just going to stop the bleeding. You're probably going to cut off all circulation to the limb, and that doesn't normally end well."

Ukitake Shikiki, Eighth Seat of the Fourth Division, sat back on the unused pallet bed with a grin, sending the training dummy an amused glance. "Unless you're trying to extract information from a patient under duress, I don't recommend doing it like that."

It was the same afternoon, and, back in the stretch of land occupied by the thirteen squads of the Gotei, the shinigami were each going about their daily routines. Since the defeat of Aizen Keitarou five years earlier, life in Inner Seireitei had been largely peaceful, and, although patrols, Hollow clearance and military drills still continued, the sense of urgency and high alert that had characterised the time of conflict had, little by little, faded away. In a wartime situation, and with a Captain away from his barracks, it would not be so easy for a high ranked seated officer to leave her squad base, let alone spend time in the triage of another, voluntarily learning the practical skills of a healer that were normally the province of the Fourth. For Shikiki, who had spent the early part of her childhood in the chaos and violence of District Seven, the more relaxed atmosphere that currently pervaded the military settlement was something to be enjoyed while it lasted - although she was not foolish enough to believe that a cessation in hostilities for those in shihakushou would ever be anything other than temporary. Since Keitarou's rebellion, the Gotei had worked hard to improve integration of skills between Divisions, and, when Shikiki's childhood friend, Hikifune Kirio had expressed a wish to improve her first aid abilities, it had been easy to gain permission for them to spend free time in the sunny reserve triage of the Fourth Division. Although of the two girls, it was Kirio who held the higher rank, there was no false status or hierarchy between them, for they had both attended the Academy together, and had forged a fast friendship that had lasted despite their allocation to different squads.

On a normal day, Kirio was enthusiastic and eager in her approach to the exercise Shikiki put forth but, on that occasion, the girl's eyes were clouded and preoccupied and she showed no sign of having heard her friend's playful warning. Shikiki sighed, reaching across to grasp her companion's fingers and gently unwinding them from the bandage.

"You'd kill your patient," she said softly, and Kirio started, pulling her hands back guiltily and sending Shikiki a troubled look.

"I'm sorry. I was listening, I promise. I think I just took it a little more seriously than I should have done."

"You're not really that focused today," Shikiki unwound the bandage from the training dummy, setting it down on one side. "I was surprised when you came here, to be honest. Didn't Juu-nii go to the Academy today? Thirteenth must be short-staffed, and you're the Fourth Seat now. Are you sure that Houjou-fukutaichou and Shikibu-san can spare you?"

"Naoko-san's in the Real World, so she isn't there, but Fukutaichou basically threw me out," Kirio said ruefully, folding her hands in her lap and letting out a heavy sigh. "I really didn't argue about it, because I wanted out myself."

"Houjou-fukutaichou is running the Thirteenth on his own, and he kicked out his Fourth Seat?" Shikiki's eyes narrowed. "You must've done something to really wind him up. That sounds more like something Shikibu-san might do. She's a pretty strict Third Seat, but Houjou-fukutaichou is a lot more laid back."

"Well, he didn't quite do it like that," Kirio admitted with a groan. "He just said that I was clearly not on form and I should take a few hours to clear my head before I come back and do my patrols. He's right, too. I'm all over the place. I did hope coming here would help distract me, but it hasn't. I'm sorry, Shikiki. I'm a bad student today."

"You are, but it's all right. We can stop," Shikiki shrugged her shoulders. "Taichou knows you're here with me, and she doesn't mind. I have nothing pressing, and well, we're not overly full of patients at the moment, so I'm not in urgent demand. You can tell me why you're on another spiritual plane today, and I'll listen...if I can send you back to Thirteenth in better shape, then, well, as a healer, that's also my job, isn't it?"

"I don't need healing, but I would appreciate you listening to me whine," despite herself, Kirio's lip twitched into a rueful smile. "I think maybe that's why I really came here. I needed someone to listen, and you'll probably understand as well as anyone how I'm feeling."

"I'm intrigued," Shikiki sat back against the wall, pushing the dummy aside and patting the pallet bed to indicate that her friend should sit beside her. "Tell me. I'm curious. You're not easily rattled, so it must be something big."

"I wonder if it is," Kirio shuffled onto the bed, reaching up to pull her thick wavy hair back from her face in a loose tail, before releasing it to fall back down over her shoulders. "It's about Tenichi, Shiki-chan. Tomorrow is his parole hearing. Tomorrow...well, tomorrow is a big deal day."

"Tenichi?" Shikiki's eyes widened slightly at this, and her lips pushed together thoughtfully. "I see. That's why Juu-nii sent Ketsui-kun to the Real World, and that's why he sent Shikibu-san with him. I'm sorry, I hadn't realised. It's been five years already? Wow. Time has gone by so fast."

"It has, but yes, it is," Kirio frowned. "I can't do anything, and it makes me feel helpless. You and Tenichi are my best friends, and I hate not being able to help him. I know what he did and that it was wrong, but I still can't help worrying about him. I don't know what he's dealt with, but I do know there have been some issues. It worries me that...well, his parole might be refused."

She glanced down at the training dummy.

"Or if it isn't, and he comes out, he might not be...himself," she admitted. "Perhaps that scares me more. Keitarou messed with his head, and I worry that it broke him, making him see enemies where there weren't any. I don't know whether he can overcome that and it's taking up more of my attention than it probably should."

Shikiki's brow creased at the memory. Five years ago, Kotetsu Tenichi, then a seated member of the Seventh Division, had been arrested and charged with the assault of a Thirteenth Division recruit, and had been sentenced to a five year stretch in a labour camp in Second District. Kirio viewed the Kotetsu brothers like blood family of her own, and had taken the conviction very hard. Tenichi had always been a strong individual, confident and capable, and so the assault had come as a brutal shock to all those who knew him. Shikiki knew that Kirio felt guilty, even now, that she had not seen the level of emotional trauma under which her friend had been suffering. Privately Shikiki thought that there was little Kirio could have done, for Tenichi had always been obstinate, and had maintained a facade of stability until the last, but she also knew that Kirio took her bonds with people seriously, and that telling her that she had done nothing wrong would not settle the other girl's heart.

"You haven't been able to go see him, have you?" she said now, reaching out to touch Kirio lightly on the shoulder. "You're tense, you know. Relax."

"I wish I could." Kirio let out another sigh. "And no, I haven't. I was meant to, but then something happened. It's already hard to get into a Shihouin prison camp - at least, if you want to be able to leave again after visiting hours - and I'm not blood kin. Apparently that matters. Ketsui and I made a good case that we've always been _like_ family, but just when I thought they were going to relax the rule and let me go, Tenichi did something and ended up in confinement. Ketsui's been a couple of times, but I think that he still finds it difficult, seeing the brother he grew up admiring in that kind of situation. He doesn't really talk about those visits, and I'm not sure if that's because he can't, or because he doesn't want to worry me with what he sees."

"But tomorrow is Tenichi's parole hearing," Shikiki reflected thoughtfully. "If he'd been a major problem, do you suppose that would happen? I mean, if they intended to keep him longer, would they bother having a hearing at all?"

"I don't know. It's procedure?" Kirio shrugged helplessly. "Fukutaichou seemed to think that it would have to happen either way, because Tenichi's sentence was a minimum of five years. They have to go through the right processes, so I imagine they would. But really, I'm more worried about whether he's okay. Attacking Izumi-chan was stupid, but I can't believe that he'd really try and kill an unarmed girl if he was in his right mind. The state he was in when I saw him, after it happened...I didn't know that Tenichi at all. I can't think that five years being yelled at by Shihouin guards will have done a lot for his mental state, so I really worry what kind of Tenichi might come back to the Gotei. If he's even able to. I know Endou-taichou said he would take Tenichi back, but that's only if he's competent to bear arms and be a shinigami again."

She picked up the training dummy, holding it at arm's length.

"I decided I wanted to learn to be a better healer after Keitarou's rebellion, but there are some scars that you can't see, and therefore, can't heal," she said softly. "I don't know how you guys deal with that, knowing that there are people you can't fix and wounds you can't mend."

"I don't know that we do deal with it," Shikiki pondered the question carefully. "I'm a bit different, though, from most of my comrades. I was born in District Seven and I'm not a natural empath. My magic heals things by reversing injuries, but it has limitations and I don't have the same instinctive vibes many of the others have. I think it's probably harder for those that have those instincts. I'm quite pragmatic, so I try and help the people I can, and focus on that."

She smiled sadly.

"There are some people I regret not being able to save," she added, "and the Fourth have changed somewhat since the massacre of our people in Rukongai five years ago. But I think that, when your core purpose is healing the injured, you can only go on. It's an important duty and one that's unique, really, to this area of Inner Seireitei. The Unohana have always been a healing Clan, and even now, Taichou takes very seriously the idea of preserving life, even if sometimes we can't save everyone."

"I know that Unohana-taichou arranged for some of her people to be trained in a more military way after that happened," Kirio said thoughtfully. "It's funny, though. I can't really picture the Unohana that way."

"Shikibu-san is an Unohana," Shikiki objected. "You work with her on a daily basis, don't forget."

"Mm, but not really," Kirio got to her feet, bending to gather up the bits and pieces that they had been using and returning them to the wooden box that stood on the floor beside the pallet bed. "Naoko-san came to Thirteenth because she was more of a fighter than a healer. She wasn't born with the same instincts as most Unohana are, and so she took the decision to use her skills in a more military outfit, because that's where she could be of more use. I know Taichou thinks a lot of her - Fukutaichou too - so it was a good choice, but she had to do that because her family are healers, and disapprove of conflict. I imagine it must've been hard for Unohana-taichou to persuade the wider Clan that they wanted to raise their blades to fight."

"I'm not an Unohana, so I don't know, but they do seem to be quite strongly opposed to the idea," Shikiki reflected. "Not all the Unohana here in the Fourth think that way, though. Several of them were supportive of the measures, so she managed to get the Clan's permission. It is a big deal for them, though. The idea of an Unohana taking life is strictly taboo. I think any Unohana who do that are generally thrown out of the Clan in one way or another - but when you're in a battle situation, I personally think that it's better to be able to fight back. If someone dies because you can't defend them, then that's not so different from actively killing them. I'm not really pro-assassination," as Kirio's eyes widened in surprise, "but if you're in a village that's being attacked by a Hollow, the instinct is to kill the Hollow. I don't see why it should be different if the village is attacked by a bandit - if it stops children being killed, then sometimes you have to be able to fight back."

"That sounds like something Taichou might say," Kirio mused, and Shikiki grinned.

"Well, I did grow up with his family, so I suppose his ideology influenced me," she admitted. "It's easier for me, too. I'm not an Unohana so I won't be stigmatised if I draw blood."

"It sort of makes you wonder how the Unohana survived as a Clan, doesn't it? If they never fought and never took lives," Kirio shut the accessory box with a snap, sitting back on her heels as she contemplated this. "I'm not saying their methodology is wrong, but we've seen active conflict and how badly suited a lot of healers were to dealing with the threat posed by Keitarou and his agents five years back. If you remember that, in a time before there was such a thing as a Council, most Clan leaders grabbed land from each other, how did the Unohana prevail? Do you think everyone just left them alone, because they weren't hostile?"

"I guess you'd have to ask Taichou," Shikiki mused. "She might know, though whether she'd tell you or not, that's another matter."

"You don't think she would?" Kirio was surprised, and Shikiki shrugged.

"Taichou doesn't seem to be too caught up in history," she said simply. "I did ask her, once, about the history of the family, and she said that the Unohana were one of the oldest Clans in Seireitei, older than even the Endou or the Kyouraku, and that they had governed in the same area for milennia. When the Council was set up and Districts formally assigned, the Unohana asked for and were given those ancient, hereditary lands without any argument. There were Unohana from the start and there are Unohana now...so I suppose people must have left them alone, or respected them. Maybe they just felt that it was wrong to fight against a family who didn't want to fight back. Who knows?"

"Or they needed healers," Kirio suggested. Shikiki nodded.

"That's possible, too," she acknowledged. "With all the wars going on, it would help if there was someone to call on to fix up the injured and save their lives. Maybe that's how they kept themselves safe - by providing a service nobody else could."

She bent to pick up the accessory box, moving to return it to its place on the shelf with a smile.

"And now I'm sharing the things I've been taught with you, which is also important," she added. "If Fourth learn to fight, and other Divisions learn a bit about healing, then we're all much better prepared for whatever comes next. I know we're at peace now, but there's no such thing as an eternal ceasefire. Keitarou is gone, but even if Kohaku has chosen our side, there's still his missing brother to take into consideration. There's also always Hollows, and issues in both the Real World and the Rukon to contend with. I'd like to hope that, whenever the next issue comes, it comes when we're ready to deal with it in a swift and efficient way."

"Pessimistic, but pragmatic, and probably correct," Kirio sighed. "In which case, I hope Tenichi is fit and ready and gets his release tomorrow. The Gotei has become stronger, I think, since Keitarou's revolt - but there are still scars. I suppose tomorrow we'll find out how deep those are."

"Maybe, but Kirio, it's also spring, and don't forget why your Captain went to the Academy in the first place," Shikiki reminded her friend gently. "Juu-nii is probably thinking the same things you are, where Tenichi-kun is concerned. Tenichi-kun was originally one of his recruits too, even if he did transfer to Seventh. But more important right now for the Thirteenth is the new intake that will be coming from the Academy in a few days time. They don't have the scars we all have from what happened five years ago, and your job is to make sure they settle and add to the Division. Don't forget that in worrying about your friend, okay?"

"I'll try not to," Kirio offered a rueful smile. "All right. We've tidied up here, and I've bared my soul to you, so I'm going to wander back. I'm sure that, now I've cleared my head a bit, Fukutaichou will find something to do with me and, with Taichou and Naoko-san away from barracks, a Fourth seat ought to be there to help out!"


	3. Parole

**Chapter Two: Parole**

"Prisoner Kotetsu, Kai-dono."

The guard spoke abruptly, bowing his head before the room's only occupant, before turning to glare at his companion. "Lower your head, Kotetsu! Show proper respect!"

His companion, who had automatically bowed his head the moment he stepped into the chamber bit back the retort he knew was bubbling on the edge of his lips, swallowing it before he did anything that could be considered defiance. Convicted of assault five years earlier, Kotetsu Tenichi had learned over his time in Shihouin confinement that there were guards who would take umbridge at the least thing, and he was not about to jeopardise his right to parole by arguing over how deep a bow was appropriate to greet the man inside the office.

At least, he mused dryly, the thick reddish hair which had grown longer in captivity fell over his face in heavy enough waves to conceal any irritation in his expression, and a few seconds of silence passed with both men still standing in a suitably bent position before the desk.

"Hashimoto, you're dismissed. You can leave Kotetsu to me." At length a clear voice rang out in a command, and the guard grunted, lowering his head once more before turning on his heel and leaving the chamber. As he passed Tenichi, he gave him a jab in the ribs, as though giving him a final reminder to mind his manners, and Tenichi clenched his jaws together, inwardly seething at the rough and ready treatment. Guards might hit you, but if you hit them back there was hell to pay, and as a prisoner of the Shihouin, there was rarely any such thing as 'prisoner's rights' to consider. Tenichi had absorbed this culture of domination and submission for the past five years, perfecting his survival technique to a fine art, and he had no mind to ruin it on account of one overbearing gaoler. Prisoners acted only when they were told to - at least outwardly - and so he did not move, waiting for the instruction to stand.

"Well, Kotetsu? Raise your head and look at me."

Finally it came, and Tenichi obediently straightened his back, lifting his gaze to meet the golden eyes of the Vice Captain of the Second Division. Despite his Division rank, he was robed in the all-black uniform of the Onmitsukidou, and instead of the Vice Captain's badge adorning his left arm, the crest of the Shihouin Clan was embroidered above the two stark interlocking rectangles of the secret corps themselves. It was an understated appearance, but Tenichi knew that it belied the fact that before him stood the younger brother of the Shihouin Clan leader, a man with significant political and military influence and an individual who had the power to determine his own future from this moment on.

As though sensing Tenichi's thoughts, the Shihouin offered a grin.

"You have something you'd like to say, Kotetsu?" he asked lightly.

"No, sir," Tenichi responded promptly.

"Really?" Kai pursed his lips pensively. "I wonder about that. I see it in your eyes, you know. The frustration and wounded pride that's bubbling up there, ready to explode. It's something I see often in the eyes of prisoners in places like this - so you shouldn't think you can hide it from me."

Wisely, Tenichi kept silent, and Kai laughed, pushing back his seat and getting to his feet. At full height, Tenichi was the taller, but despite his smaller stature, Kai's military skills were legendary among most of Seireitei, and so even though Tenichi had to lower his gaze slightly, it did not feel for a moment as though he was looking down on his companion. A moment of silence passed between them, and then Kai nodded his head.

"Prison isn't a nice place, is it, Kotetsu?" he asked softly.

"Sir?" Tenichi's question was wary, and Kai unfolded his arms, resting his left hand on Tenichi's shoulder.

"It's all right," he said evenly. "I sent Hashimoto away because I intend to talk with you and I want you to be frank. You know that the reason I'm here this week is that I'm hearing the probation cases of various prisoners, not just yours...but you are unlike the others, and so, in your case, I wanted to see for myself what five years of labour confinement had done for you."

Tenichi pressed his lips together, looking doubtful.

"You want me to be...frank, sir?" he asked hesitantly. "With all respect, sir, this meeting determines whether I stay or whether I return to Inner Seireitei and try to rebuild my life. As fearsome as that task seems to me right now, I don't really have any desire to lengthen my stay here either, not if it can be avoided."

"Mm," Kai turned back towards the desk. "Kotetsu, you see all these documents piled up here? Enough to bury me, I'm sure, if I was to accidentally knock them down."

"Kai-dono?" Tenichi's brows furrowed in confusion, and Kai patted one pile lightly on the top.

"These are your records from your time here at Shihouin pleasure," he continued evenly. "Every weekly report, every disciplinary hearing, every labour log, not to mention any other pieces of information guards have thought it pertinent to bring to my attention. If you look, you can see that its a comprehensive pile. I have had you most carefully monitored from the start, Kotetsu Tenichi. It is unusual for a shinigami to come here - and in order to know if you're safe to send back, I have to be sure of your mental state as well as your physical penance."

"I see," Tenichi faltered for a moment, then he sighed, slowly shaking his head.

"I don't like being here," he admitted honestly. "I'm sure nobody does, because that's not what it's here for. I came here to be punished and I know I deserved that punishment. I tried to hurt an innocent girl and I put my brother in an impossible position. I created havoc for a lot of people and so I've never doubted the justice in my sentence. But life here is hard. And its harder when you're a shinigami and people know it...you stick out like a sore thumb."

He raised his left arm, running the index finger of his right over the silver band that was clamped against his skin.

"This gives it away," he added bitterly. "The moment they see cuffs, they know. They know you've come from Inner Seireitei, and that's all they need. Nothing else is important. Once they know, that's it."

"The prisoners, Kotetsu? Or the guards?" Kai asked evenly, and Tenichi pulled a face.

"Both. Either. It's not really much of a distinction," he said bluntly, then sharply inhaled as he realised how direct his statement had been. Kai chuckled at his stricken expression, picking up the top volume from the pile of records and beginning to flick through it.

"I told you, didn't I? I wanted you to be frank with me," he repeated calmly. "Your fate has already been decided, so nothing you say to me now will change it in either regard. Your records have spoken for you - that's why we keep them, so that we can make judgements in cold, clinical detachment. If we start considering each prisoner as a person when we judge them, how can we stay objective?"

"With all respect, sir, then why are you speaking to me now?" Tenichi asked uncertainly, and Kai snapped the book shut, dropping it back down onto the pile with a soft thud.

"Because you belong to the squad of someone I consider a dear personal friend," he said quietly, and suddenly the humour was gone from the golden eyes. "Hirata lost his son five years ago, and you were irrevocably connected to that incident. You and I both know that you were not found culpable in Souja's death, nor do I think you ever meant your Vice Captain harm, but the fact is, Souja died. Hirata has stated to me that, when you're released, he wants you back. I have given him my word that when we release you, you will be in good enough mental state to be of use to the Seventh Division. For that reason, I've put usual protocol on the back burner. I remember the miserable specimen you made in my deep cells before you were put on trial, and if that's who I'm sending back into service, you'd do better staying here."

Tenichi lowered his gaze, his cheeks blazing red with shame despite himself, and Kai nodded.

"As I said, I've decided your fate, and I will come to it in a moment," he added. "In the meantime, I wanted to talk. I needed to talk to you. Your record shows that you've not found it easy, here, not always. You've been involved in fights. You've had two or three incidents where other inmates have tried to take you down with weapons they've fashioned of their own design. You've been in confinement and isolation a few times - and on one occasion, you assaulted a guard. I wanted to hear your reasoning...so I could adjudge your reactions for myself."

"The guard..."

Tenichi's eyes narrowed, as he remembered the incident. It had been a brawny man of Hashimoto's stature, swaggering and arrogant, who had pushed him about once too often. He had lost his temper, and the result had been an all out brawl in the corridors between the mess hall and his cell. Tenichi had fought his corner until other guards had come to pull him off and throw him in confinement, and there he had nursed his bruises, bolstered only by a stark diet of bread and water.

"I didn't do it a second time," he said aloud now, meeting Kai's gaze head on. "It was a silly thing to do, and I was angry, but I learned from it. Guards don't like shinigami, here. They make it clear and then they hassle you. Other inmates, too. Like you said, they want to attack you. They think if they can take you down, they gain status. I've taken scars in here, and shed blood. But any mistakes I made, I never made them twice. And I never started a fight, Kai-dono. Except that one with the guard, I didn't begin any of them."

"I see," Kai leant back against the wall of the office, fixing Tenichi with a searching gaze. Slowly he nodded, and Tenichi was surprised to see faint approval in his expression.

"I like those eyes better," he decided. "They're not the sorry eyes of someone who's given up, or who's lost his pride and his purpose. You've doubtless broken rules, and yes, you've probably been victimised as much as you say you have, but you haven't let it push you down. Before we locked you up, you told me that you'd changed and you didn't know yourself any more. Now I see that's not the case. You know who you are, now. It might not be the same man you were when you came in, but you know who Kotetsu Tenichi is now. The man I confined here was emotionally unsteady, but I don't see that now."

Tenichi let out a heavy sigh, flexing and clenching his knuckles and glancing at the scars that adorned them.

"Probably that's true," he admitted. "I've tried to keep out of trouble, though, and I have worked hard. I realised when Suzuki took me hostage that my physical strength and skills let me down. I decided that, since I was here, and since I was going to be worked pretty much to death day and night on the land and lugging stuff about, I ought to take advantage and build up my strength. Maybe I didn't begin fights, Kai-dono, but I sure as heck finished them. All of them, and without my sword, too."

Kai chuckled.

"You almost sound like an Onmitsukidou recruit, talking like that," he teased. "But you're not, and I think you've probably spent enough time here for one lifetime. Your disciplinary record is chequered, but it's been some time since you got into a proper fight and two years since you were last confined. You've not clashed with any of the guards since that one incident four years ago - and I can see that, as you say, you've learned from your mistakes. That's why keeping prisoners alive is so much better than executing them - then they have the chance to atone. I think you've done your time. I intend to cut you free."

"Sir?" Tenichi's green eyes lit up briefly with hope, then clouded with apprehension. "You're going to release me? Back to...Inner Seireitei?"

"Unless you've somewhere else you think you should be serving probation," Kai's eyes twinkled. "I told Seventh my intentions last night, that providing the man I spoke to this morning was in his wits and worthy of returning to action, I would be releasing him this afternoon. You'll need to go to the Fourth to have the cuffs off, because it'd be dangerous for me to do it without any proper medical precautions - but I made it clear that I didn't have a room for you in my cells any longer, so they'd better decide if they really wanted you. Apparently Kikyue-hime has some sense to knock into you - but they did send over something that should confirm to you their intention to give you one last chance."

He crossed the office to the corner where Tenichi could see a white box lay propped up against the wall. Deftly he lifted it up onto the edge of the desk, pushing back the lid and Tenichi drew breath sharply as he realised what was inside.

"Shi...hakushou?"

"As you say, your uniform," Kai patted the black fabric with a nod. "Fresh and pressed and ready for wearing. That," he gestured to the pale blue prison uniform Tenichi wore, "belongs to me and here, and so unless you intend to go out of here naked, I suggest you take this back to your cell and get changed. I don't suppose anyone will be able to have confidence in your mental state if you turn up back at barracks in the nude."

Despite himself, Tenichi managed an amused grin.

"Yes, sir," he agreed warmly. "I'll do that. Did you say this afternoon? That seems soon."

"Too soon?" Kai arched an eyebrow, and Tenichi shook his head.

"No. I'll be glad to be out," he admitted. "I'm a bit afraid of outside, and whether the world - or I - have changed more in the time I've been here, but I can't be useful to anyone stuck away in here. Sooner or later I have to face up to everything, so I will. Probably better I don't have ages to dwell on everything...if it's today, then I'll go today."

"Good choice," Kai's eyes twinkled. "Someone from Seventh will probably come for you. Hirata said he planned to send someone to meet you at the gate - probably he thinks you'll get lost, or chicken out, so prove him wrong, all right? I told him you've grown a spine since last he saw you - make sure you don't make a liar out of me, understood?"

"I promise," Tenichi assured him. "You've been fair to me from the start, Kai-dono. I won't let you down, you have my word."

"This time I'm going to put full faith in that word," Kai said frankly. "Well? Take the uniform and get lost with you. You can find your own cell - I don't suppose there's a need for a guard to escort you. Nobody is stupid enough to try and fashion a breakout on the day they're being officially released, not even you."

With this parting riposte he shoved the box in Tenichi's direction, gesturing with his free hand towards the door. Tenichi's lips twitched into a wry smile, but he took the hint, gathering up the black robes and bowing before his superior officer before withdrawing from the office. He slid the door shut behind him, pausing for a moment to exhale as he considered everything that had been said within the stark walls of the chamber. It was as he had said, he reviewed pensively. The prison might be run by Shihouin and Onmitsukidou guardsfolk who were short on sympathy and quick to provoke, but their overall leader and chief was a fair-minded man and someone whose word could be trusted. His orders were also to be immediately obeyed, as was evident by the fact that Hashimoto was long gone, and the grey corridor was empty of any guard waiting to haul him physically back to his cell. Hashimoto was the kind of guard who listened at keyholes and told tales on prisoners, but even he didn't dare defy Kai's authority, so Tenichi found that the short walk back to the cell block which had been his home for the past five years was unmolested.

Much of the scenery inside the prison was the same, and it was easy to make a wrong turning. In the early days, Tenichi had preferred being marshalled back to his cell after labour hours were done, because he had been tired enough to drop and not in the mood for altercations with other inmates whose cells he might confuse with his own. Now, however, he was familiar enough with the few small features that marked out his cell block from the others, and so it was without a moment of hesitation that he reached the grilled door, noting absently as he did so that it had been left ajar and that, once again, there was no guard on duty outside.

The other prisoners were all still out at work, Tenichi decided, stepping into the chamber and, as an afterthought, kicking the door shut behind him. If he looked out of the small, square barred window, he would probably be able to make out his fellows working the fields that surrounded the complex, and beyond, the big warehouse where the harvests were processed and the equipment was maintained. It was spring, which meant tilling fields and preparing crops, and Tenichi grimaced ruefully as he remembered the long days tethered to a particular work position, repeating the same action over and over while his back ached and his arms became numb. The tools were chained to the ground too - and no prisoner was put within reach of one another when working with potentially dangerous weapons, but Tenichi associated such days with the empty threats of his prison companions about what they would like to do if the guard on duty was looking the other way. To begin with it had frightened him, but over time he had realised that it was the other inmates who feared him and the silver bands at his wrists that marked him out as spiritually gifted.

Well, no more. Gently he laid out the black uniform on the hard pallet bed, smoothing it out carefully before standing back to admire the well-stitched fabric and smooth lines. The obi, crisp and white, had been starched and folded in the middle, and as he gazed at it, he felt a sudden swell of emotion rise up inside of him.

He was going home. Home to Inner Seireitei. Home to Seventh Division. Home to the place where shinigami belonged.

 _But do I still belong there?_

Hesitantly he brushed his fingers against the sleeve of the _shihakushou_ , then he gritted his teeth, clasping the soft fabric tightly in his hand.

 _No matter if I do or I don't. Kai-dono is right when he said I know who I am...at least, who I am now. Whether it was prison which settled me that way, or whether I was already heading in this direction before I came here, I suppose I don't know - but I can't hide from the person I've become and I don't intend to. No doubt there'll be people who will say things. Probably I'll have to earn back my rank, but I don't care. I'm a good shinigami, and I always was. Whether the world has changed or whether it's just me, it doesn't matter. If my niche doesn't exist any more, I'll carve out a new one. I promised myself I wouldn't look back, the day I was sentenced. I haven't, so there's no point in doing so now. I get to change and leave this place completely and I don't intend on ever coming back. Whoever Endou-taichou sends for me, I'll be ready to greet them - in full uniform, as a shinigami should be._

* * *

It was turning into a sunny day.

On the grass that flanked the barracks of the Thirteenth Division, a lone shinigami stretched out on the thick green grass, enjoying the feel of the warm sun against the dark fabric of his customary shihakushou. There had been a heavy dew the night before, but, although it was still only spring, the bright sunlight of the morning had dried the ground with startling speed and so, for once, he knew that he would not be scolded for indulging in his favourite pastime - reading among the flowers and trees of the Division gardens. In the past five years, he had been scolded numerous times for turning up to afternoon drill or patrol with grass stains on a fresh _obi_ , but there was little risk of that today, and as he turned the pages of his book, he allowed himself to be fully absorbed in the words that decorated the page, devouring each eagerly before moving on to the next with anticipation.

Kohaku had always loved reading, and even as an active member of the Thirteenth Division, the novelty of the hobby had not worn off at all. Raised in Rukongai, the son of a wanted outlaw who had lost his life to Seireitei's justice five years earlier, Kohaku had come to Seireitei as a refugee, but had soon found a home and a family to which he could really belong. Adopted as the protege of the Thirteenth Division Captain, Ukitake Juushirou, he had embraced his new lifestyle with genuine enthusiasm, but old habits still died hard, and even now his favourite place to go was the Division archive, simply to stare at the rows and rows of books. It would take him more than his lifetime to read them all, he knew, but it had not put him off trying all the same.

Free time for a ranked member of Juushirou's Division was a rare commodity, even in a peaceful Seireitei, for there were patrols to undertake and drills to participate in, but to Kohaku, who had grown up with little in the way of structure, that only made free time all the more to be enjoyed.

He was just finishing the second chapter of his current book when the silence was shattered by the sound of something whipping through the air towards him. He started as a sandal, much like the ones that lay haphazardly on the grass beside him, came flying past his left eye, colliding with the ground a foot or so from where he lay. It rolled through the blades of grass, coming to a stop a mere inch from a nearby daisy.

"Damn it. Missed."

The surprise missile was followed by the sound of someone's clear disappointment, and Kohaku gathered his wits, pushing his book aside and wheeling around in indignation to confront the person who had intruded on his quiet time. Across the grass, looking like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth was his room-mate and close friend, Kayashima Eiji, his thick dark hair pulled back from his face in a messy ribbon. His expression was the picture of innocence, but Kohaku's eyes were sharp, and he quickly noticed the fact that one of the other's sandals was conspicuously missing from his right foot.

" _Kayashima!_ " he exclaimed, reaching his free hand for the discarded sandal and raising it over his head in a threatening gesture. "What are you doing, trying to brain me? I was reading - I had no idea you were there!"

"I know, which is why you make such a perfect target," the interloper sauntered across the grass towards him, offering his friend an unrepentant smile. "I know you when you've got your head stuck in a book, so I thought I'd bypass all the usual formalities of yelling your name and try a more direct means of communication. Which," he continued, as he bent to pluck the stray sandal from his friend's grasp, "as you can see, had a perfect return first time. You're wide awake, and my voice is saved from being shouted hoarse. A win all round, I think - don't you?"

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Kohaku shot his companion a glare, and Kayashima chuckled, dropping down on the ground beside him.

"Looking for you, obviously," he said comfortably. "I knew you'd be hiding away here with a book, and so I came to find you."

"Yes, obviously, but why?" Kohaku insisted. "If you knew I was reading, you'd know I didn't want to be disturbed. Unless you're bringing some kind of message...?"

"Message?" Kayashima looked surprised, then shook his head. "No, not really. To be honest, I was looking for somewhere safe to hide out for an hour or two."

"Hide out...what did you do?" Despite his annoyance, Kohaku was intrigued, and Kayashima shrugged.

"Nothing, yet," he said cautiously. "I was taking evasive action, since I heard Hikifune-san ripping bits out of Furuta for being late to morning drill, and since I know I'm on patrol with her later, I decided not to risk doing anything that might get her cross again. She's clearly in one of _those_ moods...and I'd rather not experience it if I can help it."

"Kirio-san? In a bad mood?" Kohaku looked startled. "That's unusual. Furuta must've been very late."

"No, it's not that," Kayashima shook his head. "It's something else completely. Taichou's been summoned to a Captain's meeting, but coming past his office, I heard Atsudane-san talking to Fukutaichou. Today's _that_ day - the day Tenichi-san's parole is reviewed and stuff. They decide whether he's going to be let go today. Hikifune-san's friends with Tenichi-san, isn't she? I guess she's thinking about that, and whether it's all all right. She looked horrible, to be honest - like she hadn't slept at all last night, so I decided not to cross her path. Last thing I want is her turning into a hell demon on my tail for no apparent reason."

"Tenichi-dono," Kohaku's expression became thoughtful as he remembered the series of events that had led to the Seventh Division officer's incarceration five years before, and he frowned. "I see. I didn't think about it, but I guess it has been that long, hasn't it? I came to Seireitei first five years ago. I met Tenichi-dono five years ago, and he met Father, and everything spiralled from there. I hope that he gets released, Kayashima. I know that what happened wasn't really my fault, but a lot of people got hurt and messed up by the things Father did, and I'd hate to think that Tenichi-dono's punishment got dragged out longer than it's already been."

"Mm," Kayashima's cheeky features became uncharacteristically serious, and he nodded his head. "I wondered why Taichou chose Ketsui-san to go with Shikibu-san to scout that settlement in the Real World, but this makes sense now. If he's there, doing that, he can't be here worrying about his brother. A lot of stuff happened, didn't it? Not that I know even now exactly what, but I do know that Ketsui-san, when he wanted to go see Tenichi-san, sometimes he couldn't because Tenichi-san had broken a rule and they'd put him in confinement. I don't know what goes on in a Shihouin prison, but it's probably not a lot of fun."

"No..." Kohaku rested his chin in his hands, the book forgotten. "I like Tenichi-dono. He's not a bad person."

"He'd left Thirteenth by the time I recruited, but I never heard bad about him either, before all that happened," Kayashima agreed. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm sure they'll let him out."

He slipped his fingers into the folds of his _obi_ , pulling out a small paper bag which he proffered in Kohaku's direction. "Candy? I got them from town yesterday, on the way back from patrol. We had a few minutes and Fukutaichou said we could. I wish I could patrol with Fukutaichou every time - he's so much more easy going than some of the others."

"Candy, huh?" Kohaku arched an eyebrow, nonetheless accepting one of the small sugary treats from the bag and popping it into his mouth. "Were you patrolling or going on a sightseeing trip?"

"It was dead-dull, and there were no hollows," Kayashima pulled a graphic face, dumping the bag down on the grass between them. "Help yourself, there's plenty and I don't mind sharing. We didn't even have a cat to rescue from a tree, that's how quiet it was. I think Fukutaichou let us buy snacks just because we needed something to keep us awake. Seriously, I like that Seireitei is peaceful now, but there's not a lot of point in patrolling if there's nothing for us to do."

"I like that it's that way. I don't like conflict if it can be avoided," Kohaku said reflectively. "Patrol is fine, even if there aren't hollows. There are people to meet and things to see and there's a lot of Seireitei I haven't seen, even now. I don't mind, Kayashima. If you don't want to go next time, I will. It's nice, visiting the villages and talking to the local folk there. I never really got to do that before."

"Meh," Kayashima rolled his eyes, leaning over to pick up Kohaku's forgotten book. "That's you, always in a dream. What are you reading this time, anyway? Another book of ancient legends? Seriously, haven't you run out of those yet?"

"Apparently not," Kohaku was amused, and he shook his head. "This is a book from Yamamoto-dono, though. Taichou brought it back for me when he came back from the Academy early this morning. He gave it to me before breakfast, and I decided that, since I had some time, I might as well take a look."

"Genryuusai-sensei?" Kayashima glanced up in surprise, and Kohaku nodded.

"It's because of Kyouka," he said reflectively. "Yamamoto-dono thinks that my sword probably told the truth - it probably has lived lives before and, with the kind of ability it and I have, there's a chance it might remember details of those past lives. Yamamoto-dono also has a sword that's been reincarnated, so he said he'd find me some stuff to read on the history and legends and so on. Just in case it mattered. Kyouka and I get along better than we did, but its still an unpredictable blade, and Yamamoto-dono wants me to be prepared, just in case those past memories interfere with the present."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Not that I'd notice the difference," he added wryly, "but the book is interesting. I like history. I like knowing how all these broken fragments of information tie together, so I don't mind reading it."

"Sometimes at the Academy, Sensei talked about balance and rebirth in different forms," Kayashima admitted, flicking through the pages of the book. "I didn't pay a lot of attention, since to me the only bit that mattered was the fact that Pluses in the Real World had to be soul buried by us and that was our job and the rest kinda just happened whether we did anything about it or not. But I don't remember anyone saying anything specifically about it in regards to swords."

"Well, this is quite an old book," Kohaku admitted, retrieving the volume and spreading it out on the grass, turning to a particular section and smoothing the paper down so that Kayashima could see it. "Taichou said Yamamoto-dono had it in his private library - it isn't an Academy syllabus book, so you wouldn't have seen it."

"His private...?" Kayashima's eyes widened, and he hurriedly withdrew the hand he had extended to touch the faded paper, causing his friend to laugh, nodding.

"I'm taking very good care of it," he agreed playfully. "Apparently it belonged to his father, who acquired it when it became clear that Yamamoto-dono's sword was something special. Taichou said its a really old book - older, probably, than Yamamoto-dono is, even. A lot of time has passed since then, of course, but it's still interesting to read. I don't know anything about this Soul King entity, or whether it's even true that swords like mine and like Yamamoto-dono's originally came from fragments of some Royal Sword, but it's kinda nice to think of. You know, swords forged to save this world and bring balance and reason to chaos and despair."

"Like a god that vanquishes demons," Kayashima's eyes twinkled with humour. "Yes, I see. You're off in another daydream already."

"It's not a daydream," Kohaku defended himself. "It's homework! Kyouka and I need to be able to work together. Otherwise...well, let's not think of the otherwise, huh? I've experienced what it's like when it's cross with me. I'm not really prepared to repeat the experience."

"I room with you, so I second that motion," Kayashima said fervently. "We're friends, but there are some things you should definitely not share with your nearest and dearest. We've all had some odd dreams since you came to live at Thirteenth - and that I can handle - but I've heard the kind of thing it made you see before, and honestly? I'd rather not have a front seat view."

"Me either," Kohaku sighed heavily. "But enough of that. Something else in here was interesting to me - but I haven't had a chance to ask Taichou about it yet. I wonder if you know anything? You went to the Academy, so I guess maybe you do?"

"I'm not big on old legends," Kayashima admitted. "I did read a bunch of dusty stuff when I had to, for exams and the like, but..."

"Well, it's something that probably relates to that," Kohaku rested his chin in his hands, gazing at the old pages pensively. "When we first met here at the Thirteenth five years ago, Yamamoto-dono told me that it's very rare for all of the swords to be reincarnated into living souls at the same time. In fact, he said that generally it was to be avoided, as they're quite powerful in the right - or wrong - hands. This book talks about these swords as though they created and destroyed whole worlds and civilisations in the ancient past, and were often things to be feared. I don't really understand what it means for me and Kyouka, but it's almost as though the original incarnations of these swords divided our world into the different planes - the Real World, this world, the place where the Soul King lives, and also something the book calls the Void World. I never heard of that before - have you?"

"Void World? Hrm. Maybe," Kayashima rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess you mean the Hollow's world? Although I've never been there. We can't go there. I don't suppose any shinigami ever has, so I don't know anything about it."

"The Hollows have their own world?" Kohaku blinked, and Kayashima offered him a rueful smile.

"That's the prevailing theory. The argument is that, if they didn't come from somewhere, why would there be so many of them?"

"Because the people in the Real World keep having wars and killing each other over stupid things?" Kohaku asked. Kayashima shrugged.

"There is that," he agreed, "but that's the ones in the Real World - where, incidentally, you and I have yet to be deployed. What about the ones here? How do they get here? They must come from the Hollow World, right?"

"I see," Kohaku looked thoughtful. "I never really considered that. Yamamoto-dono did say that the Void sword is the only one that has never, ever been reincarnated in all the milennia since the first age, which makes sense, I suppose, if it actually created their world, not ours. Maybe it was never even here at all. But it still seems very confusing to me. If there is such a place - a Hollow world - and if they can come here from it, why can't we go there? Why has nobody ever been there? Why doesn't anyone know for certain if it even exists? Shinigami go to the Real World on regular rotation. You said that you even did it when at the Academy. So why not go to the Hollow World and prevent them coming here? I don't get it - what's the difference?"

"I don't know that," Kayashima grinned at him. "I'm just an eleventh seated officer, and it's not something that they teach at the Academy. Maybe Taichou would know, or Genryuusai-sensei himself. Either way, I don't see as it matters. We don't need to go there - its bad enough they come here. At least they're of a low enough level that we can pick them off - though they seem to seep into Rukongai. Not that there has been much activity there lately, either - which I'm sure you're happy about."

"I am, and that things are improving, even though there's a long way to go," Kohaku pursed his lips, reaching over to close the book gently. "I suspect that Father probably contributed to the quantity of Hollows here with his experiments, and that's one reason the number has dropped. Maybe that's why I assumed they all came from here - because Father was fascinated with them and with the possibility of turning souls into Hollows through one method or another. I didn't stop to think that perhaps there were other types of Hollows - ones that came from outside here."

"Somehow I think I've predicted your next reading project," Kayashima rolled his eyes. "Nobody's ever seen this Void World, so it's really all just speculation. We assume they come from there, because they must come from somewhere - but I doubt you'll find a lot of detailed information, even in our Archive. Like as not the term 'World' has probably been exaggerated. It's possible that what we think of as the Hollow World is just the Dangai, and the souls are ones who got trapped there mid-transfer, turned because of it and seeped back into our plane of existence. I might not know about ancient Soul King swords and world creating magic hoodoo, but I do know that in the ancient warring ages, the Dangai was used as a form of punishment. They'd throw people in there, and they wouldn't come out...so like as not that's why we have Hollows now?"

"Threw...them in?" Kohaku paled, and Kayashima chuckled at his friend's reaction. He nodded.

"It's an ancient punishment. They don't use it any more, so don't worry," he said frankly. "I remember reading about it, though, when we did a class on the Dangai and I needed background for one of Sensei's papers. The Senkaimon have meant that the Dangai is more of a transfer route than a punishment oubliette these days. Of course, the Dangai's still pretty dangerous if you don't know what you're doing - but it would probably clog up our trips to places if there were corpses littering the place here, there and everywhere, so they stopped using it that way."

"Stop it," Kohaku shivered. "You're giving me chills, and chills for me often end in hallucinations. It might just be words on paper to you, but I have a bad habit of seeing past things, and I don't really want to see that one. I'm glad they've stopped doing it, so let's change the subject. We were talking about the Hollows, and whether or not they have a world of their own."

"And as I said, I'm not totally convinced they do." Kayashima repeated. "As I said, nobody's seen it or been there. I think the Dangai is it, though since your nightmares keep all of us awake, I'll stop talking about that possibility."

"You really think it might not be true?" Kohaku pressed his lips together thoughtfully. "Dangai horror tales aside, I don't know. Just because we've not seen something doesn't mean it isn't there. Yamamoto-dono was sure that there was a Void sword. It must have gone somewhere, if it isn't here, so where is it?"

"It's a Void sword. I'd say it's in a black hole somewhere," Kayashima was amused, and Kohaku groaned, giving his friend a little shove.

"Be serious! This is interesting to me. It's stuff I haven't heard about before, and it's not like shinigami know everything. You didn't know I was in Rukongai until I came here with Souja-dono, and Rukongai is a place shinigami go. Why shouldn't there be other places, just because shinigami don't go there?"

"Well, I'm sceptical of things I haven't ever seen," Kayashima owned. "I'm different to you that way. For me reality is something that I can confirm with my eyes or my senses. I believe you see the past, present and future because I've seen it happen, and I know you can see things other people can't, even if that's difficult to explain sometimes. You're easily corroborated, but something as vague as this? It's just theories. With the technology we have now, compared to then - you'd think that we'd have nailed it, if the place was really there."

"I guess..." Kohaku looked doubtful, his gaze straying back to the book. "I don't think I ever heard Father talk about something like that, either, and I can't imagine he didn't know, if it really was there. For a minute it sounded kind of interesting, them having their own world and society and stuff - but I can't really imagine what kind of society Hollows have, given how they act here."

He shrugged.

"I don't suppose we'll ever know, anyway. Nobody's looking, now. The book was published a very long time ago...and I haven't finished reading it yet, anyway. I do find it interesting, though. Even things that aren't true completely often have bits and pieces that make sense, so I'm going to keep reading and see what else I find out."

He glanced at the cover of the book with a sigh.

"But while you're here, I won't get that done," he said resignedly. "You want to talk, and I guess I'll give in."

"We could talk and walk," Kayashima said hopefully. "We're not on duty, so we don't have to stay here."

"Fine," Kohaku got reluctantly to his feet, sliding the book into the folds of his uniform, and slipping his feet back into his discarded sandals. "You'd better put your shoe on, though, else you'll be scolded later for turning up lopsided to your patrol squad."

"With the mood Kirio-san is in today, I imagine everyone is going to get scolded just for being here," Kayashima said dryly, nonetheless doing as he was bidden. "Still, it's fine. Soon enough there'll be a new intake of eager recruits scurrying around, and they can take the bulk of the chores. I like intake, Koku. It means there are more people to sweep the training grounds, polish the equipment and weed the koi pond."

"I don't miss weeding the koi pond," despite himself, Kohaku laughed ruefully at this remark. "One of you always liked to come up behind me and push me in."

"We were only teaching you to swim," Kayashima adopted an innocent expression, and Kohaku snorted.

"Yes, of course. By trying to drown me."

"But it inspired you to ask Ketsui-san to teach you to swim, so it had the right end result," Kayashima was unconcerned. "You wouldn't have drowned in all those reeds, anyway. You are being overly dramatic, as usual."

"Meh," Kohaku pulled a graphic face.

"In any case, that's a recruit chore," Kayashima chuckled. "They'll do it, not us. And that's how it should be. Which is why it will be good when they come. They'll be too raw, new and in awe of Taichou to complain."

"Maybe," Kohaku's expression became thoughtful. "It's a bit different for me, though, when it comes to recruits. You spent six years training at the Academy, and so do most of the recruits we get. Some are quicker, and finish in five. All of them have had more training than I had before I joined - and, in fact, probably have more than I even have now. I might not be a recruit any more, but I still don't feel in a position to give new intake members orders, let alone pushing chores on them."

"You're the Twelfth Seat now, though," Kayashima reminded him, with a friendly nudge in the ribs. "They'll have to stand up and respect you. Kohaku-senpai. Try it out - see how it sounds?"

"Idiot," Kohaku grimaced. "I'm Twelfth Seat, but I'm nobody's senpai and I'm not going to expect to be called it by anyone. Still, you're right about one thing. If we're going to take advantage of free time, it's better done when the newcomers aren't here. I like to appear vaguely competent when the recruits arrive...or, if possible, to not appear at all. New people means new spiritual footprints to get used to and new questions about why my surname is Aizen and whether I am related to the rebel Keitarou. If you don't mind, I'd rather relax while I have that chance."

"If they give you crap for it, punch them and tell them to mind their superiors," Kayashima reflected. "Eleventh and Twelfth Seat means we might even lead sub-patrols. You won't be able to hide from them then, and you shouldn't want to. Taichou gave us these ranks for a reason, not just to make up numbers. Especially you," he shot his friend a sidelong glance. "Taichou might be letting you edge along at the same pace as the rest of us, because you don't have the Academy background and you didn't grow up here. But we all know that, if it came to it, you've got the best spiritual potential of all of us. Even if your shunpo is still...worrying at times...we all still know. So the new recruits should be grateful you're not the kind to stamp it all over them. If they have sense, they'll treat you with the proper respect."

He clenched his fist speculatively.

"And if they don't, let me know. You might be opposed to violence, but I can punch a moron or two before breakfast if I have to. It makes for a good morning appetite, and I'm not scared of using my rank if it shuts up precocious brats who think they know more than they do!"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Happy Holidays!**_  
Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Christmas and everyone who doesn't a Happy Holiday season from Team Stupid. Wow, it seems a while since I posted that...


	4. Ice Fields

**Chapter Three: Ice Fields**

"...And so, based on the information given to me at the end of the last Captain's meeting, I've dispatched two of my higher seated officers to the coordinates provided by Nagesu-sama. Depending on the information they bring back, I'm looking into a larger Real World deployment to the area to do a more in-depth sweep if its necessary."

Juushirou paused to gaze around at his companions with a wry smile. It had been a scramble, he reflected, to get to the meeting on time, for he had barely arrived back at Thirteenth when the message had come alerting him to the Captain's meeting, and, as a result, he had missed breakfast. He had considered for a while that he might not attend, using his long journey as an excuse but, on reflection, he had changed his mind. While conveying Genryuusai's book to Kohaku and relaying information to his Vice Captain about the arrangements for the new recruit intake were foremost in his mind, he knew that his colleagues in other Divisions would be awaiting his report on the deployment to the Real World.

It was a mission that had been entrusted to him, the timing just right to use it as a means of distracting the anxious Ketsui from his brother's impending parole hearing, but for the rest of the Gotei, the reports of sudden rises in spiritual emissions, coupled with a significant absence of Hollow activity in a select area of the map was also something he knew should not be ignored. There were always many things for a Captain to juggle while in office and so, stifling a yawn and suppressing a sigh of regret at the hunger pangs gnawing away inside of him, he had headed to his private quarters to change, crossing Inner Seireitei in a hasty flashstep that had seen him arrive at his destination just as his companions were heading inside. Almost as soon as the meeting had begun, the question of the Real World mission had come up, and, as Juushirou had expected, the anomalies were still very much in the minds of his peers.

"I've been at the Academy until this morning, so I haven't had a chance to put together anything more detailed in the way of a report, though I think we're probably waiting on their return to really know where we stand," he continued. "From what I can see on the plans we have of the Real World, it's not an area that's been well charted to this date, and I doubt that there's been any regular form of shinigami presence there ever, if it was even known about. Why we've had so many signals from that area of human space remains a bit of a mystery, to be honest - but since Thirteenth is due a Real World rotation, I think our priority should be focused on uncovering the reasons as much as we're able."

"Our data is insubstantial too, to be honest," Urahara Nagesu, Captain of the Third Division removed his spectacles from his nose, rubbing the bridge with a heavy sigh, and from the position opposite where Juushirou stood, the fair haired leader of the Twelfth nodded her head in agreement with her colleague's statement. "Mareiko and I have worked day and night to try and process the signals, but I'm afraid it's the kind of situation where without actual matter to test, we can't be sure of the cause of this latest surge in reiryoku signals. It might simply be a case that that area of land is particularly enriched with reishi because of some natural phenomenon...but it could also be sinister, and so I think we can't delay in looking into it."

"I'd like to second Nagesu-sama's concerns," The fair haired Twelfth Captain, whose name was Sekime Mareiko interjected softly. "It gives me a bad feeling, looking at the information we do have. One or two areas of Rukongai have become spiritually unstable in the past few months, and I'm worried that that, combined with this, may mean some kind of leak between our world and that one. If the balance were to fall apart, then the future for both sides of the divide would be grim - so even though there are no residents left in those at risk parts of the Rukon, its a symptom that I don't much like."

"It's that serious?" Juushirou looked concerned, and Mareiko shrugged her shoulders.

"There's nothing in our recent history that matches with this kind of anomaly," she admitted. "I'm speculating, but the last time there were instabilities in Rukongai, it was still in the days when zanpakutou were being used to destroy Hollows, rather than purify them. This is not as widespread as that incident," she added hastily, as Juushirou's eyes widened in dismay, "but there is a direct relationship between Rukongai, its residents and the purified Hollows in the Real World. If those Hollows are destroyed, it creates a balance issue between there and here. Even if it isn't a widescale problem at the moment, I - and Nagesu-sama too - think that we can't risk leaving it alone. It might even itself out, but then again, it might not."

"In that case, when Naoko and Ketsui return to the Thirteenth, I'll make a full report to the Third and Twelfth on what they bring back," Juushirou offered. "I'll also have Izumi look at the data as well, if it will help. I know that her science has been of use before, and I agree that, even if Rukongai is only mildly affected at present, it's something we can't just leave alone."

"I was going to ask whether it would be possible to assign Ichimaru Izumi to the investigation," Nagesu admitted. "We've all seen very clearly the level of her ability with this kind of thing, thanks to her deductions where Keitarou was concerned, and I'm certain she'd have something valuable to add to what we already know."

"Then I'll see what I can do," Juushirou promised. "If it turns out that Thirteenth send a larger deployment to the Real World - as I think, based on Sekime-taichou's testimony, we probably must - I'll include Izumi in the number. She might not be as good at swordplay as her fellows, but I think that it might be useful to have her on site to take samples and do direct analyses in person."

"Thank you, Ukitake," Nagesu looked relieved. "I'm grateful for your cooperation, since I know that Izumi has duties within your own Division, and that our demands often interfere with those."

"The Gotei are an organisation who should work together to protect Seireitei and the balance with the Real World," Juushirou said simply. "It's not an inconvenience, Nagesu-sama. Please, don't concern yourself on that account. I haven't had a chance to discuss this with her yet, but when I return to barracks, I will do so. I'll also see if my Vice Captain has any word from the Real World - although I am not expecting a direct report unless there is a crisis, and I'm sure if there had been one, Enishi would've told me about it the moment I returned from District One this morning."

"Meanwhile, I suppose the Seventh will continue to monitor the Rukon," Endou Hirata, Captain of the Seventh Division pursed his lips. "It's our Rukon rotation, so I'll look at that when I get back. I won't pretend that it isn't an inconvenience for me at present, setting up an additional review patrol there on top of our normal ones, but it sounds like it is necessary. I'd rather a little inconvenience now than a major crisis later down the line."

"All this talk of potential doom and gloom, when Seireitei's finally in a state of peace,"

With a groan, the figure at the head of the chamber let out a gusty sigh, settling himself more comfortably in the seat reserved for the Captain Commander. Since events five years previously, this position had been held on a rotational basis, with each Captain holding power for a twelvemonth before handing the baton on, and as a result, most decisions relating to spiritual matters were settled by the Gotei, and not the great Clans that inhabited wider Seireitei. The position was either a privilege or a nuisance, depending on the mindset of the individual that held it, and a glance at the current incumbent's expression indicated that he was very much lodged in the latter category.

"Nothing is ever peaceful when we're dealing with spirit matter, Shunsui-dono," Shiba Kyouki, Captain of the Fifth Division gave him an amused smile, clearly not at all perturbed by his petulant expression. "We stopped the war and got rid of Keitarou, but it doesn't mean we got rid of all the Hollows or that there aren't other problems we have to deal with. If it was really all perfect, we wouldn't need a Gotei - and what this lull has allowed us to do is take stock of the Real World situation a bit more. It all has its place."

"Yeah, but it would be nice if a meeting ended before lunch for once, bearing in mind we're essentially yakking about nothing much in particular," Kyouraku Shunsui, Captain of the Eighth Division and Juushirou's great friend put in regretfully. "We had an early start, but I feel as though we've been here for hours. Juu...I mean, Ukitake's not got anything to report to us till Naoko-chan and Ketsui-kun re-emerge from this area of unknown map space in the Real World. I share Mareiko-chan's concerns about Rukongai falling apart at the seams, of course, but it doesn't sound like anyone's really clued up on what we can do about that until we know what's causing it. Every meeting for the last six months has been a meet and greet and an exchange of pleasantries about squad patrols that are killing few if any Hollows on a regular basis. My own first patrol managed to plant a few new trees in Eighth's grounds at the weekend, which should say everything about how much we're being called to arms. I don't like it. It's unnatural."

"I would've thought you'd be happy that there wasn't any major work to be done, Shunsui," Hirata adjusted his spectacles, his hawkish eyes boring into his friend quizzically. " If Eighth needs more to do, I'm sure Seventh would kindly share some of ours with you. As I just mentioned, I'm quite busy at present. Besides, I don't think I've ever heard you complain about a lack of duties before. Are you saying you wish there was more? "

"No, but I just feel like if nothing is happening in front of our eyes, it must be happening somewhere else, and when we finally see it, we're not going to like it," Shunsui said blithely. "I can't help it. I always expect the worst when it's quiet."

"It's true about the patrols, though," Juushirou said thoughtfully. "I've been a bit preoccupied with going over paperwork for the new intake of recruits, but now you mention it, I have had a lot of blank reports from my own people. They get to talk to local residents, but nobody's reporting anything sinister. We've helped with house repairs in a few areas, and I think one of my recruits actually climbed a tree to rescue a child on one occasion, but although I don't mind doing things like that, it's like Shunsui says. It doesn't seem normal."

"Well, if we've got fragmenting feedback from the Rukon, I dare say we'll see the fallout from that soon enough," Kyouki said comfortably. "We're a pretty strong force these days. I wouldn't like the chances of anyone who tried to cause trouble for the Gotei right at the moment."

"A bored army are a complacent army," The Captain of the Fourth, Unohana Retsu chided with a gentle smile. "We should be prepared for the worst, even if we hope for the best. Keitarou's insurrection took a large toll on our operation, and it's taken time to rebuild and recover. Just because he is no longer a threat to us, however, doesn't mean that there are no other dangers to be aware of."

"True, but we could spend all day speculating on them and then Shunsui would complain about missing his next meal," the Captain of the Ninth, Shiba Sora, shot Shunsui a grin, which was returned with a grimace. "I vote we disband for the time being, and await Juushirou's report next session on what's going on over the other side of the divide. I'm due at the Academy myself this afternoon - although I seem to have been pipped to the chase this year," she added, casting Juushirou an amused look, "and I want to brief my Vice Captain before I leave, so it would help me if we wound up the meeting shortly. Sekime-dono and Nagesu-sama can work on the readings from Rukongai and we'll all continue our patrols as normal. We might pick up a clue to what's going on - if anything actually is - and we can bring that to the next meeting."

"Mareiko and I will both be heading to District Three for a few days anyway, as it happens," Nagesu adjusted his spectacles on his nose, offering the gathered individuals a smile. "I want to consult the archives there, and I think it'll be faster done with her help. I'm also still working on resettlement for the Rukon individuals currently living in the border camp...which is another matter I wanted to discuss this meeting. Relocating them into District Seireitei is a priority for the Third at present, as we've agreed that souls with spirit power ought to be on this side of the divide, rather than in Rukongai. The trouble is that resettlement has stalled, so I'd like to ask for any help in terms of land and provisions from other areas, if they can be spared."

"How is the progress with the border camp, Nagesu-sama?" Juushirou asked curiously. "The last reports I heard about that place were that it was becoming overcrowded again - is there nothing that can be done this side to alleviate the pressure?"

"We're struggling to meet the demand," Nagesu nodded his head in rueful agreement. "It's an idea still in its infancy, Ukitake - we are still working out the best solution to the Rukon problem, and I think that we still have a long way to go. In the meantime, we have re-settled several Rukon residents who have become tainted by spirit power and therefore pose dangers to themselves and their companions if left ignored. The growth in numbers at the halfway camp is just a sign that the policy is a popular one - but I intend to look into expanding the facilities. It's thus far been a project centred in Third District, but I think it might be a topic of discussion as to whether we can't look at establishing other sites in other regions if this increase continues."

"There's one big problem with that idea," Kyouki said grimly. "We're in a situation of peace, and that's a good thing - but peace causes other side effects. We've seen a big inflation in population in Fifth, and whilst the resources are there to cope with it, if we started adding hundreds of newcomers without any training or background into that population, we'd see problems with crops and with local trade. I don't want to shut out these people - we all agreed that something had to be done after Keitarou was defeated - but impoverishing our existing residents by overcrowding our land is not the answer."

"If I remember rightly, the camp was set up in District Three precisely because the Urahara had a stretch of suitable land to construct it on," Hirata reflected thoughtfully. Nagesu nodded.

"That, and the fact a lot of the blame for their hardship rests with one or other of my kinsfolk," he agreed wearily. "I take your point, Kyouki-dono - and it's something we need to talk about in more detail. The Urahara will not be able to support this project alone forever - and though I know you've all been sending shinigami there when there's been a rotation to do so, I think we can probably use this peace break to find a better solution."

"Another good reason to go back home, then," Shunsui observed, and Nagesu inclined his head again.

"Exactly," he confirmed. "Besides, this weekend is also the anniversary of my Uncle's death and - in light of everything that has happened in the century or more since his demise, I feel the need to honour it in the hope of continuing the peace he believed in so much."

"Well, it's not like there's much going on here to worry about," Kyouki reflected dryly. "It's all right, Nagesu. Pass over duty to Shiketsu and Aoi for the weekend and take a few days to deal with stuff back home. You've been working flat out here on that data - and probably we can't move further on without something direct from the Real World. Your wife has probably forgotten what you look like."

"Thirteenth can send a patrol to the camp if you need us to," Juushirou suggested. "I can't offer land, Nagesu-sama, as I don't have any to offer, but I would still like to help if I can. It would also help me, too. With the new intake of recruits, it would be a good experience to send some of them with a few seated officers, to get a feel for the kind of work we do in peacetime. It's not all blood lust and battle-glory, and I'd like to instil that into my juniors from the start."

"That would be appreciated, Ukitake. Thank you," Nagesu offered the white-haired Captain a smile. "Thirteenth's patrols are always well-received at the camp, so if you're sure you can spare people with your Real World mission still in operation?"

"I can," Juushirou confirmed. "No new recruits will go to the Real World, whatever information comes from that, as we don't know what we're dealing with. It will be no trouble whatsoever. As I said, it will probably help. The formal Academy graduation is in two days time, I believe, and I am expecting ten youngsters to arrive here the day after that. I'll arrange a patrol for the weekend, and report back to you when you return."

"That seems the best plan," Kyouki reflected. "Juushirou's people will do a thorough job, of that I have no doubt - and then we can convene again to discuss what should be done next. I will enquire into land space in Fifth District with my son, who has overall control of all the administrative paperwork while I am on duty here, though as I said, I think it will be tight. Still, if we all do that, maybe something will come up somewhere."

"Kyouki-sama's right," Shunsui looked relieved, and he got to his feet, nodding his head. "I'll speak to my brother, too, but for the time being, we should call it a day. My stomach is taking precedence over my thought reflexes and I won't hold Sora up if she has to travel, not when we have nothing else to talk about right now. This meeting is therefore dismissed, and we'll meet again next week to see what everyone has to report."

"From the fact that only half of the Captains bothered to even attend that meeting, I guess we ought to assume that all is well in Inner Seireitei,"

As Juushirou left the Captain's hall, Hirata caught up to him, offering him a rueful glance, and Juushirou nodded, shrugging his shoulders.

"Captains of First, Second, Sixth, Tenth, Eleventh not present," he agreed, counting each off on his fingers with a sigh. "I suppose so. There's nothing to report, so turning up seems superfluous. I admit that I thought about skipping it myself - but I thought that I ought to be there to mention the Real World mission, and besides, with Shunsui chairing things at present, I'm pretty sure he'd be cross with me if I skived just when he wasn't able to. I like that there's a sense of peace, but it also makes me a bit uneasy, too. The calm before a storm - we've seen that before. With the Real World rotation and new intake, I should be swamped with work - but the reality is that I know I can spare a patrol to the border camp. That's how quiet we really are, and it's a bit uncomfortable. I'm not really used to it."

"Shunsui's probably right," Hirata admitted. "The border camp is also something we shouldn't ignore, not if we don't want another wave of trouble from that quarter. We're trying to provide better facilities and support for tainted Pluses, and that can't happen if they're all bunched in an overcrowded settlement. I'm not sure Seventh District is really the right place for them to go, given the past issues and the fact that a lot of levels of Seventh's District society are still fighting economically, but I will step up patrols in the Rukon while its our rotation. It won't be today, though. I am heading back to District Seven now, to settle some family business, but I will need to do so as quickly as possible, because I really need to be back here. I'm sure you know what today is, Juushirou - and it seems I should be expecting my Eighth Seat back at barracks sometime tomorrow, if all goes well."

"Tenichi's parole has been granted?" Juushirou stopped dead, casting him a startled glance. "But I thought that was to be decided today? How come you know already? You've been in the meeting all morning."

"Kai came to see me last night," Hirata explained simply. "He wanted to be sure I definitely intended on taking the lad back, but that's never been in question, to be honest. So long as he wasn't party to my son's murder, I intended to let him rehabilitate back with the Seventh once he'd served his time. That being the case, Kai was pretty sure that he'd be released, and if I'm honest, I could use having his sword power back among my ranks. Other Divisions may not be busy, but I assure you, I have plenty on my workload."

Juushirou eyed Hirata thoughtfully.

"You're still searching for Koku's brother, aren't you?" he asked softly, and Hirata shrugged.

"I would be, if I had any clue as to where he was, but the truth is, I don't," he admitted frankly. "His continued existence and unknown location bothers my family, so even if I wanted to let it go, I can't. The Rukon rotation was something I thought might help that quest, but it hasn't so far. But that's beside the point. I wanted to talk to you about Tenichi's release, Juushirou. Now is a good time, because Shunsui's being Captain Commander means he has to sort out all the meeting paperwork before he can get free. I wanted to tell you something else Kai told me about the lad - because it affects you, and may affect your members some as well."

"Something?" Juushirou's brow creased in consternation. "He's all right, isn't he? He's not one of my members now, and true, he strayed a long way from the path I taught him when he attacked Izumi, but I'm sure that everyone knows that was a misunderstanding and he regretted it. He's been punished for that, and he's served his time. So...?"

"His parole comes with conditions," Hirata said softly. "Tenichi is not allowed to set foot within Thirteenth Division, unless you or I are with him - and preferably not at all. Ichimaru Izumi remains a member of yours, and the crime was committed on your soil, so if he's to be released, its understandable that he wouldn't be able to go back to the scene of the incident."

"Not enter Thirteenth?" Horror flooded Juushirou's expression at this, and he grasped Hirata by the shoulders. "Hirata, his brother, his friends...he's spent so much of his Gotei life in that place, and now you're telling me that I have to forsake him? I have to close my gates and deny him entrance, even if there are people desperate to see him inside?"

"They will just have to come to Seventh," Hirata said simply. "If he breaks that condition, he could be locked away again. Kai impressed on me how important it is I make sure you're clear on it. Ketsui is in the Real World right now, isn't he? I figured it'd be as good a time as any to prepare you, so when he comes back, you can tell him calmly how things are. Seventh isn't exactly a social club, and I will reject any visits that are designed to distract from duty - but I won't keep Ketsui away from seeing his brother, don't worry. I just need you to uphold this. For Tenichi's sake too - we have to."

"Then I'll do what I can," Juushirou rubbed his brow, nodding reluctantly. "I hate it, it's like I'm breaking bonds with someone I saw as part of my wider family, but there's no helping it. I suppose I'm being naive, thinking that crimes have no lasting consequence."

"What kind of shinigami is coming back to me, I don't yet know," Hirata agreed pensively. "I'll take him, though. Even if he still has that desire to kill inside of him, I'll work with it. Seventh is a place where that can happen. It can be trained, disciplined, controlled in a way I don't think it can at Thirteenth. Tenichi's in good hands with the Endou, but I can't have you baby him. Understand?"

"I promise," Juushirou looked rueful. "You're harsh, sometimes, but I get it. He's your member, and you want him to flourish now his penance is over. I hope he isn't going to become some kind of organised killer, but I'll step back. He left my auspices for yours a long time ago, anyway...and to be honest, the young man I had in my cell after things happened, I barely recognised. If you can pull something together from the mess he was then, all to the good."

"Thank you," Hirata's eyes twinkled with relief behind the lenses of his glasses. "It took a lot of discussion to decide whether to let him return at his old rank, or to demote him down the levels, but the truth is, I need him and I've missed his presence around the barracks. Kai seemed to think that I could take the risk, based on what reports he had, and for all his flaws, he's an officer whose involvement and loyalty I value. Maybe I've been soft, too, in letting him slip back into Eighth Seat - but we'll see. If it's wrong, I'll deal with it - but Kikyue and Hajime have backed me up, so there it is."

"I think they want him back too," Juushirou said wisely, and Hirata nodded.

"Tenichi's absence is the last unhealed scar Keitarou inflicted on my squad," he said matter-of-factly. "Souja's death was a personal blow, and one that will never heal for me as a father, but from the point of view of Seventh Division, Hajime's a good Vice Captain and I can trust him to fill my son's shoes in terms of the duties required of him. Tenichi's return will close the book on Keitarou - and that will be that, hopefully for good."

"You said your family were bothered about Katsura - but you and they aren't worried about Koku?" Juushirou looked anxious, and Hirata shook his head.

"No. Your young stray worries me not at all," he reassured his friend. "The Endou see him as illegitimate, and, to be honest, even if they had doubts at first, the past five years has proven that he not only has no instinct to hunt, he also has no interest in any Clan connections, let alone mine. Katsura is different - Katsura has the Endou hunting instinct, and Katsura is a wanted fugitive who attacked Seventh's barracks, killed members of Fourth and Tenth and who Seireitei haven't yet brought to justice. There are claims of blood that might inspire a second attack on our barracks one day - even if you don't think so, I have to be aware that it might occur. Like Kohaku, Katsura is my nephew by my sister's illicit match with that man, and so I can't wash my hands of him so easily, even if I would like to."

"Point taken," Juushirou grimaced. "I can't argue with your logic. So long as you know Kohaku's not going to do any damage, I'll accept your standpoint and just hope you're being over cautious."

"It pays to be cautious, sometimes," Hirata said acidly, turning to glance over his shoulder, "and here comes Shunsui. I need to get back to Seventh, anyway. I sent Nakata to meet Tenichi at the prison, but he's got to go to Fourth and have his spirit cuffs off, and I'm pretty sure Nakata will punch a few lumps out of him between locations, so I ought to go give some orders to my subordinates to ensure Tenichi arrived with the healers in one piece. Nakata told me this morning he'll be glad to have him back but that he'd make sure the lad remembered not to be an idiot again, so I expect blood and bruises when I see him."

"Sounds like a good Endou greeting to me," Juushirou said wryly, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Okay. I'll keep in mind what you said and keep my distance. I'll keep mine at home, too. Ketsui being in the Real World wasn't accidental...and besides, I have to arrange a border camp patrol and integrate new recruits, as well as looking into the Real World issue. I won't have time to worry about your seated officers, even if I want to!"

* * *

"It's no good."

The tall, auburn haired shinigami let out a sigh of defeat, lifting the hilt of her sword and giving it a little flick to indicate she was finished in her investigation. From around the surrounding area, minute specks of green dust began to gather once more around the weapon's blade, coating it like a swarm of tiny insects before glowing and disappearing into the _zanpakutou_ 's shining steel. "Houshi-sama has confirmed what we already suspected, Ketsui-kun. There may have been Hollows here - but if there were, there's no direct sign of them in the hotspots we were sent to investigate."

"Hotspots?" Her companion, a fair haired, skinny youth with the appearance of his early twenties shivered, rubbing his arms and pulling his travel cloak more firmly around his body. "With all respect, Naoko-san, I don't think that was a very good choice of words. It's freezing here, and has been since we came here. I don't remember the Real World being anything like this cold - maybe we should be looking into the weather, rather than the spiritual readings."

It had been two days now since Shikibu Naoko and Kotetsu Ketsui had been deployed through one of the great Spirit Gates to the Real World in order to carry out an investigation into the spiritual anomalies. It had been a new gate, for the original had been destroyed in Keitarou's rebellion five years earlier and, Nagesu, always a practical man, had seen it as an opportunity to extend the range of travel, linking up the new Senkaimon to different areas beyond the range of the old. It had been this project that had inadvertently led to the picking up of unusual spirit anomalies in an unpatrolled, untapped area of the Real World and, just as Juushirou had told the Captain's meeting that morning, the Thirteenth Division's Third and Eighth Seat had been sent to get to the bottom of what was causing it and why. Ketsui, knowing that his brother's parole hearing was on the horizon, had thought for a brief moment about objecting but, at length, had changed his mind. This was part of his job, and he knew it was important to keep his responsibilities uppermost in his mind.

As he had told Juushirou when he had accepted the order, it wasn't as though his being in Seireitei would change anything where Tenichi was concerned, so he might as well be useful.

He had not been surprised to hear that it would be Naoko leading the mission, for her sword, Dokusou Houshi, was innately suited to sensing out spiritual matter in the ether. Naoko was known for her sharp tongue and impatient manner, and some of the squad juniors preferred to keep out of her line of sight, but Ketsui had trained with her as a recruit, and also knew that, for all her harsh words, Naoko was both kind and fair. For that reason, he had been relieved that she had been chosen to accompany him, knowing that she would be able to keep him on task should his thoughts wander away from the mission at hand.

"I don't think that snow has a spiritual footprint," Naoko observed drolly now, glancing down at the light white frosting that covered the tips of the blades of grass beneath her feet. "It's not so bad, here, although you're right, the air is crisp and it is cooler here than in some of the other places we've patrolled. It's maybe the time of year, though. Back home, it's spring - but maybe this part of the Real World gets a thaw later than Seireitei does."

"I suppose so," Ketsui conceded the point. "I'm not really suggesting otherwise. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. Plus, the land we've scoured has all been frosty, but unless I'm a lot mistaken, it's going to get worse. The skies over that way are very grey," he indicated the direction to the north, where dark clouds lingered ominously over the peaks of a few snowcapped mountains, "and if we're going to go into the mountain range, it's probably just going to get colder. It might even be dangerous."

"Well, we don't exactly have much of a map," Naoko waved a largely blank sheet of paper in his direction with a sigh."We'll just have to be careful, and keep together. I don't mind mountains, but snowy ones can be a pain, because of visibility, so when we get to that point, it will be slow moving."

"It's already slow moving," Ketsui dropped back against a nearby tree, folding his arms across his chest. "My sword isn't the same of yours, but I've been keeping my senses alert and I can't come up with anything conclusive about what it is we've been sent to root out. There's no obvious damage to human settlements in this area - and without any sign of malicious reiatsu, we've not much to go back with."

He shivered.

"And it is cold, which doesn't help me to think," he added ruefully. "I don't mean to labour the point, but it's still true."

"Well, we didn't come to the Real World for a beach holiday," the auburn-haired woman pointed out acidly. "Maybe I should work you harder - that might warm you up."

"I've been scouting the settlements around these parts all day, though, so far," Ketsui objected good-naturedly to the light criticism, shrugging his shoulders. "The people are like nothing I ever saw before, and none of them saw me. All I noticed that was unusual was the fact they had a lot more rugs and furs around - and it was all I could do not to pinch a couple."

"Maybe you should have," Naoko suggested, and Ketsui arched an eyebrow.

"Did you just tell me to steal from the local people?" he asked lightly, and Naoko laughed, shaking her head.

"No, Taichou wouldn't like it if we did that," she said firmly, "I was joking. The gate coordinates were more northerly than we usually scout - maybe that's why the weather - but it's not as though there's much we can do about it, so that's that. We'll just have to find somewhere sheltered to camp tonight, out of the bite of the wind."

She sighed heavily.

"If this place really is to the North, it's the only thing that makes sense since we came through the Senkaimon and started investigating here," she added bitterly "Taichou was very clear when he sent us here. There were anomalies in the Real World and he wanted us to go on in advance to check them out, before a proper Thirteenth deployment here at the end of the month. Well, we've come here, and we've checked it out - but what we're going to report on when we get home I don't know. All the science suggests that this area's been hit by Hollows or something similar in the last few months - but there's no sign of any death, destruction or damage, which bothers me more than I like to admit."

"If Dokusou Houshi can't pick it up, Naoko-san, probably it was never here," Ketsui grimaced. "We can't report on what isn't here, so what else can we do? All's quiet. No reason to suppose that a proper Thirteenth deployment would run into any major threats."

"That's why it bothers me," Naoko admitted. "It's too quiet. If there was nothing to look at here, we'd not be here. Taichou may not have known all the details when he sent us, and he may be relying on us to bring the questions together and find answers, but I feel like we only have more questions. We know that something's going on somewhere...so why can't we find it?"

"Well, Izumi did tell me before I left that it was possible that this place was just particularly spiritually enriched, and that was foxing the sensors," Ketsui admitted. "She wasn't sure, since she hadn't seen any actual data for herself, but I asked her opinion because I thought it might help me get an idea of what I was going into. The map we have is very blank, really, Naoko-san - we've got an outline and a couple of theorised sketched in landmarks, but nothing in real detail. There are areas of the Real World that get spiritually focused on every so often, apparently. Nobody's quite sure why, but it happens all the same."

"Ah, you're starting to sound like a proper Urahara, now, talking like that," despite her frustration, Naoko grinned, gesturing for her companion to follow her back towards the place they had made their base camp a few days earlier. "Are you sure you're in the right division, Ketsui-kun? Since Ichimaru-san recruited with us, you've become far more interested in all things scientific, which I have to admit, isn't something I ever predicted for you when I took you on as a recruit to train you."

"I know," Ketsui reddened, despite himself, offering his superior officer a rueful smile as he fell into step with her on the rocky path that led back down towards the river - the area's one concrete water source. "It's hard to explain, but I suppose that, with everything that happened five years ago, I realised how important it was to pay attention to things like that. I never thought about being an Urahara while growing up, and I've never felt any real connection to that heritage...but I suppose it's in me somewhere, all the same. And what I do care about is Thirteenth Division and the safety of its members - so if I can use it to some positive good, so be it."

"Between you and Ichimaru-san, we're going to have to set up our own scientific research unit at this rate," Naoko rolled her eyes, but there was affection in her expression that told Ketsui it wasn't really a criticism. "At least you haven't let your sword skills blunt any in the meantime. I'd have had something to say about it, if you'd let that talent go to waste in favour of this one."

"No, I'm a swordsman and a shinigami, first and foremost," Ketsui assured her, shaking his head. "I just think it helps, sometimes, to keep all the options open. A lot of things can depend on a very tiny bit of information. Knowing that...is a bit scary."

"Which is why I'm reluctant to go back to Seireitei with an empty slate," Naoko's expression became shadowed. "There's something here, Ketsui. I can feel it, and so can Houshi-sama. Just, I can't put my finger on what it is. You can't tell me you haven't noticed it, either? There might be no Hollows, but it doesn't mean there's nothing here for us to take notice of."

"That's why I wondered about what Izumi said," Ketsui agreed. "It's not so much that there's something here, just that it's far too...how to put it...normal here for us to ignore."

"Normal?" Naoko shot him a quizzical glance, and Ketsui shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

"So I'm not great at describing things. I'm not big on expressive language or that kind of stuff, but that's what it seems like to me," he said evenly. "This area feels very normal, spiritually. Only problem is, it feels normal for Seireitei. This is the Real World. That's why it's off. It feels like it ought to be part of back home, rather than a part of this spiritual plane."

Naoko stared at him for a moment, then she clapped a hand against her forehead, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Naoko-san?" Ketsui was concerned, and Naoko shot him a rueful smile.

"That's it," she agreed. "That's exactly what I've been feeling. It's not odd, and that's why it's odd. This plane is meant to be a jolt against our senses, but the more we explore here, the less that's the case. It's very much like...too much like...a part of Seireitei. And Taichou said not so long ago that there were concerns about parts of Rukongai the last time a patrol went to very perimeter. He wasn't explicit, but there was something off with the spiritual levels there, too. It's like they're part of the same place - only we came through the Dangai, and we know they're not."

"Almost as if a part of the Dangai had collapsed, or something had begun interfering with the spiritual balance in a way we don't understand," Ketsui raised his fingers, brushing them speculatively through the air. "Maybe that's why there are no Hollows here, Naoko-san. Maybe they can't exist in this kind of spiritual climate - perhaps it's just too, well, pure...and they can't break through."

"Or something is destroying them, and that something is creating the aura that we're picking up," Naoko pulled the creased map from the folds of her shihakushou, glancing at it in resignation. "Unless we find something concrete, though, it's all speculation and that's no use. This is much too blank, and it's going to stand further investigation. We're going to need to..."

She faltered in mid-speech, and Ketsui cast her a glance.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I don't think so," Naoko shook her head, though there was something reserved in her green eyes. "Just, for a moment there, I felt like we were being watched. I don't know what by, and I can't see anything - but I felt it, all the same."

"But this is the Real World," Ketsui's hand brushed the hilt of his weapon automatically, and Naoko nodded.

"I know," she agreed grimly. "Nothing here should be able to see us. Just Plus Souls and Hollows, and I'm pretty sure it was neither of those things. As you said, nothing in any of the villages have been able to see us, so it's not a stray human wandering across our path. It wasn't that kind of watching, anyway. It was more like a...a sensing. As though somehow it brushed the ether here and Dokusou Houshi picked up the edge of it. If I hadn't sealed it, maybe I'd have picked up more...but whatever it was has gone now. Whether it was friend or foe, I can't tell you, but I'm sure it was there."

She eyed her sword, as though debating whether or not to release it again, then she sighed, releasing her hold on the hilt.

"Let's continue," she suggested. "Go through everything we have and haven't found, and work out what we can say to the Captain. I don't want to go home with so many questions, but we're running short on time."

Ketsui nodded his head.

"I don't mind," he agreed. "It's hard without a proper plan of the local area, anyway. Even if I'm honing my scientific skills a bit more these last few years, my cartography ones leave a lot to be desired and I think that's a big part of the problem."

"The part of the map that's the most empty is the part that we probably need to focus tomorrow's search on," Naoko acknowledged. "I trust you're not going to get yourself lost, Ketsui - you're a bit big for me to be holding your hand like a lost child, now."

"Believe me, I have no intention of getting lost in this place," Ketsui assured her, as they ducked beneath the lower branches of frost touched trees, the buds of spring frozen and showing no signs of wanting to open yet. "I've been to the Real World before, but never to a place quite like this. It's hard to get my head around - I don't really want to be here longer than I have to."

His expression clouded, and he frowned.

"Plus, even though we haven't talked about it, I haven't forgotten that my brother's probation is under review this week," he added. "I don't know how that will go, or whether he's going to pass Kai-dono's strict attentions - but wondering about it is worse than knowing, and out here, there's no way to find out what's going on."

"Almost certainly that's the main reason Taichou sent you with me, rather than Ichimaru-san," Naoko said shrewdly. "Not that I mind. Ichimaru-san's sword skills are improved but still far inferior to yours and I don't find it as easy to understand her sign language as you and Koku apparently do. Plus, I'd rather take someone I trained into an unknown region. I know your skills and your weaknesses and can plan mine accordingly...whereas I suspect that it would be much more difficult if I had been assigned to come with her."

"You're probably right," Ketsui nodded, "though in a way it might have been better, if it was Izumi. She might have picked up on something I haven't...I'm still an amateur in a lot of ways, and she sees much more than I do in all the stuff that Nagesu-sama and Sekime-taichou reel out."

He glanced at his hands.

"I'm glad of the distraction, but still worry," he added. "I don't know how I feel about Ten-nii's probation, to be honest...and so perhaps being miles away from it is the best solution while I figure it out."

"It still bothers you, then, that you were the one to arrest him?" Naoko voiced the question after a moment of consideration, and Ketsui shrugged.

"I went to see him. We talked," he said pensively. "I don't know whether it's that that's concerning me, or just wondering what exactly prison has done to my brother. For most all my life I looked up to him like nobody else...and while I still love him more than anything, I can't put that pressure on him any more to be perfect. When we met in prison, it was...strange. The first time, he just bowed his head to me and kept apologising, which was difficult enough...but since then, I've been to see him and he's had bruises or bandages and I know once he ended up needing serious treatment. He never would talk about it, though - he was still shielding me, and I suppose it's that part of our relationship we need to re-evaluate. There's no avoiding what happened five years ago, or the consequences of it for both of us. I'm happy to embrace that fact and try to move on from it - but without speaking to him, I don't know how he feels. And while I want my brother back, I can't help wondering if he really is my brother."

"You don't think he'll try and attack Ichimaru-san again, do you?" Naoko asked sharply, and Ketsui shook his head.

"No. He won't do that," he said firmly. "That's one thing I know for sure. He regretted it even before we spoke. But they say that Keitarou's influence is never completely removed from someone he's, well, tampered with. It leaves scars behind, and I wonder what scars my brother now has because of tangling with that man."

Naoko's green eyes became sad.

"Scars, indeed," she murmured, and Ketsui shot her a confused look.

"Naoko-san?"

"Keitarou might be dead, but in some ways he's still alive inside of people's memories," Naoko nudged aside a clump of matted ferns that blocked the path, turning to cast her companion a bittersweet smile. "You're probably right to be anxious about it, Ketsui, but probably, Tenichi will find his own way to deal with the issues Keitarou left him. We all do, in one way or another. If there's no going back, the only way is forward - so that's the direction he'll probably go in."

"We?" Ketsui's eyes widened for a moment, then, "Wait, Naoko-san, did Keitarou...do something to _you_ five years ago, as well?"

"Five years ago?" Naoko snorted, shaking her head. "No. I wouldn't have let him near me enough to try it...though if not for the Taichou holding me back, I'd have happily gone for him when he turned up in Thirteenth's courtyard. No, Ketsui, he didn't touch me then. But before - back when I was in my final year at the Academy- then he took something precious from me. Two things, in fact...things I find very hard to forgive, even with the passage of so much time."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't talk about it," she added, "but in your case, I can make a small exception. Just because I know what Tenichi is going to deal with - and I think he'll need you to understand a little bit, too."

"When you were at the Academy?" Ketsui seemed to be mulling this over, and Naoko nodded.

"When we came to the Real World, as Senior students tend to do in their final year," she agreed heavily. "My partner in that mission was a girl called Amai Suzuno - a cousin of mine and a friend from when we had been small. Keitarou was here in the Real World at that time. He took an injury, and he killed Suzuno when she tried to help him. I tried to help her, but I'm not a healer, and never was - so all I could do was try to fight him off. He took advantage of that, and used his sword to lock into my spirit power. Not only did he kill my friend and kinswoman that day, he compounded the sin by using me as his puppet, to kill innocent members of First Division's squad."

"Oh my God..." Ketsui's eyes were huge with horror and dismay, and Naoko nodded.

"My hatred of him hasn't faded any with time," she said simply. "I'm glad he's dead, but that's all. It doesn't undo what he did to me or to Suzuno - and it won't undo what he did to anyone else. Tenichi was just another one of his victims - and as you said, scars always remain."

She tilted her head on one side, looking at him pensively.

"You aren't allowed to discuss what I just told you," she added. "As it happens, it was a pivotal moment in my life, because once an Unohana sheds blood, they no longer have a place in the Clan and I knew that, even though it wasn't my fault, I would never be able to go home after my sword slew those men. I always realised I wasn't a healer, but that just confirmed it in stone. Instead I became part of Thirteenth Division and I've believed in upholding it's values ever since. The Captain and the Vice Captain, they both know everything. But we don't discuss it...any of us. Just like we don't talk to Koku about Keitarou's death - because that boy has scars of a different kind, and he doesn't deserve to have them opened, either."

"I've always considered Koku my cousin, even if I've never had any attachment to Keitarou," Ketsui said grimly. "What you said just makes me believe even more that he - and probably my father, too - were fanatical and twisted by revenge and there's no reason for wasting thought or sympathy on them. I'm sorry that a kinsman of mine did that to you, Naoko-san. But I'm glad you came to Thirteenth, and I'm glad you were my trainer when I was a recruit. You helped give me a lot of confidence in my sword skills, and I appreciate that. So I hope that, even if you do have scars, they're fading. Thirteenth Division needs you - and it probably wouldn't work so well if you had never come here."

"You know all the right things to say you your _shishou_ , I'll give you that," Naoko grinned, reaching across to ruffle his fair hair playfully, and the moment of sobriety was broken. "Even if you do have stray leaves and bits of bark in your hair when you say it, and would fail any inspection called at short notice. Thank you for your vote of confidence, Ketsui. As it happens, I'm more than content with my lot in life. But I can't forgive him for Suzuno, or the men he made me kill. So I will always hate him, even though he's long since gone."

"That doesn't sound much like an Unohana's sentiment, somehow," Ketsui reflected, as they broke through the far edge of the icy forest and reached the banks of river which, despite the cold, had a quick enough current to keep moving. When they had first arrived, Ketsui had been afraid that the temperature might have prevented it from being a food source, but although the fish swam deep, the water lower down was clearly warm enough to sustain life. It had proven an effective base camp for the last two days although, with the area mostly mapped now, Ketsui knew that they would soon leave it for the frozen mountains ahead.

It was not something he was looking forward to.

"An Unohana sentiment, huh," Naoko reflected on this for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe it isn't. I haven't really been one of those for a long time, though. Unohana who shed blood leave the Clan - or are shunned within it, so their lives become difficult. Killing isn't just a sin for an Unohana. It's seen as the very essence of your soul being corrupted. You become tainted - almost a dead person walking - and so if you cross that line, even accidentally or through no fault of your own, it's generally better to leave on your own terms. Retsu-sama has eased those rules a lot, and tried to make sure nobody is ostracised - but there's a certain depth of feeling there that I suppose is so entrenched nothing can really undo it."

"I've heard that, too," Ketsui agreed. "The Unohana might be a Clan of healers, but in their own way they're as militarily entrenched in their views as a Clan like the Endou. Their wars are fought over life, rather than death. Though the Unohana is a really old Clan, isn't it? I can't believe nobody ever in their history was tempted to take advantage."

"Well, they wouldn't," Naoko said matter-of-factly, as they turned down the dirt-pebble path, the familiar sight of the river coming into view as they reached the bottom of a small, uneven incline. Naoko sank down against one of the trees, drawing her blade to check it for dirt and scuff marks, and, after a moment of consideration, Ketsui followed suit, wishing that the ground beneath him was not so hard and frozen a seat. "They wouldn't dare invade Unohana land. Nobody would...nobody ever has. It's said to be sacred. Sacrosanct. Untouchable by any but the rightful Clan and the true leader."

"Pardon me?" Ketsui looked blank, and Naoko cast him a grin.

"There is a legend in the Unohana family," she began slowly. "I don't know how true it is...probably it's no more than a myth, but it's still there. It's a story about the Unohana's guardian angel...or well, rather vengeful spirit seems to be the more accurate description. Angels wouldn't be much use in the face of some of the greedy, land-hungry Clan scions of the past."

"Vengeful spirit?" Ketsui paused in his polishing, casting his companion a startled look. "In the Unohana? That seems a bit unlikely, if you don't mind my saying."

"It's not necessarily an Unohana," Naoko shook her head. "Nobody knows for sure, and any names have long since been lost. It's all wrapped up in secrets and mystery and it's a very old story. Just that it's said if anyone ever tries to wrest the rightful ruler from their place at the head of the Unohana land holdings, bad things will happen. It happened once, apparently, in the distant past, when there was a battle over the succession. The story goes that a soldier summoned the vengeful spirit and slew all members of the Clan that had conspired against the rightful heir - a young boy, who grew up to inherit, and from whom Taichou is directly descended. It's said that, when this happened, the soldier - or the spirit, one or the other, I forget and I don't suppose it matters - swore death on any who laid a hand on the true succession of the Unohana, now or in ages to come. And so it remains. There is a shrine to the spirit, deep within the central Clan holding, which holds no formal ceremonies, and which nobody of Unohana Clan blood is ever allowed to enter, but which is always kept pristine by the menial staff. They make floral offerings of deutzia blossoms each year on the first day of the Fourth Month, just so that the spirit isn't angered. Deutzia are the Clan's traditional flower - the Unohana that gave them their name originally - and historically the Fourth Month was the month of the deutzia, so its considered a special time in District Four. In any case, nobody ever invades the Unohana land. Even when the Unohana allowed fleeing Urahara to cross their land towards District Seven, the Urahara lord of the time didn't dare mount a military force there. Superstition has power - far more than cold fact, sometimes, which is part of the power of the tale, I suppose."

"This sounds a lot like something from one of Kohaku's books," Ketsui admitted. "He's fond of reading up on those kinds of things. Have you told him this story? He might be interested."

"I think there are some stories best not told to Koku, in case it excites his imagination," Naoko said drolly. "He's the kind whose nightmares could distress the whole division, and the last thing I want is him mulling on an old story that may or may not even be true. The Unohana are a settled Clan and have been for centuries, anyway. Milennia, even. There isn't any need for a vengeful spirit in a Clan of healers."

She patted Dokusou Houshi's hilt pensively.

"Houshi-sama and I are proof of that," she added regretfully.

"I don't think you're a vengeful spirit, Naoko-san, though I have to admit some of your training drills might make me second-guess that opinion" despite himself, Ketsui was amused, and Naoko grimaced at him.

"Not quite what I meant," she scolded, but her words were light-hearted and humour twinkled in her own green eyes. "Like I said, it's just a story, and not even much of that nowadays. I expect it is written down somewhere in the archives, but the Unohana dislike violence and so it's considered a bit distasteful. Just, it seems to me that the Clan used that story in the past to scare anyone who thought they could encroach on and invade District Four, and so nobody ever did. It makes sense to me that a family of healers would have a strategy to protect themselves which prevented bloodshed. Like as not the story was made up in order to keep those lands in the family, and the shrine was built later to legitimise the legend. Either way, the Unohana have held the same part of Seireitei for a very long time, and nobody has ever tried to change it. Retsu-sama is a direct descendent, like I said, of that young boy who survived the alleged massacre."

"Unohana-taichou doesn't have children, does she?" Ketsui looked thoughtful, and Naoko shook her head.

"No, nor is she married," she agreed. "So what happens next is still not clear. Still, there are a lot of cousins and I think she has nieces and nephews. So even if Retsu-sama were to die without a direct heir, the same bloodline would still inherit. Besides, Retsu-sama is not that old, and even if she doesn't choose to fight, it's clear she's quite strong. I don't think that anything will happen to her any time soon."

"No need for a vengeful spirit, then," Ketsui grinned, and Naoko shrugged.

"Doubtful," she agreed.

"See, this is one thing I regret, just a little bit," Ketsui returned his weapon to his sheath, stretching out on the grass and resting his chin in his hands with a pensive expression on his fair features. "I don't really know if the Urahara have stories like that. Like I said before I'm not really one - not in a lot of ways - but from time to time I suppose I can see the traits of that Clan that I inherited, even without growing up anywhere near District Three. Izumi has a lot of pride in her Urahara heritage, even though her branch of the Clan were thrown out and condemned for such a long time. My own connections to it are just as tenuous, but I don't have any such pride. I haven't even been to seeFather's grave, although he's the one Urahara connection I do have, and Izumi holds him in high respect. I suppose I haven't got past the fact that he died for the sake of Aizen Keitarou...he chose Keitarou over us."

"I suppose you never will know for sure," Naoko reflected, "not where your father is concerned, anyway. And if you did want to know Urahara stories, you could probably find them out in the Archive - but believe me, there's no particular benefit to having that knowledge. It doesn't make you any more or less a part of something, knowing the propaganda. You're your own man, Ketsui. You've shown that all the more since the day Tenichi was arrested - that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know, and I don't think I am," Ketsui frowned. "Arresting Ten-nii that day was difficult, but I would go back and do the same thing now. Even if he had been put to death as a traitor...even if he had been colluding with Keitarou - I know I couldn't have done it differently. I love my brother, but I wouldn't have let him kill Izumi. It makes me wonder why, if Father did disagree with Keitarou in any regard, he didn't stand up to him more. I feel as though he was not a good person, and that means I'll probably always be a little ambivalent about that part of my heritage."

"As I understand it, your father was instrumental in protecting Izumi's people, in hiding," Naoko pointed out. "He did that without Keitarou knowing."

"True," Ketsui acknowledged, "but I don't really know why he did, nor will I ever know. I suppose I did worry a little bit, too, about Ten-nii and whether he had followed Father's path and declared for Keitarou's cause. Ten-nii is a lot more bothered about Father than I am, and maybe, well, maybe I resented Father a little bit more for the mess Ten-nii got into, because he didn't stand up to that man when he could, and a lot more bad things happened because Keitarou lived in this world as long as he did."

"But, because he did, Koku is here," Naoko said pragmatically. "I don't pretend you don't have an argument - you do. I wish Keitarou had been offed by one of his own allies a lot sooner, because then maybe I wouldn't have been used as his puppet and Suzuno would still be alive. But the past is what it is and you can't undo things that are already done. Your father died for Keitarou's cause. In doing so he also stopped being whatever kind of control he might have been on Keitarou's actions. Lost people can't be brought back. If Tenichi gets his parole, though, it means he isn't lost. That means that he might yet come through this...and he will need you to be on his side if that's the case."

"I am on his side. I love my brother," Ketsui owned. "I always have. That's what makes it bother me so much. He's always protected me, and this time, his trying to do so led to all kinds of bad things happening. I don't want him to look at me as someone to protect any more. I want to be my own person, as you said, but I want him to see me as such and rely on me, too, sometimes. I think I'm stronger now than I was before. I want to think that, if Father didn't stand up to Keitarou because he didn't know how to do it...I can stand up to my brother, now, and still keep him."

"Tenichi wasn't turned to Keitarou's cause, though," Naoko pointed out. "The trial proved that. It's whether he can live down the shame of what he did, and the effects of the whole ordeal on his nerves back then. If he's pulled himself together, then he'll be all right."

"But will he still be my brother?" Ketsui sighed. "I wonder about that. I wonder about it a lot. And if he is, will I still be the same brother he wants me to be? Going to see him inside prison doesn't tell me those things. It won't be until I see him face to face that I'll know."

"Which won't be happening tonight, because we have another job to do," Naoko sheathed her own sword, gesturing towards the map. "At the very least, we can fill in that. If Taichou deems it necessary to send another force here - as I suspect he will, given Nagesu-sama's data - then he needs as much information as he can get about where things are. Even if all we take home are mundane details about water sources, temperature and shelter options, it's something...so we'll focus on doing that and, in the meantime, try and figure out the cause of this strange purity of atmosphere. If something here is making this area of the Real World spiritually sensitive, there must be some trace of it - and our brief is to look for it. So we should look."

"Yes, ma'am," Ketsui saluted his companion with a rueful smile, getting to his feet. "I wasn't thinking otherwise, anyway. I think the dormant Urahara genes in me most often get woken up when it comes to a mystery like this. The local people here don't seem particularly spiritual, and none of them have seen us yet, so none of them have reiatsu. Yet there are no Hollows...and no shinigami have ever patrolled here. That's an inconsistency I'd like to get to the bottom of, even if it's just to prove to Izumi that I am capable of reasoning out clues without her guiding hand!"

* * *

 **Shinigami have come here.**

Deep beneath the layers of ice, a single impulse rippled through the frozen ether, resonating yet making not a single sound in the world outside. Within, something stirred, as though woken from a deep slumber by the impatient echo of the silent voice.

 _Shinigami?_

The thought was sluggish, and took time to piece together.

How long had it been? Shinigami did not come here. They had not come here. The barrier had been firm. He had been exiled here. He had come...

Why had he come?

 **You've been waiting. We both have.**

 _Waiting? For what?_

 **It's been a long time. It's not surprising you don't remember.**

 _I don't...remember?_ **  
**  
The thought sequence broke off, sudden confusion shattering its coherence. It had been a long time, and the memories had blurred into each other, as chilled as the fog that hung heavy around the mountain peak.

How had it been again?

It was too long ago.

Had he imagined it? Maybe he had. Maybe he had always been here, deep within the ice. Maybe he was the ice. Maybe...  
 **  
Don't be foolish. You'll go back to sleep. It's taken the best part of five years for you to hear my voice. The shinigami coming seem to have helped. Don't slip back now. We've slept enough.**

A glitter of what might have been sunlight glowed briefly through the heavy fog cloud, glistening against the crystals in a slick, smooth pattern that, for an instant, looked like rippling scales tapering into a long, slender tail. A dark patch of ice suddenly seemed to resemble claws, and chips in the surface became like pearl white teeth, set into wide jaws. Beneath the surface, something shifted and rolled - two large, opaque eyes, staring out as if seeing everything and nothing at the same time.

 **The barrier has been broken.**

The hiss was barely audible, less than the swishing of wind between the branches of dead, leafless trees.

 **You must remember. You have been waiting.** _ **We**_ **have been waiting. The barrier is broken. Spring is coming, and its time for the Dragon to rise.**

 _Spring?_

The word was echoed, questioning, but the sun disappeared behind the cloud and the mountain was once more shrouded in mist. There was no answer, but, from deep within the mountain, something stirred.

At first it was slow, but, little by little, a heartbeat began to pulse through the frozen ice, growing stronger with each passing moment.

Deep within the cold depths, a single eyelid trembled.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Four and the Flowers**

The Unohana, or deutzia flower is or was a symbolic flower of the Fourth Month in the old Japanese calendar, known as Uzuki, or month when the Unohana blooms. Four is also a number associated with death. Retsu has the number four for her Division, which is why I gave her District Four, but you also have to wonder about the other connitations here...

Also, on a totally unrelated note, I find it a little amusing and ironic that this story is set 5 years after Sukuse. And it is, in fact, 5 years since I wrote Sukuse.

And finally, and a little prematurely, Happy New Year to all. Let's hope 2017 is better!


	5. Ten Blades

**Chapter Four: Ten Blades**

The sky was an expanse of perfect midnight, and the pearl white beneath his feet was serene, silent and still.

Long ago, when he had first arrived in this place, he had been in awe at the monochrome beauty of his surroundings. It had been all been sand and white, and it had reminded him of the moon in the night sky. He had been in turmoil then, lost and with robes stained with blood and grime, but this perfect oasis had seemed to soak away his sins, bleaching them from his skin like magic and consigning them to the past. The tempest within his heart had quieted, and he had walked, slowly but surely across the landscape, breathing in air that wasn't fit to breathe, and gazing on the landscape of a place that surely could not exist.

At that moment, he had felt certain that this was death.

Whatever it had been that had pained him on leaving the other place, he had not remembered. It was as though even his very identity had been sucked away by the black void tunnel that had closed in around him, drawing him down deep, deep deep into this perfect fusion of black and white. It was a world of simplicity, where intrigue and ambition did not exist. No matter how dark the sky became, the ground would always glow to show the way, and the curve of the blade moon was an ever-present, unchanging guardian. For a time he had wondered why it might have been that way - had a God had lit a lamp in the sky to guide those who walked beneath the blackness? Maybe the moon was the disk of light within the dark _yin_ of the night sky, and that somewhere, deep within the snowy landscape, there was a hole so dark and deep not even shadows could escape it. Whatever the reason, this world had come to be - two stark contrasts colliding in one spirit space to form a perfect equilibrium. That stability and beauty was a comfort to his shattered heart - a sign of perpetuity in a never-changing world.

He had forgotten how he had come to be here, and had accepted, simply, that he was here. He was not past, nor was he future, for every day was the same as the last. He was alone, but he was not lonely, for he had forgotten what it meant to have company, or make conversation with other people. Even the blade that hung at his side had become silent, muted by the atmosphere of the place he now found himself. He was nameless and lost, but he was content. If this was death, then it was peace, and if it was eternal, so be it. Everything was as it should be, wrapped in a comforting cloak of nothing at all.

But then that static world had changed, and not for the better.

Pulling his cloak more tightly around his body to protect from sandstorms, the lone figure continued to plod purposefully forth across the endless sea of white. Despite how many times he had revelled in the beauty of his monochrome surroundings, he did not look up, nor did he attempt to drink in the lights and darks that had always so reassured him in the past. There was a new colour now, in this dank place of secrets and shadows - a vivid, seeping red that permeated every corner with its sweet scent, and even when he could not see it, he could not help but feel that it was there.

Across the horizon lay the world's only distinct structure, a castle or fortress with a vast domed roof. He had never bothered about it before, simply accepting, like everything else in this bleak horizon, that it existed and that was just how things were. Now, as time and memory began to seep back over his senses, he had started to ask questions. Where had it come from? Who had built it? Why was it here? And, most pressing of all, how long had he been here, trapped in this delusion of peace and tranquility, while the rest of the world went on without him? The Dome was no longer a sleeping ship in the sand drifts of his imagination, but rather a castle and a fortress, built by someone or something that might yet pose him a threat. And, for the first time in however long, he had begun to sense the presence of others around him - others who had been sent there, others also tainted by the scent of blood. Beneath the sand, he now knew, lurked deformed spirits with grotesque white masks, their bodies twisted into gory parodies of their former selves. He had not quite remembered where he had seen them before, but some instinct had drawn him to pull his sword on them and slay them without bothering to find out if they were friend or foe. It had given him immense levels of gratification, seeing the white chalk faces disintegrate into black spirit dust, and he had amused himself for some time by culling his way through each pocket of beasts onto which he stumbled. With each Hollow soul he had struck down, he had felt a tiny fragment of his memory of the time before sliding back into place.

He had remembered two names. One, his own. Tsuneyoshi. And the other, the name of the man who had put him here - Harumizu, the son of the prostitute dragged up through the ranks of the Yamamoto army in order to make a fool of him.

He had not had words for anything for a long time, but over the course of the last five years, bit by bit, the details had begun to fill in his memories, making blank canvas light up in a bitter technicolour of vengeance and despair. The sword that had hung so silently at his side had begun to throb and hum once more, its anticipation and desire for blood seeping into his own heart and making the purity of the landscape suddenly seem tainted. He did not know what had occurred to make this change take place. Time had passed, but he didn't know how much. Time was running out, though he didn't really know quite why.

All he knew was that he had a score to settle. He had to kill a man called Harumizu, and return to his rightful place in the Seirei, the Soldier at arms defending the honour of the Unohana Clan.

No. Tsuneyoshi's eyes narrowed as he struggled to draw forth this particular detail.

He had to protect one particular Unohana, a young boy, whose face, if he closed his eyes, he could just about make out in faint, yet broad strokes against his recollections. Although the child's features were unclear, Tsuneyoshi knew that this person was important to him. This boy was someone he had cherished, someone for whom he had been willing to sacrifice everything, even himself. It had taken five years to resolve it, but now he knew that that boy was his son. Tsunenao, heir to the Unohana, and the boy he was going to protect from being a monster by becoming the monster himself.

 _I am the Soldier._

Tsuneyoshi's eyes opened and he gazed back at the Dome with an impassive expression.

 _Harumizu sent me here, but whatever spell he cast on me is fading. Maybe he hoped I'd die, here. Maybe he thought I'd never remember, and so never seek to come back. Maybe, in this void, empty world of nothing, he thought I'd find peace and not want to return to war. But I am the Soldier. There's no other choice for me but war._

He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, feeling the pulsing sensation of the blade's spirit beneath his touch.  
 _  
Once the Soldier tastes blood, there's no going back. I can feel the souls of those I killed crying against your blade, Meidoushi. Was it really Harumizu's magic that made me forget about them for so very long?_

"Are you meandering about here in the sand again, gazing off into space and muttering to yourself?"

The voice was sharp and crisp, the suddenness of it making Tsuneyoshi jump. He swung around, his weapon half-drawn from the sheath as if in anticipation of an attack, but at this confrontational reaction, the speaker laughed, holding up his hands in a mocking surrender. The newcomer was old, his hair snow white and straggly and a distinctive moustache and beard covered the scarred lower half of his face. He had once been known as a dashing and handsome warrior, and indeed, in Tsuneyoshi's memory, he was still a dark haired fighter leading a military charge on horseback, but whatever time had passed had aged the other man, and not too kindly. In spite of his advanced years, however, his body remained lean and well-trained, and his shoulders were not stooped in the way of many old men. His long white hair was tied back in a clasp that bore the logo of the Yamamoto Clan, although in this place such insignia were meaningless. He was Yamamoto no Jirou Kunimori, a man who had betrayed his family to fight for the wrong side in Heaven's War, and had been thrown into the Dangai as a result.

Tsuneyoshi had not recognised him, when first they had met, but the clasp and the man's eerie, pebble-black eyes had made him realise that, if Kunimori was truly here, he too must have been thrown into the Dangai. If that were the case, he too must have been exiled in the same dark space of spiritual oblivion, a void place with no name and where only Hollows dared to call home. From here, he had remembered the circumstances of his own exile, and his hatred for the unfortunate Harumizu had only intensified.

Not that Kunimori was a particularly pleasant companion. They had not been friends in their former lives, and they were not friends now. They were exiles together, but they were not allies, for Tsuneyoshi despised Kunimori's know-all arrogance and air of superiority, and he knew that Kunimori, for his part, considered Tsuneyoshi a failed warrior and something of a nuisance. Kunimori's expression at that moment was one of amused derision, and he offered a patronising smile.

"Now now, Tsuneyoshi-dono. I don't think we want a display of your sword's technique here, do we?"

"Kunimori-dono," Tsuneyoshi's eyes became like slits, but he slowly returned his weapon to its sheath, releasing his hold with some measure of reluctance. The other man nodded.

"Yes, that's better," he observed. "We are both exiles here together, don't forget. Fighting each other is not productive...though I must say, after so long asleep, your reactions don't appear to have dulled any."

"I wasn't asleep." Tsuneyoshi snapped, and Kunimori shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever it was, you didn't hear me speak to you until now," he said softly. "It was beginning to grate on my nerves. Surprising enough to see the scion of the Unohana thrown into the abyss like this, but for you to turn out such a ruthless blade...well, I would say I was surprised, except I think you know I wasn't."

He smiled, an eerie, cold smile that did not reach his stony eyes.

"You are the Soldier. I told my brother that, and that he should be trying to harness you and what you could do, but he didn't listen. Nobody ever bothered to listen," he said regretfully. "But here we are. I thought I might die of old age before you came to your senses, you know. You haven't aged any," he added, a note of resentment in his words, "but I suppose I should have expected that, if the stories of the Soldier are true. You really can't be killed, can you? If I were to run you through right now, you wouldn't die, would you?"

"No, but maybe you would. You'd be tempting prey for Meidoushi to feed on, "Tsuneyoshi snapped back immediately, and Kunimori's eyebrow raised at the venom in the other man's tones.

"I see, he murmured. "So it is true that when the Soldier sword awakens, the wielder wants nothing more than to kill people, until there's nobody left to kill."

"It's none of your business," Tsuneyoshi muttered. "I didn't choose to come here, and I didn't choose to spend time with you. If you don't want me to kill you, stay out of my way."

"You've been killing Hollows again," Kunimori did not seem fazed by the threat, instead gazing at Tsuneyoshi's sword pensively. "I can sense it on your blade - I know that you have. What a good, diligent shinigami you are, working for Seireitei's cause even though they have done nothing to deserve it. They threw you in here, didn't they? Why are you helping them by killing the creatures that hunt them?"

"Helping them?" Tsuneyoshi faltered, staring at his companion as if seeing him for the first time, and Kunimori grinned.

"Something has changed, hasn't it?" he reflected. "I don't know what, yet, but I will. Something has. You came here, but I wasn't able to reach you. Now you're here, hunting Hollows and speaking to me like nothing ever happened. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect the hand of that whore's son in all of this - but instead of talking to me, the one potential ally you might have in this place, you threaten me with redundant regularity."

"Whore's son?" Tsuneyoshi was well on his guard now, and Kunimori smiled.

"Who else? Harumizu. That brat that my father thought was such a talent, and gave so much attention to," he said, his words laced with bitterness. "Enough that I started to wonder if he was father's own bastard son, and that he'd been trotting round the whorehouses of the pleasure district when Mother wasn't looking. Either way, I'm right, aren't I? I can tell by your face. That upstart who shunted his way into the Yamamoto military and took rank and honour from other people who were born to it is the one who used his devil sword to put you away here?"

"Harumizu," Tsuneyoshi scowled. "Yes. I know that name. He did something to me. I don't know what."

"Nobody ever does, when its that kind of sword," Kunimori came across the sand to join his companion, resting a wizened hand on the other man's shoulder in a show of false companionship. "Listen to me. You and I, we both got sent here. We can help each other, now, to go back and put things right. I have scores with the Yamamoto, and you with the Unohana. We both have things to settle with Harumizu, though, don't we? And with your ability and my knowledge, we can go far."

He tapped the hilt of his own sword.

"My weapon isn't feeble, either," he added softly. "So listen. I know where the way out is. But I can't cross the Dangai, not on my own. I was fortunate enough to survive coming this way, but I wouldn't make it back, not now I'm as old as this. You, on the other hand, can do that. You can't be killed, am I right? You were hexed by Harumizu, but I wasn't. I know where to go, and you can guarantee safe passage. It makes sense for us to work as a team. Don't you think so?"

Tsuneyoshi faltered, and Kunimori patted him lightly on the back.

"Don't you want to see Harumizu's head strung up on a rope from the nearest pine tree?" he asked, and Tsuneyoshi felt his conviction surge up inside of him, swallowing his hesitations up in the flare of killer instict that flowed out from his sword.

"I'll put it there myself," he said aloud. "Harumizu, and then any other who crosses my path. The Soldier takes life. It decides who lives and who dies. I decided Harumizu is the one who is going to die...him and his whole family, and anyone else. You too, if you cross me. I'll listen to you, Kunimori-dono, but I'm not scared of you. Your sword is powerful, but if it worked on me, you'd have used it already. You need me, and I'll come along with you - for now. But when we get to Seireitei, we have our own paths to follow. We are not allies. Understand? One like you and one like me...no matter how many milennia pass, we can never be friends."

* * *

"Tenichi's not allowed to come to the Thirteenth Division?"

Juushirou took in the expression on the features of his fourth seated officer with a resigned sigh, sitting himself down behind the Ugendou desk and gesturing for his indignant companion to follow suit. It was the day following Tenichi's release into Seireitei custody, and, although he had had a report from Hirata to let him know that the parolee had been safely received at Fourth to have his spirit cuffs removed, Juushirou had taken the decision not to make any kind of formal response. Though it pained him to distance himself from a shinigami he had nurtured from the point of recruit, he knew that it was for the best that he led his squad by example. If Tenichi was to recover, he had told Enishi with a sigh as he had briefed his Vice Captain on the morning's endeavours, then he needed to do so without distractions and unecessary fuss. Enishi, as ever the loyal stalwart, had agreed and promised to ensure that he kept the same strict line with the rest of the Thirteenth, but Juushirou had elected to speak to Kirio separately, knowing that she, of all his squad, was Tenichi's close childhood friend and would feel the separation most strongly.

But Kirio was also his Fourth Seated officer and, as such, would have to lead by example most of all.

"I had hoped to discuss it with you calmly and quietly, Kirio," he chided gently now. "I realise that you're upset, but it can't be helped. H...Endou-taichou spoke to me about it personally, and he wanted to make sure that I - and everyone else in Thirteenth - were clear on the protocol before Tenichi returns to barracks. It's a necessary part of parole - just in case he was tempted to re-offend. Look on the bright side. He's been granted release, which means he's one step closer to rebuilding his life here."

"He's not going to do anything silly like repeat the same mistake, Taichou," Kirio reddened slightly now at the Captain's gentle rebuke, but Juushirou could see the frustration glittering in her clever eyes, and he knew that she was not at all placated by his words. "I'm sure he understands...he knows he did something stupid, and he won't do it again. Ketsui's said it, that when he's visited, Tenichi's always shown regret for what he did. Even in his trial hearing, he was clearly sorry and knew he'd made a mistake in believing Izumi-chan was a spy. She's forgiven him, and it was five years ago. He's been punished - why must he keep being punished like this, even when his sentence is done?"

"Without this condition, the Onmitsukidou would not have agreed his release," Juushirou said wearily. "It's because Thirteenth is where the crime happened, and also, where Izumi makes her home. I also want to believe that the lad has turned himself around, but there are rules and conditions when you break the laws of Seireitei. Unfortunately, being an officer of rank means I can't ignore, aid or abet attempts to breach those rules. I am saddened by it too - he was a recruit of mine, once upon a time - but this is how it is. The sooner you - and we - accept it, the easier it will be for Tenichi to readjust to life in Seireitei. I am making no further attempt to contact or reach him now he is released, and I will not formally do so, either. If I see him, I won't shun him - but for his own sake, I have to stand firm. For yours, too, I think. A lot happened five years ago, and it's a short space of time, really, to adjust."

"I suppose so," Kirio sighed, the tension seeping out of her body, though Juushirou knew that she was far from fully persuaded. "I just...I know he was messed up when it happened, and I admit, he was like a stranger to me when I saw him, after his arrest. I'm glad that he's being let out, because it means that Kai-dono and Second Division think he's learned his lesson and can move on with his life...but I never thought about the effects of it after that point. Maybe it was naive of me, sir, but I've never known anyone go to prison before. I suppose I thought, being that Endou-taichou was taking him back, that it would, well, all end with his release."

"Sadly, crimes are not washed out of _shihakushou_ as easily as blood and grime," Juushirou said solemnly. "Tenichi is a talented shinigami, but he is also guilty of assault against an unarmed recruit. In those circumstances, sometimes, a shinigami is relieved of all duties, even stripped of reiryoku...I've known it happen, in the past. Tenichi's obvious remorse for his crime, along with the fact Izumi forgave him and Hirata did not forsake him, has prevented that from happening. This is a small thing, really. You are not being told you cannot see or speak to him. Just that you can't do so here."

He tapped the desk pensively.

"Hirata has given permission for you to visit Seventh - so long as you do not interfere with their patrols and hamper Tenichi's duties. They are a very busy squad at the moment, with the Rukon rotation, so bear that in mind if you do decide to go, please. I don't want complaints from my old friend that you're getting in their way, and their way of running things is not quite like ours."

"I don't really like Seventh," Kirio admitted sheepishly. "I mean, I know I shouldn't say things like that about another Division, sir, so please consider that comment off the record. I respect Endou-taichou and I have no problems with any of their officers...but it's what you said just then. They aren't like here. I'm sure, if Tenichi had stayed here, none of it would ever have happened. I'm sure, if he'd been here..."

"What happened wasn't the fault of the Seventh, and let's not forget the sacrifices they also made, five years ago," Juushirou scolded her lightly. "Seventh is a different place from Thirteenth, but it is also now Tenichi's home. Hira...Endou-taichou is his Captain, but he is also, unofficially, his parole officer in all that happens next. I would advise you to ensure you keep to his instructions...I think, if you do so, he won't be unreasonable about letting you see your friend."

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to be impudent," Kirio's cheeks coloured crimson again, and she glanced at her hands. "I'm just disappointed, but you're right. I'll get over it. We're not kids, and we'll manage."  
She raised her head as a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Does Ketsui know any of this yet?"

"Mm, not yet," Juushirou shook his head. "He and Naoko are still in the Real World, and I will discuss it with him when he returns. I felt it better that I do it separately - I knew you'd be angry, and I didn't want that emotion to rub off onto your subordinate officer. On the contrary, I hoped that, if I could persuade you, it would help persuade him as well."

He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders.

"You're my Fourth Seated officer now, don't forget," he added. "I rely on you to set an example, even if something affects you on a personal level. You are highly enough ranked now to know that, one day, you might be considered for a Vice Captaincy somewhere in the Gotei. In the last five years, prejudices against District shinigami have dropped quite a lot, and most Clans no longer appoint their heirs as their seconds. My trip to the Academy proved that - Thirteenth is seen as a popular Division to recruit to, but there is more competition now from other squads to secure the best District graduates into their ranks. You are in a position of scrutiny, Kirio. This is why I am talking to you about Tenichi, now. His future - and your own - depend on you both toeing the line. He can't afford any more infractions, and you are too good a shinigami to compromise yourself over something like this."

"A Vice Captaincy?" Kirio's eyes widened in dismay, and she shook her head. "But that would mean leaving Thirteenth! I couldn't...that would be...I mean...this is my home, and..."

"I didn't say it would happen tomorrow, so take that look off your face," despite himself, Juushirou was amused at her aghast reaction. "I just want you to be aware of how highly you are thought of and the potential you have to consider, going forwards. Keep it in mind, Kirio. At Sixth Seat, maybe you could have made an error here or there, but at Fourth Seat, you are right on the edge of the Division's core, and you need to make sure you don't let the side down."

Kirio sighed heavily, toying her fingers together absently in her lap.

"I would like to stay here," she admitted, "but I suppose it's true. Fourth Seat...is that kind of rank. I'm sorry, sir. It's still very new to me, this promotion. I'll try and remember what you said, I promise. I don't want anyone looking badly on Thirteenth because of something I did."

"I trust you to make the right decisions, and so do Enishi and Naoko," Juushirou assured her. "Don't look so troubled. The future is what it will be, and so long as you don't forget about it coming, that is enough."

"Knowing Koku has made me think about the future a whole lot more," Kirio admitted, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"Yes, but thankfully, that boy is spending more mental space in the present than in the yesterdays and tomorrows his sword likes to make him see," he reflected. "Some of that is credit to your mentoring, I know. Yours, and Ketsui's, of course...Koku is turning into an excellent member of the Thirteenth, and even the Council accept that he poses no danger to Seireitei."

"He is a shinigami now," Kirio agreed. "He wasn't, at first. There was so much he didn't know, and he'd get confused or miss patrols or fall asleep in the garden instead of doing drill. But now...he is part of the family. He's settled in here really well, and I'm glad. Everything for him before...he was so sad, then, when I first spoke to him. Sad, and lonely - but now he's always with either Izumi-chan, or Kayashima and Furuta, and he seems happy. Ketsui sometimes gets Magaki-san to come from the Eighth to help him with Kidou, and his spellcasting is getting very decent, too. His shunpo is still wobbly, sometimes, but he's getting there."

"You sound proud of him," Juushirou observed, and Kirio grinned.

"He's become like another little brother, like Ketsui did," she admitted. "Like I said, Thirteenth is my family. He's just part of it, now. I think...in time, people will forget what family Koku came from. In time, people won't think of his father at all - they'll just think of Koku, and that's how it should be."

Juushirou smiled faintly.

"Would that that were the case," he acknowledged. "It's a large shadow to climb out from underneath, and the scars remain, although they are fading. Tenichi returning to Seventh is part of that healing process, too, don't forget. It takes a lot longer to repair damage than it does to cause it - but Seireitei is getting there, slowly."

"I suppose that's true," Kirio looked pensive. "I suppose, in that case, him going back there is an important thing. It's all right, Taichou. I won't cause trouble, I promise. I'll do what I can to support my friend, of course - but I won't get in Seventh's way, and I won't make a fuss about his being barred from this place. You have my word."

"Thank you," Juushirou was relieved. "In which case, I can count on you to support the ruling in front of Ketsui, too?"

"I will," Kirio agreed slowly, "though it will be hard, I will. As a big sister figure, I have to, so I will."

"Good," Juushirou nodded approvingly. "In which case, this conversation is finished for now. I actually want to talk to you about the recruit intake - and a planned patrol I intend some of them to participate in over the weekend. With Naoko away, and without knowing for certain when she will return, I'd like to assign the duties she normally handles to your care, if you don't mind."

"Naoko-san's duties? With the new recruit induction?" Kirio looked curious. "I don't mind, of course, but I hadn't realised it was so close."

"A couple of days is when I expect them," Juushirou agreed. "At the Captain's meeting, Nagesu-sama asked me if I would organise a patrol into the border camp while he has some business back in Third District. I said that we could manage that, and I think it would be a good opportunity for a few recruits to blood themselves in the patrol world. Not all of them, of course - but I imagine that, if we challenge them, they might be eager to be among those chosen. I'm going to send that patrol under your command, incidentally, so it makes sense for you to be part of the induction. And, of course, a female officer must be assigned to deal with the female recruits. There are four of them this time."

"I see," Kirio digested this carefully. "Well, I can do that, of course. I've helped Naoko-san with finding supplies and sorting bunks for new girls in the last couple of years, so it shouldn't be an issue. What of the male recruits? Will Fukutaichou see to those?"

"Enishi will be handling the rest of Naoko's workload, so I'd rather not put that on him too." Juushirou shook his head. "He's volunteered to lead their first drill exercise and select the candidates for the border camp patrol, and I've left it at that. Atsudane is helping him, too, so no, I think not. I actually thought to ask one of the lower ranked officers to help you out with that duty. Kayashima was the one who springs to mind. He's good with new people and I suspect, close enough to his own recruit days to know what to tell them. Plus, it's good experience for him. Eleventh Seat carries the potential of sub-patrol leader status, now we are the size of division we are, and I think there's a good chance he might find himself deployed that way as time goes on."

"That does make sense," Kirio agreed, a grin touching her features at the thought. "He's cheeky as anything when he wants to be, but he knows what he's doing. Besides, he's qualified. He helped induct the Division's most challenging recruit ever, and he did so without batting an eyelid, so he should be fine with some civilised brats from Genryuusai-sensei's Academy."

"I'm sure Koku wouldn't thank you for the label of most challenging recruit ever, though I admit it's not far from the truth," Juushirou chuckled, despite himself. "Kayashima has been very good for Koku, though, and dare I say, the effect has been mutual. I think Kayashima has blossomed and has the potential to be a leader in the future. I'd like to nurture that potential and give it an opportunity to flourish. This seems a good first step, so I'll ask him to help you, if you don't mind. I'm sure he can organise six male recruits on his own if need be."

"And if not, he'll probably rope in Koku or Furuta to help out," Kirio reflected. Juushirou shrugged.

"Koku's normal pattern when new recruits arrive is to hide in the barracks with a book, or whatever chore drill he's been given," he said wisely. "He takes time to adjust to new people and new reiatsu."

"Maybe the last few years, but this year, he's a Twelfth Seat, and that could also lead a sub-patrol," Kirio pointed out. Juushirou nodded.

"That is also true," he acknowledged. "It's a test for him, too. We both know what kind of power Koku has, but nobody knows, yet, whether he has the makings of a leader, too. It doesn't necessarily follow that those with the greatest potential are either born to lead or the best candidates, so I want to see for myself which path Koku intends on following. He won't run from his sword, I'm sure of that - but I suppose you're right. Letting him run from recruits probably isn't a good idea, either."

"So maybe Kayashima and Koku can help me induct them?" Kirio suggested. Juushirou smiled.

"I see. Big sister is looking out for little brother," he reflected, and Kirio looked sheepish.

"A little, but he's twenty-six now, and it's not cute to hide every time," she responded. "I'm fond of him, and I understand that his world is a little different, sometimes, but he needs to have more confidence in himself and in other people. He'll have to meet the new recruits sometime. Why not on the first day? I know he doesn't like introducing himself, because he gets questions, but the sooner those are dealt with, the better, I think. It's not hard to realise that Koku is Koku, not Keitarou, but you can only do that if you meet him and spend time with him. That's what I think needs to happen, for his own sake as much as anything."

"I can't argue with your logic, Hikifune-yonseki," Juushirou inclined his head. "You have my permission to enlist both Kayashima and Koku to help the recruits. I had planned to send Koku to the border camp with you anyway, as it happens. He has a personal interest in seeing Rukongai citizens being provided for properly, and I know he's been eager to be part of a patrol there. Thirteenth haven't run many, and in the past, they've clashed with his rota, but this time, I want him to go and see for himself that, although it's still in transition, something is being done to transfer Plus souls with spirit power to areas of Seireitei where they can better make a living and support themselves."

"Then he'll be better off meeting the recruits when they come," Kirio decided. "You said the day after tomorrow, Taichou? With your permission, then, I'll go and brief them."

"Maybe it would be better not to," Juushirou's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It gives Koku less opportunity to think of ways to get out of it, or hide from it. I realise he's very good at knowing things he hasn't been told, but in this circumstance, I think that it's better to give him as little notice as possible. Kayashima will be fine either way, so for now, say nothing. Plus, Koku will only worry about it, even if he doesn't try and hide. A worried and stressed Koku might not give the impression of Thirteenth that we want to give...and it takes a little time to get used to his uniqueness."

"I suppose so," Kirio laughed. "Yes, sir. I understand. I'll await your instructions and work from there."

"All right," Juushirou nodded towards the door with a smile. "And now, I know you have a short while before you travel out to First District and patrol there, so if you want to go to Fourth and ask for information about Tenichi, you may. Bear in mind you won't be allowed to see him," he cautioned, as Kirio's eyes lit up with hope. "He's having his spirit cuffs removed, and that means the spiritual environ has to be strictly controlled and limited in case it creates an adverse reaction. But I'm sure they'll give you an updated report on your friend's state of health, and for now, that's better than nothing, I think?"

"Yes sir. Thank you," Kirio's eyes sparkled. "Fourth is easier to find things out at than Seventh, too, and I can maybe speak to Shikiki. She'll tell me what I want to know, I'm sure."

"I'm sure she will," Juushirou grinned. "You're dismissed, then. Hurry up! I won't countenance your patrol running late, so don't spend too much time gossiping in Fourth's courtyard!"

"Yes sir!" Kirio saluted, then hurried from the room, sending Ugendou's door sliding back behind her with a bang as she went, and Juushirou tut-tutted under his breath, amused at her hasty reaction.  
 _  
But it is the first signs of healing, and even if it isn't perfect, it's a step in the right direction. I'm sure Tenichi will go from strength to strength under Hirata's guidance._

He got to his feet, moving to the window of Ugendou to gaze out at the koi pond. In the early spring chill, the koi were mostly still swimming at some depth, wary of braving the cooler atmosphere near the surface, but the cherry blossom in the Division garden was almost in full bloom, and the sight of it reminded him of the picturesque scene in the Academy grounds.  
 _  
Tenichi was also one such recruit, like those I expect here in a couple of days. It's as well not to forget that. We all face our individual challenges in this world._

He glanced across at the desk, his eyes narrowing slightly as his gaze fell on a pile of papers given to him by his old teacher.

 _I gave the book to Koku, as Sensei suggested, but the rest of it...I don't know what to do about that. Sensei has always said that it's hard to know what way a sword like Kyouka Raigen will manifest. They aren't swords of good or evil, but swords of power and significance that require strong souls to control and master them. Otherwise they become dangerous, and sometimes that can be costly. I'm not sure how much of the history of those swords Koku needs to know or even should know. Sometimes knowing where to draw the line is as challenging as knowing how to deal with this level of power. I still want to protect him, but Kirio is right. He mustn't be protected and he mustn't be allowed to hide. His future doesn't allow for that. Not if he is to control a sword like this one.  
_  
He sat back, closing his eyes as he recalled the first time, five years earlier, when Genryuusai had come to Thirteenth to meet the Division's then new recruit.

"Sensei, thank you for coming,"

His own voice echoed through his thoughts, and, in his mind's eye, he could see the old man stepping into Ugendou, settling himself on one of the big cushions and laying Ryuujinjakka's cane to one side.

 _"It seems a long time since we've spoken about anything - I know you're busy, and I'm sorry to be taking up your precious time. Seireitei is still a bit disordered, I'm afraid, but things are beginning to get back into some kind of rhythm. At least I finally feel as though we're at some level of peace again - even though the cost of the conflict has been higher than I'd like."_

 _"I always have time for particularly outstanding former students," Genryuusai had smiled with amusement at this, gazing around him in approval at his surroundings, "and while I was prepared for trouble, I won't pretend that I wasn't relieved to be kept out of the battle. Ryuujinjakka is not a weapon that should be deployed in such a tight situation, as I think you know quite well. Fortunately, the threat did not reach the Academy, and my young students are all safe. I am glad to find you the same, and its a pleasure to see you in your natural habitat."_

 _He reached out to brush a finger against the haori that hung around Juushirou's shoulders; proof of his badge of office within the Thirteenth Division._

 _"You've taken to Captaincy like I knew you would, my boy. I never doubted in either your appointment, or the Thirteenth Division, but I confess, it's nice to see the fruits of it for myself. This place is very pleasant, and I feel quite proud to see it."_

 _"I knew it was where I wanted to be based, when first Thirteenth was summoned to form a base in Inner Seireitei," Juushirou took the seat opposite, reaching for the mug of tea and pouring the thick green liquid into two ceramic mugs, pushing one towards his companion. "After Seventh District, it was a haven of peace and quiet. Aside from a few unexpected explosions from the neighbours..." he cast a glance towards the window, in the direction of the Twelfth Division barracks, "it's quite a restful place to do my paperwork. I like being by the water, and I didn't have a lot of opportunity for that when working in District Seven."_

 _"You and your companions did an admirable job there," Genryuusai took the mug with a smile, lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. "I knew you would, though. The battles we live through make us stronger and wiser. I'm sure you're more certain of your role and rank now than you were when you left my auspices. I hear good things about you and that Kyouraku rascal, and my District students take a lot of pride and pleasure in the stories of a senpai who took the haori and who stands toe to toe with the great Clans of Seireitei. You are quite the beacon...I'm sure Kinnya is also very proud of you."_

 _"You're embarrassing me," Juushirou objected, a faint pink colour rising in his cheeks at these words. "I do my best, and that's all. And I've had some good recruits over the years - students you've trained and in whom I've been able to place a lot of trust. It's not all about me and what I do. We're a division. It's a team effort."_

 _"It's your newest recruit on whose account you've called me here, correct?" Genryuusai's eyes narrowed, and Juushirou sighed, nodding his head._

 _"I have," he admitted. "I'm out of my comfort zone and my knowledge base with this one, sensei. I need your help, and I hope you can give it."_

 _"The boy is Keitarou's son, I believe?"_

 _"He is," Juushirou confirmed. "He is, but Sensei, he's not like his father. In fact, he played a significant role in stopping Keitarou from causing a lot more harm and damage here. It's hurt him, I know it has - though he's stopped talking about it, and I don't like to push it, bearing in mind how much it upset him when his father died. But I also feel guilty. He chose to help us at his own expense...and I want to help him in return."_

 _"You are a kind man, Juushirou," Genryuusai murmured. "That can be a strength or a weakness. I trust you know the difference between the two?"_

 _"Koku isn't an enemy," Juushirou shook his head. "He chose to save us, rather than Keitarou. He chose..."_

 _He faltered, then,_

 _"He chose to save me," he said softly. "Keitarou was going to kill everyone in the Thirteenth. Koku didn't want that to happen. He told me that the only people who could make the kind of equal society that Keitarou always said he wanted were people like me, here in Seireitei. People who didn't want to kill and who weren't driven by revenge. He put my life first...and I..."_

 _"I see," Genryuusai put a hand on his former student's arm. "Then tell me about the boy. I understand his brother is currently on the run - a rogue with murders to his name, who the Gotei are still trying to track down?"_

 _"Yes. Katsura's disappeared," Juushirou nodded. "I don't know where he is, and nor does Koku. Katsura has the ability to read minds and connect to his brother telepathically, but he's cut off all kinds of communication with Koku since Koku decided to stay here. Koku thinks it's because Katsura wants to keep him out of his own downfall - I don't know. I don't know what to make of Katsura, but I am certain Koku knows nothing of his whereabouts. He's far too worried about his brother for that not to be the case."_

 _"And the young boy himself? Koku...or I thought his name when you wrote to me was Kohaku?"_

 _"Kohaku is his given name, yes," Juushirou looked sheepish. "Koku is a nickname. It was the name Souja called him by when he asked us to take care of him, and the name by which he's generally been known. Koku brought Souja back from the Rukon, injured, and tried his best to help save him. Souja was very adamant that we do what we could to help Koku, so I know that that's the case. I want to keep my promises...but Koku...Kohaku's spirit power is beyond me. He sees things nobody else can see, Sensei. The future. The past. The present, but in a place far from where he is. He has delusions and dreams that terrify him and make him unwell. Since he raised his sword, on the day of Keitarou's attacks, these fits of panic and delusion have abated considerably. But I'm not foolish enough to think it's over. On the contrary, summoning a sword founded in that kind of terrifying ability is surely only the beginning? I want to make sure Koku spends his life in this world, not caught up in the fantasies of others. What he can do frightens me - not because I'm afraid of the future, but because I've seen how much it can hurt him, and I don't want that to happen any more."_

 _He glanced at his hands._

 _"Shunsui teases me, and says I've adopted him as a surrogate son," he owned. "It's probably true, though I wouldn't try and displace his love for Keitarou or his feelings about his father's death. Koku trusts me, and I want to make sure I don't let him down. In a sense, this is all he has, now. Thirteenth, and me, trying to guide and shield him from his own spirit power until such time as he can use it without being hurt."_

 _"As I said, kindness can be a strength or a weakness," Genryuusai rumbled. "In your case, I think it's always been both. I'm not sure that they can be separated, if I'm honest. From your description, I suspect your kindness won the boy to your side - your faith in him helped him to choose your side over his father's. But what kind of person Kohaku will become is still unknown."_

 _"That's unknown for all of us, though," Juushirou held his ground. "Shunsui was unsure, too, until the day Keitarou died. It was Shunsui that Kohaku told about Keitarou's plans and actions, and because of it, it was Shunsui who was able to stop Keitarou wreaking any more damage. I was with the boy when Keitarou died, though, and Sensei, if you'd seen him cry..."_

 _He sighed._

 _"I didn't like it," he admitted. "Maybe I am too kind, and maybe it is a weakness. But he's barely more than a boy, and Keitarou kept him confined in a cage for the first sixteen years of his life. He has no idea about Seireitei, except what he's learned these last few weeks. He'd never seen the sun or the moon, and never seen real flowers until recently. He's twenty one, and his power makes him, in some ways, so much older - and yet, deep down, he's still the child he's never been able to be. He's been through a lot, but he's not beyond our help. And Sensei, he belongs here. He's said so, and I agree with him. Here, he can be Kohaku, and not be feared. But I want to make sure that stays the case. I want him to live his life, now. Not through the pictures of other people's, but through his own will and choice."_

 _"You said the boy's sword was Kyouka Raigen?" Genryuusai drained his mug of tea, sitting back on his cushion and regarding Juushirou thoughtfully. Juushirou nodded._

 _"Yes. Koku said that it told him it had lived lives before. That's why I wrote to you. I thought, maybe, you'd heard the name."_

 _"Kyouka Raigen? No." Genryuusai shook his head. "But I am aware of swords under the name of 'Kyouka'. I believe you know something about swords that have reincarnated spiritual potential? Your grandfather possesses one, and I'm sure, in your training with him, he must have mentioned it."_

 _"He did," Juushirou confirmed. "And also that your sword is one such reincarnated spirit, sir."_

 _"It is," Genryuusai agreed comfortably. "The story goes back many many generations, back to the start of Soul Society. It's wrapped in legend, but it's said that when the Spirit Court was first created, the first Soul King created a pure weapon which he divided into component parts, sending them out as blades to be guardians of this world until such time that time itself ended. I know," as Juushirou looked surprised, "we don't speak of the Soul King very often. If at all, these days. But in those times, our worlds were not so separate. In those times, the Soul King and the Seireitei plane were one and the same. Well, that was a time long before even I was born, but these swords were designed to be wielded by the King's protectors, against enemies and in the pursuit of balance and of justice. And, though the world has changed considerably, and we no longer directly serve a Royal court or have an appointed Regent representing the Soul King here in Seireitei, the swords have remained with us. Each time they choose a soul, they reincarnate, melding with that soul's unique and individual nature and power in order to create a formidable battle partnership. No two reincarnated souls or swords are the same - but each generation holds onto some shard or fragment of their past selves. Ryuujinjakka is a phoenix, and he has risen from the ashes at times before our meeting, several millennia ago. Ryuujinjakka is my sword, and he can belong to nobody else. But he has existed before, and he will exist again."_

 _He sighed._

 _"The pure reishi that forms these swords only reincarnates when they find a suitable soul with whom to bond," he added. "There can be many generations, centuries, even thousands of years when a sword does not appear. In the original legend, there is mention of ten different spirits, but in this current Soul Society, I only know of two - my own, Ryuujinjakka, and your grandfather's, Raiurei. His brother, of course, wielded one other - Taiyourei - but Senaya died a long time ago, and no other soul has taken that sword's reishi with its own, yet. And now you tell me that this young boy of Keitarou's has bonded with a sword calling itself Kyouka...you have to understand how rare this is."_

 _"Well, it's rare enough that I haven't ever heard of it before," Juushirou agreed. "I should probably do some reading on that legend, although I didn't know about it until now. But if it's that rare for them to figure at the same time..."_

 _"It's not generally considered a good thing, if they do," Genryuusai rubbed his beard pensively. "They are powerful, but they aren't necessarily used for good. That depends on the wielder. Juushirou, if you are right, and this boy has a Kyouka sword inside his soul, he will become very, very powerful in the future. I should meet him and I should discuss this power with him as soon as is possible. If he is as you say he is, then the most important thing is to ensure he controls the sword, rather than the other way around."_

 _"Like Hirata and his Wind Hawk?" Juushirou questioned, and Genryuusai shrugged._

 _"Hirata's sword is an Endou blade. It isn't a resurrected spirit," he replied. "The idea is somewhat the same, but on a different scale. If it helps you to think of it like that, though, then be my guest. I don't suppose it's too faulty an analogy."_

 _"But Koku is more powerful than Hirata?" Juushirou's eyes widened. Genryuusai smiled ruefully._

 _"That depends on him," he cautioned. "The sword's potential is wrapped up in the soul's ability to master and utilise it. I am somewhat concerned about the other thing you said in your letter - that you thought Kohaku's spirit power may have been augmented by Keitarou's exposure to reidoku the last time he escaped justice. If that's the case, it may be that Kohaku's soul is not strong enough to really master the power that has connected itself to him. If that's the case, we need to be taking action on it sooner, rather than later. So yes, I think it's right for me to be here. And I should meet him - right away, if possible."_

 _"I kept him on barrack duties today, for that purpose," Juushirou felt relieved, although the nagging anxiety at the base of his gut was not appeased by Genryuusai's frank admissions. "I'll send for him at once, Sensei. Maybe when you see and speak to him, other things will become clear."_

 _He moved to the door, passing the message to a nearby recruit, who hurried off to do his bidding. He then returned to his former position, glancing at his empty tea mug with a sigh._

 _"I want Kohaku to have his own life," he confessed. "Not one dictated by other people. He is still so young...and I'm worried for him, if the things you say are true. Keitarou must have known about this - he must have known what his son was connected to, and so wanted to exploit and use it. That's why he locked Koku up, and kept him away from people. He wanted Koku to grow up entirely dependent on him, whilst using Koku's abilities for his own ends. I don't want that, though. I don't want to use Koku, I want to help and guide him to become his own person. I clearly need to understand a lot more than I do now - so anything you can tell us will be gratefully received."_

 _Before Genryuusai could reply, there was a soft knock on the door._

 _"Taichou? It's Kohaku. You sent for me?"_

 _"Come in, Koku," Juushirou raised his voice to call the young man inside. "I've been expecting you."_

 _The door slid back, revealing the young shinigami, dressed in clean black and white robes, and with his thick brown hair tied back in a tail at the nape of his neck. At the sight of Genryuusai, his eyes widened slightly, then, a little belatedly, he lowered his head in a bow of respect._

 _"Koku, this is Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, the headmaster of the Spirit Academy and one of the most experienced shinigami in Seireitei," Juushirou made the introduction. "Sensei, this is Kohaku."_

 _"Raise your head, boy," Genryuusai said evenly, and Kohaku did as he was bidden, glancing at his Captain briefly before returning his gaze to the newcomer. "Sit down. We have much to discuss, and you should be a part of that discussion."_

 _"Yes, sir." Kohaku did as he was bidden, kneeling very properly to the side of the table, and for a moment, there was silence._

 _"Aizen Kohaku, correct?" Genryuusai was the one who broke the quiet, and Kohaku flinched slightly, but nodded his head._

 _"Yes, sir. Keitarou was my father. I am his second son."_

 _"I see," Genryuusai brushed his fingers against his long beard pensively. "You don't look like him in the least. I met your father once, years ago - and though his hair and eyes were darker than most Urahara, I confess that, at first glance, you look very much like you belong to another family altogether."_

 _"The Kyouraku, perhaps?" Juushirou asked, and Genryuusai nodded._

 _"People say that a lot," Kohaku admitted. "I didn't look like mother or father, but like my grandmother - Father's mother. For that reason, people here didn't know who I was for a long time. Nor did people in Rukongai. Father kept me a secret. He didn't..."_

 _He broke off, and Juushirou could tell that this was still an area of conflicting thoughts and ideas for his young stray._

 _"I don't know why," at length, Kohaku concluded. "Maybe to protect them. Maybe for his benefit. Maybe for mine. I genuinely don't know. I wasn't allowed to be Kohaku, there. I'm only allowed to be myself now, here, in Seireitei."_

 _"And people treat you well, knowing your background?" Genryuusai asked. Kohaku shrugged._

 _"The Thirteenth do, and some other friends of people here," he said evenly. "There are some people in other Divisions, who look at me and think of him - but that's all right. Father did terrible things to people here. Things that can't be forgiven, and things I couldn't prevent. I don't want them to ignore that stuff. Father was what he was and I can't change that. I just...want to show them that I'm myself, and not him. I really just want to repay the kindness shown me by Juushirou-dono and the rest of the Thirteenth - and, also, help change things so people don't fight and Rukongai isn't so isolated and forgotten. I'm kind of confused myself, right now...but I know I don't like seeing people die. And if I can do something to stop that happening in future...that's what I want to do."_

 _"I see," Genryuusai's expression gave nothing away, and Juushirou felt apprehensive, not sure what his old mentor was thinking. "You have been fortunate, then, to come into Juushirou's care. He is a good person to guide you forwards, if that is your aim. You should listen to him and learn from what he tells you."_

 _He folded his arms across his chest._

 _"Juushirou has explained to me the nature of your power and the name of your sword," he added. "I will tell you a story, in a moment, but first I want to make something clear. Now I meet you, I can sense from you the level of spirit power your body contains. You are untrained, and it is raw. Right now, therefore, it is not what it could be if you were fully trained. But I agree with Juushirou's judgement that sending you to my Academy might cause harm to less prepared students. You have a sword and you are safer in the company of shinigami while you learn what you can do with it. Juushirou said that it was possible your spirit power was augmented by your father's consumption of reidoku. This is true?"_

 _"Yes," Kohaku looked sad. "Father always thought that my sister and I were affected because of it. I had too much reiryoku, and she had none at all."_

 _"A sister?" Genryuusai glanced at Juushirou. "The killer of young Souja, I believe?"_

 _"Yes. Sakaki is dead, Sensei. She's already met justice for that crime," Juushirou said softly, and Genryuusai pursed his lips, nodding slowly._

 _"I see," he said, turning his attention back to the young man. "I'm sorry, my boy. Such conversation can't be pleasant for you."_

 _"Sakaki and I didn't get along. She hated me, and would have killed me if she had the chance," Kohaku said evenly. "I don't like that she's dead, but I tried to stop her killing Souja-dono, and I failed. We were on opposite sides for most of the time, really."_

 _"Returning to the subject of your reiryoku, however, I think your father was both right and wrong," Genryuusai tapped Kohaku lightly on the shoulder, and Kohaku looked startled. "It is probable that Keitarou's altered genetics had some impact on his subsequent children. But this is not augmented reiryoku in the sense of reidoku poison. You haven't been administered with chemicals, have you? This is what you were born with, not something else?"_

 _"Father stopped making reidoku when I was born. He realised it was dangerous to have around me, so he didn't ever use it any more," Kohaku agreed. Genryuusai nodded._

 _"In which case, augmented genetically or not, this reiryoku is naturally yours. It may be more than most children are born with, but reidoku mutated Keitarou. You were born this way. This is your spirit power...and to be frank, my boy, I am quite relieved to find that is the case."_

 _"So in that case, Koku should be able to learn to manage and control it?" Juushirou asked. Genryuusai nodded._

 _"I imagine so, if he puts his mind to doing so," he agreed. "It may take time. A long time. And it won't be easy. But yes, Juushirou. I believe your new recruit has significant potential that is all his own. The Kyouka sword saw that potential and chose him as its future master. There is nothing forced or abnormal in the connection, and while Keitarou might have wanted to exploit it, he did not have any part of bringing it about. This is entirely a natural state of affairs. It is rare, true, but it happens - as I mentioned before."_

 _He smiled._

 _"In that case, this ability of seeing other times and places," he added, lowering his hand to the table. "The sword only magnifies what is the true core nature of the individual's spirit power. Kohaku's ability to see the future, the past, or the alternative present comes from his soul. It's not created by the sword, but it's helped the sword to find its identity and it's the way in which the two of you are now bonded. Kohaku, tell me, how are you at sensing reiatsu?"_

 _"I can do it," Kohaku looked surprised. "I never forget any reiatsu, not when I've met it once. And I can tell...I mean, quite a long way across places, where someone is, or who they are."_

 _"And you've always been able to do that?"_

 _"Yes, sir. Always."_

 _"And these visions of yours - do you know what triggers them?"_

 _"No..." Kohaku faltered, then, "well, sometimes people do. But most of the time, it's like I just pick something up. A signal or something. I don't know. It doesn't always make sense to me what I see, or why I see it. I just do."_

 _"I didn't think it was possible to see the future, not till I met Koku," Juushirou added. "I am at a loss to explain how it can be done, but I know he can do it. He predicted Souja's death and tried to stop it. We have the written prophesy, which Souja located and brought back with him, even though he couldn't have known it was about his own demise. He also predicted attacks on other people, all of which came true in the way he described."_

 _"There is a scientific explanation for this kind of ability, although it, too, is extremely unusual," Genryuusai pressed his lips together thoughtfully. "Maybe in this regard, the influence of the reidoku genetics becomes a factor. Kohaku is very spirit-sensitive. He can trace and recognise individuals without having ever been trained to do it. That is rare. Normally you learn to do it, and yet nobody has taught him."_

 _He glanced at Kohaku, then,_

 _"I suspect this ability extends into the environment around him," he added. Our world is formed of reishi, and that reishi is constructed of pieces of the past and the present, broken down and fragmented. Changes in reishi foreshadow changes in the world we live in. It's just my hypothesis, but I think that Kohaku is probably clued into this change much more than any other shinigami. Past lives break down and form new ones. This process is microscopic and, normally, beyond the senses of anyone, even myself. Kohaku may be different, though. If he is able to pick up those minute changes, it's possible that he can then read the information contained within. So he sees the past that reishi constructed, as well as the present in other places, and, even, the future transformations as they begin to take place. The sword, Kyouka Raigen, augments this ability, to the point where he can truly carve out pictures of things the rest of us cannot visualise. It is a very powerful attribute, Kohaku," he added, offering the young recruit a smile. "In all my years as an instructor and a shinigami, I have never encountered anyone who has been able to do that on quite this kind of scale. Sensitivity, perhaps, and faint premonitions of what might occur - but never have I met a young man capable of actively articulating prophesies based on these transitions. It is a terrifying ability, but also, a very important one - so long as you can control it, rather than it controlling you."_

 _"That's why we called you here, Sensei," Juushirou took a hand now, seeing that Kohaku's eyes had become huge at this explanation. "Kohaku's abilities are beyond my expertise, and, as you just said, controlling them is to everyone's advantage. Especially his."_

 _"Then I shall tell you the story of the Soul King's spirit sword, and the ten swords which are said to reincarnate through different ages." Genryuusai decided. "They only bond with the right souls - souls they choose, and not necessarily souls they have matched to in the past, although that has been known to happen, given the rare nature of the power levels involved. No two lives are the same, and no two zanpakutou will ever be raised with the same name. Kohaku, your sword is Kyouka Raigen. There have been other swords under the name of Kyouka...swords which are considered to be incarnations of the "Sword of Existence."_

 _"Sword...of...existence?" Kohaku echoed faintly. "But...what does that mean?"_

 _"When the first Soul King split the sword into ten pieces, they each took on an identity, through which they were intended to protect the realm and keep the balance," Genryuusai responded. "These ten were the Sun, the Moon, the Rebel, the Phoenix, the Dragon, the Soldier, the Mirror, Name, Knowledge and the Void. Each of these contains a particular nature or element, which is repeated through it's different incarnations."_

 _He tapped his cane._

 _"My sword is the Phoenix," he added. "Ryuujinjakka is a sword of fire and ash. It destroys and from the ashes, it creates anew. It is a very powerful firesword with the ability to destroy everything in order to allow a new world to be born. This is the true nature of these swords. They exist as powerful weapons capable of transforming our world - whether for the better, or the worst."_

 _"Then Kyouka is...the Mirror?" Kohaku looked thoughtful. "When he appears to me, he's a mirror, inside a castle, surrounded by flowers. I never saw a castle like it - like it's entirely his creation. When I first saw it, it was covered in cobwebs from my father's influence, but now it's not like that. In the mirror, it reflects my soul. I see myself as Kyouka sees me. Before I was chained and bloody, because I was under Father's control. Now, it's not like that. The last time I saw that mirror, I saw myself wearing this," he touched his shihakushou. "I saw it as the real me, coming through...the future I needed to follow."_

 _"But you said Kyouka was a sword of existence, Sensei," Juushirou objected. "How does that work with the mirror?"_

 _"As Kohaku just said, the mirror reflected his soul as it really exists, not as we see it," Genryuusai responded. "It's the most difficult of the swords to pin down in many respects. It blurs the line between what is real and what is not - what is seen and what is inside. Previous incarnations have worked within the realms of dreams and memory. Kohaku's operates in terms of time - past, present and future. It latches on to what does exist, what has existed and what will exist in time to come. Mirrors show what is there and what is real. Reflections are also shadows, and so nothing is really hidden from them - the face we show and the one we don't. Kohaku's ability is unique to him - but what he describes fits well with the overall concept of a Kyouka sword. I have also heard mention of this mirror before, inside an unfamiliar castle, and garnished with flowers."_

 _"Have you known someone with my sword before, sir?" Kohaku asked eagerly, and Genryuusai smiled. He nodded._

 _"Yes, I have encountered it before," he agreed. "Twice, in my lifetime, although I was only a boy the first time I heard the name. The second time was maybe a milennia ago...and that young man I knew quite well at the time."_

 _"Kyouka said that the last person who owned him took his own life," Kohaku's eyes became clouded. "Is that...true?"_

 _"Mm," Genryuusai looked sad. "I'm afraid it is, my boy. The individual in question controlled a sword called Kyouka Zanmu. It brought nightmares into reality, and made people mad with those delusions and fears. In the end, they tormented him to the point he wanted to destroy it. He wanted to remove such a sword from the world, and take away its dangerous properties. It brought people's real fears into a false kind of reality, and, in doing so, created his own worst fear. He took his life to kill the sword, too. And that was the last time I heard the name Kyouka...until I received Juushirou's letter."_

 _Kohaku swallowed hard, and Juushirou sent him a look of concern, noticing how pale he had become._

 _"Are you all right?" he asked gently, and Kohaku nodded, gathering his composure and forcing a brave smile. Slowly he drew his arm forward, pushing back the sleeves of the shihakushou, and Juushirou's eyes widened as he saw the faint scarring across the boy's wrists._

 _"When I first left the hut, I couldn't deal with all the new sensations. They overloaded me and Kyouka's voice was always there, mocking me and threatening me with pictures of people dying," Kohaku's voice shook slightly as he recounted the story. "I wanted to get rid of it. I wanted it to go away. It said it would swallow me up and use me as its puppet to bring death and destruction. I thought, if I killed it, it would stop. It wouldn't hurt anyone."_

 _He pushed the sleeve back over his scarred wrist with a grimace._

 _"My brother found me. He stopped me. He saved my life, probably," he added sadly. "Katsura was the only one who could see inside my head, so he understood. He always did...he was always there to help me. I miss him, and that's the scary part of this. I'm on my own, now. Raising Kyouka - making a pact with it to not run away any more - that's made things settle. But it might not always be that way. I need...to be stronger. I don't want to be like the person you talked about, Genryuusai-dono. I want to use this power to do something worthwhile...and to repay the people who have been kind to me since I came here."_

 _"Then, my boy, you undoubtedly will succeed," Genryuusai's smile was genuine now, and Juushirou felt relieved at his old mentor's reaction. "You are as Juushirou described you, and I'm glad. Your sword is demanding and it will not accept second best. It will push you to be the best you can be, and to strive for your goals. But it will not contest those goals, so long as it believes you have them in place. You need to understand that a sword like yours or mine is neither good, nor bad. It has its own demands and ambitions, but once it strikes a deal, it will become your ally, not your enemy. It will follow your goals and seek to bring about your intentions, so long as you have them, and you move forward. You can bring great good to the world with a sword like this. Or, alternatively, you can bring great terror. I'm glad you've chosen to follow the first path. Your bond with your blade is very new, yet - but as time goes on, you'll find it adheres more and more to your way of thinking. So long as you stay strong, it will respect and obey you. And you will be able to achieve a great many things - things most shinigami only ever dream of."_

 _He glanced at Juushirou._

 _"You have the best teacher you could have in learning to stand up for what you believe in, even if that is challenged by outside prejudice," he added. "I will stay a few days here in Inner Seireitei, and I would like, in that time, to spend some time with you and Kyouka Raigen. I'm sure I can help explain more detailed questions, and it's possible Ryuujinjakka might have some contribution to make to this discussion."_

 _"That would be appreciated by both of us," Juushirou observed, and Kohaku nodded._

 _"I'd like that, sir," he agreed. "I want to learn as much as I can, and I really don't know anything at all. I don't want to hurt anyone with my spirit power. If you think I can achieve things without doing that, then I want to learn how."_

 _"We will spend some time together, then, and discuss this in detail when the sword is present." Genryuusai promised. "In the meantime, I'm sure I've taken you from your duties. I will arrange with your Captain a suitable time for us to meet - for now, thank you for coming and talking to me in such honest detail. I will do my best to help you in the way you require."_

 _"You can return to your work, Koku. I'll speak to you later with the arrangements," Juushirou glanced at his recruit, who nodded, getting to his feet and bowing his head. He withdrew from the office, closing the door behind him, and Juushirou let out a heavy sigh._

 _"You worried me, with some of the things you said," he admitted. "I'm glad, though, that you see the boy the way I do."_

 _"He is an interesting child," Genryuusai agreed. "I don't know what I expected from Keitarou's son, but, like you, I am inclined to believe in his integrity and his conviction to do good."_

 _"I'm glad, because I know we need your help. Especially if you have worked with a Kyouka sword before," Juushirou ran his fingers through his thick white hair. "I didn't know that he had tried to kill himself, though. That shook me. I knew he was fragile - but when he brought out that scar..."_

 _"Yes, I see that Shunsui is right in his judgement," Genryuusai eyed Juushirou pensively. "You have become his surrogate father, and you therefore worry about him as a father frets for his child."_

 _"Sensei..."_

 _"It's all very well, making excuses of Captaincy and squad, Juushirou," Genryuusai shook his head. "Like you, I, too, have no children. But all of you have, at one time or another, been like children to me. Perhaps some of you more than others. I understand what you want for Kohaku, and I agree that your ideas are correct. Besides, I think that bond may be as important to the lad as the one he has with his sword. He said it himself, that he was alone now. Nobody else can see into his head - but I am fairly sure that, so long as you are guiding him, he won't be able to feel lonely. And so long as he doesn't feel alone with this, I don't suppose he'll fall into the same pits as my former student did when he couldn't cope with his sword."_

 _"Maybe," Juushirou admitted. "I am fond of him. I may never have my own children, Sensei. I don't want to take the place of his real father, but I am fond of him and I do want what's best for him. And I know he's an adult, not a child - but Keitarou kept him so shut away. There's a lot he does know, but a lot more that he doesn't, and it's the things I think he needs to know that he lacks the most."_

 _"I think what would be best for that young boy is that you do take his father's place," Genryuusai said bluntly. "Keitarou locked him up and exploited him. It was his brother, not his father, who saved him from himself. Katsura, not Keitarou, who he looked to for reassurance. I've no doubt he loved his father, but he chose to save your life. Do you not understand the significance of that? Kohaku loved his father, but I don't suppose he knew if Keitarou loved him in return. Deep down, there is doubt, maybe even resentment towards that man for putting science before his family. You, on the other hand, have no reason to be kind to him. Yet you have been. He trusts you. It's easy to tell that's the case. You didn't impose your involvement on him. He's chosen you as his mentor, and, probably, as the father figure Keitarou could never be. I would nurture that bond and build on it. You don't need to call him your son - but I think it would be best for him if, from this point on, he considered your advice and guidance and forgot about the man who treated him as a lab experiment."_

 _Juushirou stared at the old man in surprise, and Genryuusai offered a grim smile._

 _"This is a man who would've thought nothing of sacrificing hundreds of innocent lives for his own insane schemes," he said softly. "Keitarou was not suited to be a parent, and, I suspect, his older son's life has been ruined because of that fact. You have the chance to save Kohaku, though. Your judgement is sound, in my opinion, and your kindness in this instance a definite strength. Kohaku needs you more than anyone else. Let yourself be that father he needs, so he can grow up to be a shinigami Seireitei can rely on."_

 _"I'll try," Juushirou sighed heavily. "I will try, Sensei. It's all I can do, but I'll try."_

 _"I'm aware of the yield your trying usually produces, so I'm sure that will suffice," Genryuusai's eyes twinkled with amusement. "You have excellent judgement with strays. I haven't forgotten how you reached out to young Shikiki - who has saved not only your life, but other lives too. She will no doubt go on to save yet more as time passes. Now Kohaku, who has the potential to be a great individual, if guided on the right path."_

Juushirou opened his eyes, letting out a soft sigh at the recollection.

 _I followed your advice, Sensei, and I became that boy's surrogate father. I'm teaching him what I know, but I often think I'm lacking in the knowledge I really need. When I saw that scar on his wrist, it frightened me. Knowing the past precedent, it frightened me._

He rested his hand on the pile of documents.

 _But, maybe, what frightens me more is the alternative. The histories prove that those who master the Mirror sword become great leaders, men who are known and lauded by their peers, acknowledged by the Heavens, and capable of controlling a terrifying amount of spiritual energy. The stakes are so very high. If I make a mistake, I may fail Koku much more harshly than I perhaps failed Tenichi - but if I succeed, will he manage that level of pressure and remain the person I know him to be? He is still young and naive - is he really ready to unleash a level of power capable of rocking even the Heavens? And more, if I let Koku know those stories, will he feel forced into choosing a destiny before he's ready to do it for himself?_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Ten Blades...again.**_ _  
_So I'm a little obsessed with this theme, you might say? It's all the fault of the Espada and the fact their name kanji means Ten Blades! Obviously I touched on the idea with Keitarou's arsenal in Sukuse, that he had ten individuals who were like his proto-Espada. Now I am going even more fundamental, and the link to HM is an important one, too.

Obviously, in current canon, there are forms of what I have hypothesised to be reincarnated blades. We already know about Kyouka Suigetsu (Aizen Sousuke) and Koku's level of spirit power is somewhat modelled on giving a precedent for the level Sousuke himself masters and the reasons for his exceptional level of ability. It's best to assume that Sousuke is Kohaku's reincarnation.

There's also Yamajii, whose Phoenix is ever-present. And there's Hitsugaya, who, in my opinion, also holds one such sword. I'm sure I read something about it somewhere, actually, that first inspired me to think about this idea of reincarnated swords. Hitsu's previous sword incarnation is in this story. Look out for it, it won't be hard to spot!

There is another, as well - at least one other - in current canon who to me is clearly also the wielder of one of these swords. I wonder if people will be able to figure that out as the story goes on...there's cookies for anyone who does.

Also Meidoushi: No clues about this in detail yet, but the kanji for this sword is: 冥導師 _\- for any who is interested!_


	6. Freedom

**Chapter Five: Freedom**

The weather in District Seven was fine and calm when Hirata arrived at the Endou family main manor, disembarking from his carriage and giving curt and brisk orders to the servants who scuttled after him, each one eager to be the first to welcome their lord back onto home ground. The sky was a pale blue, with wisps of clouds dotting the horizon, but there was no breeze, and Hirata rested his hand lightly against the hilt of his sleeping sword, a sense of irony in his heart as he contemplated this.

The Wind Hawk had not needed to fly free for some time; not since the day he had cut down the Hollowfied form of Anabomi Seizuku in the courtyard of the Ninth Division five years ago. Since then, Seireitei had been at peace, and, whilst his internal paranoia about his family's future still lurked at the edges of his consciousness, it was nice to just stand for a moment, enjoying the air without the bitter whip of his spirit power swirling in anger around his body.

Peace was hard won and rare among the Endou's people, and, therefore, all the more to be cherished.

But, with Tenichi's parole looming, and the duties of his Division still uppermost in his mind, Hirata knew he did not have time to linger and enjoy the view. On the contrary, he knew that the Clan Council would be convened within the hour, eager to discuss with him whatever trivial matters had arisen since the last time he had been home. He did not like Seventh District, and nor did he like most of the other Endou, save for his immediate family, but, while he felt most at home in Seireitei, wielding his blade in Soul Society's name, he also knew the danger of absolving himself of his responsibilities here. Peace may have spread across Soul Society like a virus with the death of Aizen Keitarou, but Hirata knew all about unattended loose ends, and the ever-present threat of Keitarou's oldest son, Katsura, could not be easily forgotten.

He gazed up at the sun through the lenses of his glasses, gauging its position in the sky. There was time for him to pay a brief visit to his kin, he decided, for, although the message of his coming would quickly spread around the estate, it would take a little while for all the representatives of his administrative body to get themselves settled in the chamber. Making a dramatic - and often late - entrance was the province of the Endou Clan Leader, allowing him to maintain his grip of control over all of them by making them wait at his pleasure, and, with that in mind, he turned away from the central hall, heading instead towards the wing of the building in which his wife and youngest daughter had their apartments.

Since the death of his son, Souja, Hirata's relationship with his wife Ai had been changed beyond repair, for, although it had never been a love match, the match of respect between equals had been shattered by grief and fear. Ai had suffered a full breakdown on hearing of her son's violent death, and, as a consequence, Hirata knew that, even now, five years on, she was prone to fits of panic about his safety in Inner Seireitei's shinigami compound. She often kept to her rooms, but today, when he reached the _hime_ 's quarters, there was no sign of her. Instead, as he pushed back the screen door, he saw the petite form of his younger daughter Sayuri, now just turned thirteen. She was huddled industriously over a large piece of cream silk, a brush in her hand, and, from the crease of concentration on her brow, Hirata knew that she was fully absorbed in her pastime - so much so that she had not noticed his arrival.

He shut the door quietly behind him, but, at this sound, Sayuri glanced up from her silk painting, a mixture of surprise and joy flooding her young features.

"Otousama! I didn't know you were coming back today!"

"I didn't know for sure myself, but I had some business, so here I am," Hirata crossed the floor towards her, a smile touching his lips at the genuine warmth of her greeting. "Hello, Sayuri-chan. You look well. You're alone? Your mother isn't here?"

"Mother?" The teenager's expression became thoughtful. "I think she's at Oniisama's memorial, Tousama. I saw her at breakfast, but she said she had business and rode out soon after. She took people with her, so I think she went to pay respects to Souja-nii. I have been alone all morning, so I don't believe she's yet returned."

"To Souja, huh," The door of the chamber slid back to reveal a servant, who bowed towards Hirata, reaching out to take the Clan Leader's cloak, and Hirata removed the rich burgundy fabric from his shoulders, handing it to the waiting individual with a grateful smile. The servant bowed his head, silently withdrawing from the chamber once more and, left alone with his younger daughter, Hirata let out a heavy sigh. Unlike Kikyue and their dead brother, Souja,

Sayuri had never been interested in learning the arts of war, and, for this reason, Hirata had not been able to spend as much time with her as he had with her elder two siblings. For one so young, she was both respectful and polite, her delicate countenance giving every sign that, one day, she would be a _hime_ of great refinement and beauty. She was growing so quickly, he reflected, feeling guilty at the amount of time he was away from the Endou manor but, although peace-time had meant less demand for him to be in uniform, juggling the headship of the Endou and his Captain duties had left little time for relaxing with his family. Souja's death had exacerbated the problem and so, as Hirata regarded his youngest child now, he was struck by how much more adult she appeared, her dark hair knotted back from her face with a gentle decoration of pink flowers, and her robes that of a true Clan _hime_ who had come of age, rather than a juvenile. Her skills with the paintbrush were also developing, he decided, for the Endou crest that marked the core branch of the family was taking intricate form in brown and red across the cream cloth, every little detail perfectly in scale. She was every part the proper noble daughter, skilled in poetry, music and art, and Hirata marvelled for a moment at how he had managed to produce two such completely different daughters, for he could not imagine Kikyue with any instrument but a _zanpakutou_.

"You are getting very accomplished at that, you know," he observed out loud now, gazing at the painting, and Sayuri's cheeks pinkened with surprise and pleasure at this rare compliment.

"Do you think so?" she asked eagerly. "I've been trying hard to get the form right, but it is so difficult when the cloth is so uncooperative."

"I'm no expert on the art, but it looks fine to me," Hirata settled himself down in the seat opposite. "Sayuri, tell me, your mother goes to Souja's shrine often still?"

"Mm," Sayuri's pretty features became clouded at the mention of her brother once more, but she nodded her head. "It gives her comfort, she says. It makes her feel as though he is still there. I have tried to tell her that Niisama would not want her to keep like this, not now, but she finds strength in going there, and...well..."

"It gets her from the manor, and so for that we should be grateful," Hirata sighed heavily. "Your brother's loss is still a gaping hole in this Clan, and I admit, it's unlikely any of us will fill it quickly. But I am glad to see that you have come to terms with it, at least."

"I promised Niisama, when we sent him to ashes, that I would be good and not make anyone worry," Sayuri's expression was composed, but Hirata could hear the faint catch in her voice that gave away the fact that, despite her ladylike appearance, she was still little more than a child. "I miss him too, Otousama - and I worry for you and for Kikyue-neesama when you are away. But Grandfather has made it clear to me that, in your absence, I have to find the strength to support Mother and be a lady to the Clan. I am trying...although sometimes it is very hard."

She sighed, setting aside her brush.

"For now, I am done with this," she decided. "People have spoken to Grandfather about my marriage, in my case. When I heard that, I realised that I must think forwards, not back."

"Marriage?" Hirata asked sharply, and Sayuri nodded, shrugging her shoulders.

"Souja-nii is gone, and Kikyue-neesama is unlikely to choose to be a bride for the Clan, so I must," she said matter-of-factly, and Hirata frowned, shaking his head.

"You remind me of your aunt, speaking like that," he said guiltily. "Being trapped into this Clan's rituals, and forced into marriage preparations too soon...changed my sister. It drove her away from me and away from all of us. I won't have you shoulder all our burdens so young, Sayuri. Don't worry about that. I'm sure Otousama feels the same about it, too. You are becoming a lady, and you are my daughter. You are intelligent and becoming very pretty - but you are too young to be pushed into the politics of this family, and I won't let you be exploited."

"Papa," Sayuri's expression lightened, and, at the affectionate childhood nickname, Hirata managed a smile.

"You have time yet to enjoy your painting and your music," he promised. "And when the time comes, Sayuri-chan, you will be involved in the discussions. I won't force you to marry against your will, so don't fear. The Endou's future may be uncertain, with your brother gone, but I won't make you or Kikyue take that burden. It's my burden - the future is what it is, and it is for me to resolve."

"I'm glad," Sayuri let out a gusty sigh, examining the delicate fabric of her thin gloves for any splashes of paint. "I mean, I know I'm an Endou _hime_ , and I know there are lots of things I need to think of, but I don't want to get married yet. Besides, Mother needs me. She only has me, most of the time, and I can't abandon her."

"Mm," Hirata pressed his lips together. "I know, and I'm sorry for that, too. Your mother and I...we spend less time together since Souja died, for one reason or another. She has gone far away from me, I think, in some ways."

"Grandfather says that it's the curse of the Endou, and we have to learn to live with it," Sayuri said seriously. "I don't entirely know what he means, Papa, but he was very solemn when he said it, so I know he meant what he said."

"Your grandfather has seen more of the ills of this Clan than any of us," Hirata agreed gravely. "You shouldn't worry about those things, though, Sayuri. I am Head of the family, and while I am, I will do what I can to ensure that curse stays dead and buried. I will see you and Kikyue happy, in whatever sense that means, and I will ensure the future for both of you is bright. When Souja died, I promised myself that at least - even if the Endou does not endure beyond me, you and your sister will not suffer for it."

"I would not say so to Grandfather," Sayuri sighed, and Hirata saw a glitter of maturity surface in the girl's pale blue eyes, "but when he told me of the curse, I thought, perhaps, if the Endou Clan was so bad, maybe it shouldn't be there. Maybe, if there was a curse, and because of the curse, Aunt Eiraki turned against you and Souja-niisama died, then perhaps there shouldn't be an Endou Clan any more."

Hirata was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled ruefully.

"We have the same thoughts, but settling the Clan Council to such an idea would be impossible," he said at length. "I would keep those thoughts to yourself for now, my girl. It's a relief to me to know that you're growing up with every bit as much intelligence and shrewdness as your brother had - and he, too, disliked the Clan and the bloodsoaked nature of its past. Who knows? Perhaps it is right for this world that the family end with me - but if so, it must be settled properly. For that reason, I intend to be here, leading you all, until such times as I am no longer able."

"I hope you're here forever," Sayuri got to her feet, flinging her arms around her father and hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you came home today, Papa. Please stay a while."

"I can't stay as long as I'd like, and I have to speak to the Clan before I return," Hirata rested a hand on Sayuri's head, gazing down at her guiltily. "I'm sorry, Sayuri. A Shinigami's life is never quiet, but I will do my best to come visit you all more often, if it is in my power to do so."

"That is reassuring to hear, at the very least,"

A voice from the doorway interrupted the conversation, and both father and daughter turned to see Misashi, Hirata's father and frequent deputy in the running of the Endou Clan. Although Misashi's claim to the Clan was as strong as Hirata's own, he had ceded leadership to his son as soon as had been appropriate for, as he had said, Hirata's Wind Hawk was a necessary element in keeping the unruly warrior family to heel. Even so, he was Hirata's strongest and most diligent ally within the Endou court, and, at the sight of him, Hirata cast him a pensive smile.

"Otousama. I'm guessing you've come to spirit me away to the Clan Council?"

"I heard you'd arrived back here," Misashi agreed apologetically. "Kibana reported that you'd come here to see Sayuri, and I know that you have seldom little opportunity to do that, so I'm sorry to intrude - but..."

"Duty calls, and it calls inconveniently," Hirata groaned. "All right. Sayuri," he held his daughter at arm's length, meeting her plaintive gaze with one of his own. "I'm sorry. I have to go. I promise to try and see you again before I leave, but there are things in Seireitei I must attend to urgently, so there may not be time. I'm sorry. Next time, I promise, I'll try to stay longer."

"I understand," Sayuri sighed, but nodded her head. "It was nice to see you, Papa. I'll tell Okaasama that you came and asked after her. She'll be sad she missed seeing you."

She stretched up on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, then, very carefully, disentangled herself from his hold, turning back reluctantly towards her painting. Thus dismissed, Hirata cast his father a glance, and Misashi smiled at him ruefully.

"I'll walk with you," was all he said, however, gesturing towards the door, and, with a little twinge of regret, Hirata nodded, following his companion out of the chamber and down the hallway towards the door that led towards the central hall and the main Endou meeting room.

Once outside, though, Hirata paused, casting Misashi a quizzical look.

"You came to find me yourself," he observed. "You wouldn't do that, unless you had something to discuss with me, in private, before the council meets."

"You are as sharp as ever," Misashi acknowledged his son's observation, running his hand through his silver-streaked mane of dark hair. "I do, although you shouldn't look at me with such consternation. Nothing has happened, and I have no negative things to report. I just wanted to warn you...that the subject of Sayuri's future has come up a few times in discussions within the Clan."

"Yes, Sayuri said as much herself," Hirata frowned, glancing back towards the hime's quarters. "I don't like it, Otousama. Eiraki was forced to grow up too soon, and I won't have the same for Sayuri."

"If Kikyue was inclined to marriage, I think the family would rest a little easier," Misashi admitted. "I know," as Hirata arched an eyebrow, "she's every bit your daughter and a shinigami to the core, but the fact remains that the Endou's future is still in doubt. I think, if your daughters were to marry, Hirata, the Clan might be persuaded to consider the family being inherited by a son of theirs. They may not be ready to accept a daughter in her own right, but, possibly, a female regent. Sayuri is too young yet to marry, I agree, but a betrothal within the Clan would create a good amount of security, and..."

"No," Hirata cut across his father's words, the emphatic tone causing Misashi's eyebrows to raise. "I won't have it. I understand about the Clan, but Sayuri is a child and I have promised her she won't have to consider such things yet. When she does, I want to involve her. She has the right to choose and I will let her choose. The family will have to wait until she reaches adulthood."

"Hirata..." Misashi's expression became thoughtful, and Hirata shrugged his shoulders.

"Kikyue is of age, but she is not being talked of in this way," he reminded his companion. "It isn't fair to expect a thirteen year old to bear burdens that a twenty six year old does not."

"I think there are very few within the Endou brave enough to ask Kikyue's hand in marriage...not least because they fear their own hands being cut off at the suggestion," there was a note of irony in Misashi's voice, and despite himself, Hirata smiled wryly. "She reminds me, in many ways, of my own mother - but it takes someone of my father's will to lure such a _hime_ to marry, and even if they did, well, a man like my father is ill suited to this Clan's more peaceful future. No, Hirata, it will probably be Sayuri, not Kikyue, who takes the Clan forward. I can't see another solution."

"In that case, we will just have to maintain this Clan in peace for the years until Sayuri reaches adulthood and can be involved in her own marriage negotiations," Hirata said firmly. "I won't have her caged like Eiraki, Otousama. I feel strongly about this. You won't change my mind."

"All right," Misashi looked resigned. "I thought you might feel that way, and I won't disagree. If Kikyue agrees to marry someone in the meantime, then the matter might be settled, but since I don't see that happening, I wanted to brief you for the possibility of people presenting suits this afternoon. And, if you refuse them, Hirata, you need to think of a way to answer their other concerns. People are loyal to you, but they are still uneasy. Five years is a long time...but it's also no time at all, not in the mind of a rebel. And..."

"Yes," Hirata's expression darkened at this. "So long as I have no heir, and Keitarou's son Katsura is still at large, there is risk. While I don't believe the Endou would accept him, given his position as a traitor, it doesn't mean he can't launch an attack of some kind. He's been there and done it before. Don't worry, Father. I had not forgotten, and, although we haven't found him yet, it's not that I've given up on finding him."

"He's as good as his father at evading searches," Misashi grimaced. "Hirata, I know you realise the gravity of this, without my stating it out loud. The Kohaku boy - the one Juushirou-dono has taken under his wing, has been accepted by the wider Endou as an illegitimate, and he has shown no sign of being hostile. On the contrary, the Endou have no interest in him at all - he is peaceful, and not interested in the blood sport they seem to think so important to their future leader. Katsura, though...even as a renegade...is different. Kohaku is not an Endou in nature, but Hirata..."

"I know," Hirata agreed grimly. "Katsura is. And, because of that fact, I still want to find him. To protect the future of my children, and the stability of this District, I know what needs to be done. I have to find him, and kill him, before he can wreak the kind of damage on this Clan that his father did."

* * *

So this was freedom.

Tenichi opened his eyes, gazing dully up at the blank panel ceiling of the Fourth Division recovery room with a rueful sigh. As Kai had promised, he had been met at the prison by Nakata Yuichi, his friend and former bunkmate in the time before he had sullied his reputation and become a wanted felon. At the sight of him, Tenichi had been apprehensive. Nakata was no-nonsense, blunt and forthright, with a ruthless edge that exhibited his Endou blood, but although he had greeted his old colleague with a stern whack around the head, he had then grasped the younger man warmly by the hand, shaking it roughly, and Tenichi knew that it was going to be all right.

Seventh Division had forgiven him, even if he hadn't forgiven himself.

Nakata had dragged him from the prison directly to Fourth Division's compound without bothering to stop at base, telling him that it was the Captain's orders he be formally decuffed before trying to report for service. His _zanpakutou_ , he found, had been unsealed and released into Hirata's custody, and that news had made him nervous all over again, for he was certain his sword would have a lecture for him on their long separation, even if his Division comrades did not.

What had happened next was something of a blur. The removal of spirit cuffs was never a pleasant procedure, but Tenichi had known that after five years together of wearing them, the effect on his body if they were to be removed without proper supervision would probably be fatal. As it was, even though he had been shrouded by Kidou barriers and the most expert medical care Seireitei could provide in Unohana Retsu, the experience had robbed him of his senses, and by the time he had come to, he had been lying here, in this plain pallet bed, his body leaden and reluctant to follow his commands.

Still, he was alive, and that was something. And, more importantly, after five years of penal obligation, he was free.  
 **  
**"How are you feeling?"

A voice from the doorway made him slide his gaze across in the direction of the speaker, moving his head reluctantly to make out the healer who was now crossing the room towards him. She was of an average height, making her substantial frame seem stocky and broad, though she moved with a deftness that told of many years hard training. Long, wavy hair of rose-petal hue cascaded in a tail over her shoulders and down her back, and her aqua-green eyes glittered with industrious concern, making them seem darker than their usual colour. She was not really pretty, yet there was a kindness and warmth in her aura and her features which somehow gave her a beauty beyond the physical. She wore _shihakushou_ , but at her waist she bore no _zanpakutou_ , her wide _obi_ instead the home of various sachets of herbs and other medicines. As she reached across to touch his brow, she offered him a smile. Recognition flashed into his tired eyes, and his pale lips twitched into a faint echo of her own. Although they had not spoken in five years, there was something comforting in seeing such a familiar - and obviously friendly -face.

"I imagine you're still pretty drained, but it's all fine. The cuffs came off all right, and you've been resting since. You've slept the clock round, but given your current position I think that it's better you stay here for a full twenty-four hours more before trying to do anything too extreme, Tenichi-kun. I realise you probably don't relish being shut away inside another room after everything that's happened, but believe me, you'll feel much worse if you try to leave the kidou barrier just yet."

"I don't really want to go anywhere," Tenichi said honestly, as the healer's strong and capable hands carefully shifted his heavy body into a more upright position. "I feel like something whacked me with a Senkaimon - and I'm quite happy to stay where I am until I find all the bits of my anatomy and put them back in place."

"You haven't lost your sense of humour, then," the healer looked relieved, offering him another smile. "Kirio will be happy, when she hears that. She's been worrying about you a lot this week, Tenichi-kun. Especially whether or not you'd be cleared for release. She came here yesterday, to ask after you, when you were sleeping. She knew she wouldn't be allowed to visit, but she's still thinking about you, and she wanted you to know that, when you woke up."

"Kirio, huh," Tenichi pursed his lips, and the girl nodded.

"Taichou has banned you from all visitors, so that's as far as she could get," she agreed. "You're meant to be kept as quiet as possible - I'm all right being here, because my aura is neutral and isn't going to conflict with yours - but Kirio's could prove volatile, so she's been kept away. She's not happy about it, especially since she knows you can't visit Thirteenth any time soon, but rules are rules, and Retsu-sama was very firm about it."

"It's all right. I'll speak to her, when I'm feeling more human," Tenichi cast his companion a grin. "Are you looking after me then, Shikiki? I guess you drew the short straw...last time I had spirit cuffs taken off, I threw up all over the poor healer who came to do it."

"You pretty much dropped like a stone this time, so it was a lot less messy," Shikiki told him calmly. "Besides, I'm not fazed by something that rudimentary, so give me some credit for that at least. I'm here to keep monitoring your temperature, since it spiked right after the cuffs came off - but it's stabilised nicely, and you should start feeling things coming back into sequence as the afternoon goes on. You're doing pretty well, so far. No problems. It's taken a little longer than we first thought, but I think you'll be back at Seventh by this time tomorrow, with any luck."

"Back at Seventh," Tenichi's expression became clouded, and Shikiki eyed him keenly.

"Nervous?" she asked softly, and Tenichi pulled a face.

"Wouldn't you be?" he returned helplessly. "I let my Captain down in every way possible. I have no idea why he'd want to forgive me, much less take me back - but whatever his reasons, I have to find a way to repay him and prove it isn't a mistake."

"And is it?" Shikiki sat down on the end of the bed. "I'm sure Endou-taichou knows what he's doing. And you're too good a shinigami to be wasted. Especially on Kei-nii...I mean, Keitarou's account."

"You still call him Kei-nii."

"Not often, these days. Only when I forget," Shikiki looked guilty, running fingers through her wavy tail of hair and twisting a stray lock idly around her finger. "He stopped being Kei-nii to me the night he almost let Juu-nii die, and so it's more habit than anything else. Besides, I promised Retsu-sama not to let you dwell on the past, either, so I shouldn't be mentioning him at all. You're here again now and it's a new start, that's what she said. Put it behind you and move on. I'm sorry, Tenichi-kun. I didn't think."

"It's fine," Tenichi assured her. "Honestly, I'd rather it wasn't the elephant in the room. I did something stupid, I went to prison, I served my time and I learned my lesson. Whatever kind of shinigami I'm about to become, I just have to try and make the last five years a positive somehow - a strength, rather than a dirty secret. It's the truth and it won't change whether you mention it or not. I'm a convicted felon and I tried to kill an unarmed woman. Whatever my reasons, it's still the truth and I'm not trying to sugar-coat it."

"It sounds as though it isn't just your spirit power you're recovering, then," Shikiki reflected. "I know that Kirio was worried about how you were, after everything happened. Ketsui-kun, too. They thought Kei..tarou had broken you, and I admit, I think I did too. You don't sound that way now, though. I have no idea what you've dealt with in the Shihouin prison camp, but if it's centred you, maybe it was a good thing."

"I don't know about that, but I'm going to make sure it isn't time wasted," Tenichi responded. "You can tell Kirio when you see her that I'm all right, Shikiki. And especially, that she's not to fuss me. I'll see her, and we'll be friends as ever we were - but I'm not a victim or a pity case. I'm an ex-felon with a lot of work to do, and I can't be fussed. Not if I'm going to stay focused...it's my resolve to work hard and I'll keep to it."

"Well, for now, sit back and drink this," Shikiki advised, leaning over to pick up the vessel of water from the side unit, and holding it to her companion's lips. "For today, you're at our mercy. Tomorrow, you can start that hard work, if you like - but there's no sense clashing with Retsu-sama on your first day of probation."

Tenichi obediently drank the liquid, tasting the slightly bitter flavour of herbs mixed in with the clear water, and as Shikiki set the mug back down, he cast her a questioning look.

"Are you drugging me?"

"Not really," Shikiki's aqua blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "It's just to help stabilise your reiatsu. It's still all over the place, and like I said, we want to be sending you back to Seventh tomorrow, if we can. Can't have you malingering here when a squad is waiting."

"Hrm. I guess that makes sense," Tenichi sank back against the supporting pillows with a sigh. "Sorry. I guess I've developed a sensitivity for people putting things in my drink."

"Prison wardens?" Shikiki looked surprised, and Tenichi snorted.

"Don't be silly. Do you think Kai-dono would stand for that?" he demanded. "No. Other prisoners. They don't like shinigami in prison, Shikiki - they don't like anyone with spirit power, and they're out for your blood every second of the day. That includes mealtimes - they're one of the worst times, because everyone's together. And when you work in fields and warehouses much of the day, you have the opportunity to pick all kinds of things. Fungi. Bitter herbs. You name it. So I guess I got to recognise things, as a matter of self-protection."

"I see," Shikiki's eyes became thoughtful. "Well, I hope you're not going to start suspecting everyone who gives you a drink of trying to poison you from now on, but hey, who knows? Maybe that'll prove to be a skill in its own right, now you're back here. It's not like shinigami are beloved all over Seireitei, either - although things are a lot more settled right now than they've been before - and it makes sense to be on your guard, even in peacetime. No...maybe especially in peacetime."

"Something going on that I should know about?" Tenichi looked startled, and Shikiki shrugged.

"Not that I can tell you about," she admitted. "I just remember someone saying, once, that peacetime in Seireitei was really only preparation for the next war. And I've seen enough of people killing each other in my life to know there's a certain amount of truth in that."

"I suppose you have. Me too, in a way," Tenichi agreed grimly. "We have that childhood in common, Shikiki - even if time and events drove us apart."

"Well, we're still friends. I decided that avoiding the issues - avoiding the Keitarou issue - wasn't very productive for either of us, especially when we played together as children," Shikiki said philosophically. "We've both always stayed friends with Kirio...but in some ways, we all three of us understand a past that a lot of other people here don't. Sometimes I think it's as well to remember that past...even in peacetime."

"Even if that past relates to the District of my current Captain, to whom I owe everything right now?" Tenichi asked softly, and Shikiki shrugged.

"I imagine Endou-taichou is the most aware of everyone of the evils this world holds," she said sensibly. "Keitarou is dead, but it doesn't mean there are no dangers...and in a way, Endou-taichou saw that first hand in the same way all of us did when we were small. He probably understands best of all - which may well be why he's taking you back so easily."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, Shikiki, although I wonder at the free way in which you discuss my District's politics with a member of mine so recently released from prison."

At the sound of Hirata's voice, Shikiki jumped, a mixture of guilt and surprise in her aqua eyes, and Tenichi felt a sense of deep unease and foreboding swell up inside his heart as his Captain swept into the room. He was not wearing his squad _haori_ , his _shihakushou_ shrouded instead in the dark red of an Endou clan cloak, fastened with a glistening insignia at the throat. His dark hair, normally tied back in a loose tail with warrior ties was held back by an ornate silver clasp. He paused a metre or two from the bedside, gazing down with unreadable pale eyes on his subordinate officer, and Tenichi realised that he had probably just returned from a meeting of his Clan's council, over the border in the Endou District. As head of the Endou Clan as well as Captain of the Seventh Division, Hirata's life was a busy one, yet somewhere in that full schedule he had seen the need to stop by the Fourth Division in person to check on Tenichi's progress, and as he contemplated the reasons this might be, Tenichi felt his uncertainty grow.

"I'm sorry, Endou-taichou. I didn't know you were here," Shikiki scrambled to her feet, bowing her head apologetically towards the newcomer. "I was assigned to keep an eye on Tenichi's condition, to make sure it stayed stable, and I didn't realise he was allowed to have visitors."

"Retsu-sama has given me permission to speak with my Eighth Seat. Alone, if possible," Hirata cast Shikiki a pensive glance. "I am very good at keeping my reiatsu controlled, as proven by the fact you didn't detect my arrival. I don't think I'll cause him any damage - but if you want to wait outside, I'll make my business as brief as I can. I have much to do and I know, so do you."

"Yes, sir," Shikiki inclined her head again, casting Tenichi a glance before obediently withdrawing from the small chamber, drawing the door shut behind her with a soft click.

There was a moment of silence, then Tenichi found the courage to speak.

"Eight...Eighth seat, Taichou?"

The words came out more of a hoarse squeak than he would have liked, and at the sound of them, Hirata eyed him carefully, absorbing every detail with his hawklike gaze. Hirata's eyesight was poor, but there was nothing that his spiritual senses couldn't pick up, and Tenichi began to wish he had not dared to break the quiet.

"That is your rank, is it not, Kotetsu Tenichi?"

At length, Hirata's question came, and Tenichi swallowed hard.

"It...it was, sir. I mean, before."

"And I don't recall giving you notice of any changes of rank - do you?"

"Well, no, sir, but I thought..."

Tenichi trailed off, and Hirata's expression darkened.

"I have decided not to demote you from your old rank. Retsu-sama says your unsealing has taken a little longer, but she is confident that you will soon be on your feet and I have plans for you when you return tomorrow afternoon," he said softly. "I have consulted with my Vice Captain and my Third Seat, and they both agree with my reasoning. Now I am coming to you - as I want you to be prepared for what lies ahead of you, just as much as they."

"You're not...?" Tenichi stared, robbed momentarily of speech, and Hirata nodded.

"I need your skills," he said frankly, leaning up against the wall opposite the bed and folding his arms across his chest in a very un-Captain like pose. "It's a gamble, and I realise it - but I talked it over with Kai as well, and I think he has your measure best. He told me that you've developed a spine in the time you spent with him - his words, not mine, but they seem adequate enough. Your arms are bruised and your body has scars. I've seen your disciplinary record, and I know you've been in fights. But you've survived those fights and come out the other side - which means that I am quite sure your skills will not have dulled any when I return Reihahen to your care."

"I haven't held a _zanpakutou_ in five years, sir. The last time I did, I threatened the life of your trusted agent, and betrayed my former Division by acting in an unacceptable way," Tenichi's expression became one of consternation at this. "I went to prison to be punished for that deed. I expected at the least that, my returning to you would mean demotion. Maybe even complete stripping of rank. I don't understand why...why anyone would accept...with my track record...I...I don't understand."

"Whether the other members of Seventh accept you or not is down to you, not to me," was Hirata's unsympathetic reply. "Just as it was the first time you came to me, you will have to prove your right to hold that rank. I expect that of everyone - as I think you know. But...with an officer of your skill, I can't possibly demote you to recruit level. It just isn't sensible. That would be a much greater risk."

"Sir?" Tenichi stared at him, and a humourless smile touched Hirata's expression.

"I don't think it to be a good idea that I give you too much time to think," he admitted. "You have already trained heavily and obtained shikai. You know a good range of Kidou spells, and your Hohou is adequate for one of higher rank that you have yet achieved. You need a role where you can be kept fully occupied and busy with my orders - not one where you are simply being kept down for the sake of showing Seireitei you are being punished. Prison was your punishment - I expect a shinigami I can use now that that is over."

"I see," Tenichi thought this over carefully in his head. "You aren't sure, yet, whether you can trust me to have time to myself?"

"Should I?" the question was cutting. "I'm not Juushirou, Tenichi, and I won't mollycoddle you. Seventh isn't that kind of environment - you come back to me to work hard, and the harder I work you, the better the results. Kai told me that he found that too - the more he wore you out during the day, the fewer fights you got embroiled in when in prison."

His eyes became slits, and Tenichi was almost sure he could sense a wave of cold air that suddenly whipped through the chamber.

"I know you tried to kill a guard in your first few months," Hirata added. "It tells me that even if you have - as Kai put it - grown a spine, you haven't outgrown the urge to kill. That can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you work with it. I can work with it, and so can you - but it requires a level of discipline. For that reason, you will resume your old rank and duties - except for the supervision of recruits, until I know you aren't likely to lash out at them in a rage - and serve in Kikyue's patrol as you did before. She and Ohara have been told to monitor you and to make sure that you learn to use the instincts you've awoken in a productive manner for the Seventh. Unlike other Divisions, we understand the impulse to kill. Just because you don't have Endou blood doesn't mean that you don't have to learn to control it - or it will come to control you, and that will be the end of your career as a shinigami in Seireitei."

"It will mean Keitarou won. That's what you mean, sir, isn't it?" Tenichi asked quietly. "He woke those instincts in me, and I don't know yet how to deal with them. They still...worry me. I never felt that way before, but now it's there, and I know it hasn't gone away. I didn't try to kill the guard, sir, but I did attack him, and I suppose, if I hadn't been stopped, I might've gone further than I should have. I fought other prisoners, and I hurt some of them badly - though it was always in self-defence, I can't deny that sometimes I was angry enough to snap their necks. I haven't killed anyone, not yet - but I worry that I might do - if I don't learn how to get this under control."

Hirata was silent for a moment, then he sighed heavily.

"I'm glad you understand it, and can talk about it that openly with me," he admitted. "I didn't speak to you when you were arrested. I left it all to Juushirou and Kai, and then the courts to decide. I did that on purpose. I had decided in my own mind that, so long as you weren't a part of my son's murder, I would rehabilitate you. But I needed to know what was left of you once the dust settled. I think you understand better than perhaps others realise how much the encounter with Keitarou changed you and your outlook on things. You tried to commit murder then, and you have tried since. You will probably try again. And I shall not necessarily stop you - depending on the situation, I might encourage you. Seventh Division is different from Thirteenth - now, I suppose, you wholeheartedly belong to me, rather than being any part Juushirou's."

"Yes, sir," Tenichi agreed heavily. "I can't dispute it, because I know you're right."

"Well, I don't mind that it's the case. Like I said, I can deal with it," Hirata said philosophically. "I'd sooner you didn't kill outside my orders, but otherwise, I think you should resign yourself to the kind of shinigami you are likely to become. Not one who will kill without discrimination, but one who is capable of doing what must be done when it must be. I'm impressing this on you now, because this peace makes me uneasy. I feel that another war is coming. In the last one, Seventh came off very badly. I won't have it that way again."

"A...war, sir?" Tenichi looked alarmed, and Hirata nodded.

"But Shikiki said all was peaceful."

"Yes, and we all risk becoming complacent because of it," Hirata admitted. "Lately, there have been a number of spiritual anomalies in both the Real World and here in Soul Society. I don't like that they're there. Keitarou might be dead, but there's still one loose end unaccounted for - and that loose end worries me more than anything at present."

"A loose end," Tenichi's expression became thoughtful. "I see. You think Keitarou's children might be about to cause trouble? Because surely I thought that Kohaku..."

"I'm not worried about Kohaku, not at present," Hirata shook his head, "but his brother, yes - I worry about him. He may have disappeared, but that was a tactic of his father's too, and ignoring his existence was always costly."

He gestured to his cloak.

"As you can probably guess, I've returned from Seventh District just now," he added. "My family have also reiterated their concern that Katsura remains at large five years after his escape from the Seventh compound. I have a duty to answer that concern as well, as I'm sure you understand. Well, based on your discussion with Shikiki, I suspect you understand very well indeed how Seventh District is not a place that benefits from high levels of tension."

"No sir," Tenichi agreed gravely. "I can certainly agree that it does not."

"Well, I would sooner prevent a bigger incident by clamping down on things before they begin, even if they are minor," Hirata sighed. "There are some anomalies in the Rukon and it is our rotation there, and so I want to know whether Katsura has anything to do with this. He is capable of crossing between Seireitei and Rukongai without using the normal methods, so it can't be ruled out that he might be up to something in this compromised space and I will have to investigate it more closely. Perhaps I'm being overly cautious, but I've learned the hard way that such things are always omens of bigger issues. You told the court you did everything to protect your brother - but we both know you don't need to, because he's capable of protecting himself. Now you need to apply your killer instinct to protect Seireitei, at whatever cost - and I need you to be ready and willing to embrace that concept when you return to barracks tomorrow afternoon. Are you clear on that, Tenichi? Whatever is coming, I don't think it's the kind of fight that allows for merciful negotiations..and it would make me a lot happier if I knew that the only one of Keitarou's children still inhabiting this spiritual plane was Kohaku under Juushirou's guidance and command."

"It doesn't really matter if I am or if I'm not, sir," Tenichi said honestly. "I owe you too much to even stop and think about it. I am your officer, you can do with me as you see fit. If that means coming back, being Eighth seat, training to kill under your orders...I will. I want to be here, in Seireitei, like I always did - but I'm not the same person that joined Thirteenth, and maybe...accepting that makes it a bit easier to look to the future and try and work out where I fit in."

He smiled bleakly.

"My brother can take care of himself...and there is still a gulf between us that I can't breach," he added. "I hurt someone dear to him, and I hurt him, too. We spoke, but it wasn't the same. I know I cant go to Thirteenth, sir, but I don't want to. Right now, I don't want those memories or to think of what I lost. If Ketsui can accept me as I am now, then we'll still be brothers - but I don't know if he can, and I don't think I'm really ready to find out."

"Your brother is currently in the Real World, anyway. Thirteenth are coming up for their rotation, and he was part of the advance scout party." Hirata said simply. "You needn't worry about seeing him imminently. He's not here and won't be for a day or two at least. Besides, I want your focus on Seventh. I'm glad you feel the same way."

He made to leave, then he paused, turning to face Tenichi once more.

"One more thing. About your father."

"Otousama?" Tenichi started, looking alarmed, and Hirata sighed heavily.

"I know the circumstances of his death, now...in more detail than I did before, when I brought you into my Division," he murmured. "I went and spoke to Father, and we located the prison records for the time he was held captive in Endou dungeons. I knew he had died at the hands of my Grandfather, but I didn't know how much he had been tortured before that event. Given that, I wouldn't have blamed you for hating both me and my family - nor for wanting to fight against us. Not even, I admit, if you had been complicit in my son's death. That was why I had to know everything about your motives...before I knew if I could take you back. It was the biggest reason I kept out of it all for so long - I had to know whether your feelings for Daisuke had clouded your loyalty to my squad."

Tenichi's expression became sad, and he shook his head gingerly, being careful not to antagonise his aching body.

"Father died in defence of a man I can't forgive," he said evenly. "I knew he had died in Endou custody before I agreed to come to Seventh, but I came anyway. It had no bearing on anything, except that I hoped I might find out where he was buried - if he had been. I wanted to know what happened to him properly - because I remember him, much more than Ketsui does. I wanted to find him - and Keitarou gave me that information. But I didn't choose to betray you because I wanted revenge for my father. I lost my mind and did stupid things - but I don't blame you or your family for what was done then. I know the difference between that regime and this."

Hirata pressed his lips together pensively, but there was a flicker of what Tenichi thought was relief in the pale, hawkish eyes.

"I'm glad," he owned. "It's my intention to erect a more solid memorial in the place where Keitarou buried your father, so you and your brother can mark his memory. He was a man I never really knew, nor one whose mind I understood - but I do know this. He chose to help people nobody else would help, and for that reason, Izumi and Joumei have their lives today. More, he sent you and your brother to safety, even if he didn't escape himself. He wanted you to be your own people. Maybe he hoped that, by sending you away, he'd give you freedom from the curse of blood that had tied him to fighting against my predecessors. I think, maybe, if not for the influence of Keitarou, he might have been a man to reason with. And, maybe, if not for a man like my Grandfather, I might have had the opportunity to do so. But such is the past. We can only regret the things we can't change, and move on. And more than anything I needed to be sure of your feelings and your loyalties, because I don't want any doubts among the people in my squad. I think that is going to become...very important as time goes on, since it might mean doing things that you don't necessarily like."

"Yes, sir," Tenichi smiled, bowing his head. "Thank you, sir. I don't deserve your kindness or your forgiveness - and I will work hard, I promise. I resolved when I was arrested that my life was forfeit. The court didn't take it, so it belongs to Seventh Division and I will make sure I don't waste it."

"In that case, I'll see you tomorrow. Nakata will probably come meet you, again - but don't expect any light duties from the moment you step through our doors," Hirata's eyes twinkled faintly for a moment. "I shall let your nurse return to her vigil. Make the most of your time, Tenichi - because this time tomorrow, the real work begins."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 _Hi all. Hope you all had a good New Year. Welcome to 2017 :)_

 _I have noticed from the stats that a lot of people are reading Tenka Ransei. That's good :D It's nice to know people still care about Bleach, and especially, about Juu and Shun and company!_

 _I also want to say thank you to the people who have reviewed and who have PMed me, also. I appreciate that more than you know._

 _Everyone else - thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it and I'd really love it if you could stop and leave a comment or a review message if you have the time to do it, because it really makes a huge difference. I know some people are shy, feel awkward, or just are in a rush. All those things are fine. I'm shy. I'm awkward. I'm constantly in a rush these days. You might think your comments aren't important, but they are. They actually do make a difference._

 _Firstly, knowing that there is support here gives me the motivation to keep writing in a very busy real life which at the moment is a mountain of forms, forms, and more forms._

 _Secondly, it gives me help to improve myself as a writer, which is really important to me and the reason I put my stories here. If I don't get feedback, I can't improve._

 _There is one other reason, though, and that's the sense of Meifu community and the precious dialogue that writing those stories became some years back. I miss you guys ;) and I'd love to hear from you._

 _Team Stupid send their thanks and cookies in advance :)_


	7. The Dome

**Chapter Six: The Dome**

"What are we doing here?"

Tsuneyoshi rested a hand against the sandstone wall of the great Dome fortress, sending his companion an accusatory glance. "I thought you said you knew the way back to Seireitei - but all you've done is lead me across the sand to this old fortress. I know this is here - it's the only thing that can be seen for miles in the desert. If that's your way of leading me back, I could've found it on my own."

"Hrm, you do complain a lot,"

Kunimori cast his companion a look of weary resignation. "I had never had that impression from you in the past - actually, you seemed like someone who didn't venture many opinions to anyone, to be truthful. It's very tiresome, listening to you pointing out negatives all the while. You're not the only one stuck in this place, you know. I'd like to leave here too, so of course I'm not going to just waste your time with false promises."

He fumbled his hands against the wall of the Dome, feeling carefully across the stone panels as he did so. "You said you knew the place was here, but what else do you know of it? Seeing it from a distance isn't the same as seeing it from the inside...which we're about to do, if I can just..ah!"

A note of triumph touched his voice as his fingers brushed against the right section of stone. For Tsuneyoshi, who could see no imperfections in the building's outer defence, let alone anything resembling a door, it was something of a shock when the stone juddered and began to lift, revealing a yawning black passageway beyond. Kunimori dusted the stray sand from his fingers, nodding at it approvingly.

"I'm getting quicker at triggering that," he said, more to himself than to his companion.

"How did you..." Despite himself, Tsuneyoshi reached out a tentative hand into the darkness, half sure that he would not be able to withdraw it again, but at his gesture, Kunimori snorted with derision.

"It's just an entrance. It's not the Dangai. We need to go inside. Are you coming, or are you scared of the dark?"

"I'm not afraid," Tsuneyoshi bristled, pulling his hand back and gazing at his fingers resentfully. "You said you were taking me to the Dangai so we could go back and settle our scores. How am I meant to know when we find it? I don't know what it looks like. Only you do."

"You don't know what..." Kunimori paused, casting his companion a startled glance, and then he smiled, a glitter of cold humour entering his stony eyes.

"Ah, of course," he murmured. "Harumizu messed with your memories, didn't he? I thought you'd completely come to yourself, but apparently there's still some key knowledge missing."

"I don't remember going into the Dangai at all," Tsuneyoshi muttered. "I only know I did because I'm here, with you, a felon who was thrown there for betraying his family and seeking his own advancement. Lots of people died unnecessarily because of ambition like yours, so you deserve to be here. I, on the other hand..."

"You were the poor, innocent, tricked Unohana lord who just wanted to protect his son from internal treason," Kunimori sighed, pretending to wipe away a tear from his wizened cheeks. "Spare me. Time passes slowly enough in this black hole of existence without having to listen to your claims of innocence."

"I didn't do anything except protect my son."

"And how did you do that, again? Remind me. I seem to have forgotten all the gory details," Kunimori's eyes glittered beadily, and Tsuneyoshi frowned, reaching down a hand to touch the hilt of his sword.

"They left me with no choice,"" he said regretfully. "I had to do what was necessary, or Tsunenao would have been corrupted and driven mad by their demands. I only wanted to put my family back together, and make sure it was secure for the future. That's all that was in my mind. I'm not like you - I didn't seek power or influence or promotion. I ripped the betrayal and corruption out of my family. That's all."

"In the eyes of Seireitei law, there are no justified massacres," Kunimori sighed heavily, gesturing to the black tunnel up ahead. "There are only sanctioned killings by those in favour, and murder by those who are not. We are not the blessed ones, Tsuneyoshi-dono. You condemn me, but what did I do but try and protect my Clan's interests in the face of Heaven's uprising? We are not so very different, you know."

"We are entirely different," Tsuneyoshi muttered, pushing past his companion and stepping into the darkness beyond. "Aren't you coming? You said we needed to go inside here, so why are we still standing outside talking?"

"As you say," Kunimori bowed his head mockingly in his companion's direction, then followed the other man into the black. "Perhaps we are a _little_ different, on reflection. I might have led troops in a battle that ended in defeat, as a warrior is wont to do from time to time, but I admit, I can't match the grand claim of purging my own family with my blade. If I didn't know you were the Soldier, I would have been baffled. It's always the quiet ones, so they say. Everyone always talked about you as this peaceful, sage individual who argued against violence and promoted reason. I wish I had been in the Seirei to see their reaction when you proved how much of a true, bloodthirsty Unohana you really were deep down inside."

"I don't take pleasure in killing people, Kunimori-dono. I did what was necessary. I didn't say I revelled in it,"

Tsuneyoshi turned to glare at his fellow exile in the gloom, and Kunimori chuckled.

"Of course. My mistake," he said mock-contritely, waving his hands in a feigned apology. "You killed all of those Hollows in the lower level of this place out of forced duty and compulsion as a shinigami! I quite understand."

Tsuneyoshi shot Kunimori a black glare, but the old man was already sauntering past him, leading the way nonchalantly forward into the dark, narrow hallways that lay ahead. Although from the white of the desert, the tunnel had seemed entirely without light, once inside there was a dim glow, just enough to see where one foot went ahead of the next and that, on both sides, they were surrounded by high stone walls similar to those that flanked the outside. Whether they were walking up or down, Tsuneyoshi had no idea, for without the unchanging crescent moon to guide him, there was no way to tell how close to the surface they might or might not be, but, as he began to feel these pathways were going on for an eternity, there was a sudden flare of light, and he realised that, once again, Kunimori had opened a door that, until moments before, appeared just to be a part of the stonework.

He stepped out into a properly constructed room, completely round and with the domed ceiling up above that gave the structure its familiar appearance. The roof was not opaque, and through the frosted crystal, Tsuneyoshi could make out the glow of the moon. Notches in the wall around them indicated places for other lights and, as Kunimori made his way between them, touching a finger to each, Tsuneyoshi realised that they were Kidou lamps, but in an archaic design that even he had not seen before. Such proof of shinigami presence in an area so alien to shinigami as a whole was surreal, and he frowned, making his way towards one of the lamps to examine it more closely.

"It's what you think it is," Kunimori lit the final lamp, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "This place is what you think it is. Those are Kidou lamps, and they were put here by shinigami. One shinigami, at the very least...which is helpful, because I'm old fashioned, and I like to work with light."

"How is it that shinigami equipment is here, if you and I are the only ones that safely crossed the Dangai?" Tsuneyoshi turned to send Kunimori a questioning look. "What is this place, anyway? Kidou doesn't work within the Dangai, and I already assumed we weren't still inside it, from what you said, but this place...it's not like Seireitei. It's not designed for shinigami, so why..."

"It's a legend," Kunimori leant back against the wall, folding his arms across his chest with a sigh. "One I didn't pay a lot of attention to, until I saw the Dome and wondered if something that distinctive could really be a coincidence. It took me a long time to work out how to break the seal to enter this place. Even now, there are large swathes of it that I can't access. I'm sure it will take longer than the years I have left to discover all of its secrets, which is a shame. I like to know what I'm dealing with - but sometimes secrets are stubborn."

"What kind of a legend?" Tsuneyoshi was curious, and Kunimori grinned.

"The legend of the swords, of course," he said flippantly, tapping his scabbard and gesturing to Tsuneyoshi's own. "Yours and mine, and the other eight. Harumizu's too, most probably. When the Soul King first separated his Royal Blade and gifted the fragments to the ten individuals he trusted to protect his world...blah blah, you know the tale. You must do, being that you're the Soldier."

"I know it," Tsuneyoshi's lips thinned. "What of it? What has it to do with this fortress?"

"Well, the story goes that the individual entrusted with the last blade chose not to stay in Seireitei," Kunimori said simply. "That sword was Void, and it sent the wielder on a quest to find ultimate peace and purity somewhere in space and time. Seireitei wasn't the kind of place that either of those things existed, so the story goes that the wielder entered the Dangai and disappeared. The Void sword has never been found, and nor has anyone ever been reborn with that weapon in their possession. This is the reason why,"

He gestured around himself triumphantly.

"This is where Void came, and this is where Void stayed. This whole world, this whole empty perfection was created by one of the Soul King's swords, as some kind of tranquil haven away from the constant war of our world in Seireitei."

"Then why are there Hollows here, if it's a tranquil haven?"

"Best guess, Seireitei dumped its rubbish in the Dangai and it washed up here on the pure, untainted beaches," Kunimori said casually. "Down the hall from this chamber there's a room full of scrolls and notes. They're written in old old script, and it took me a long time to decipher any of them, but from what I saw, the wielder of the Void sword got fed up with all the pollution, and sealed himself away somewhere in this place, somewhere away from the taint of Seireitei's warfare. Felons like you and I, and the unfortunates who litter the Dangai as corpses, we were refuse that Void didn't want, and couldn't do anything about. So Void withdrew and rubbish grew and we ended up like we are right now. Happily ever after - or not, depending on your perspective."

Tsuneyoshi groaned.

"You don't take any of this at all seriously, do you?" he murmured, and Kunimori sent his companion a dark look.

"You should count yourself lucky you haven't had to amuse yourself for the past however many centuries, alone in this godawful place," he snapped. "If not for digging through the records here, I'd have lost my mind. You weren't much company, lost in Harumizu's dreamworld bubble. You're still not much company, but you have no idea how much of a relief it is to speak words out loud again and have someone else actually respond to them."

"You shouldn't mind my complaining, then," Tsuneyoshi pointed out. "Well? The story and the Dome is all very nice, but we didn't come here to sightsee. What about the Dangai? Where is it?"

"Here," Kunimori paused, then, "I don't know how to open it, though. I'm still working on that."

"I thought you said that you would take me to it and we'd be able to go back!" Tsuneyoshi reacted at once to this, and Kunimori sighed.

"I needed you to come with me," he admitted. "The thing is, I can't connect to the Dangai. I was thrown into it, and, probably, the opening was sealed up after me. You too, maybe, but it's different with you. Even if it's sealed up, I'm pretty sure that your sword will be able to find it."

"You can't use yours to open it? It's not a normal gate to Seireitei?" Tsuneyoshi was hesitant. Kunimori shook his head.

"No shinigami has ever been to the Void World and come back alive," he said sadly. "It's not designed to be a two-way trip. Void came here, apparently with no intent to ever return, and you and I...we didn't come here by choice. We probably only survived the trip because we both have considerable levels of reiryoku and it meant we somehow endured whatever caused everyone else to succumb. Maybe it's the swords we hold, or just the fact we're able to hold them that made it possible to live through the Dangai experience. Everyone else was either corrupted by the Dangai's poison and mutated into Hollows like those you have so much fun killing, or they never made it out at all, and their corpses still lie somewhere in the abyss."

He cast Tsuneyoshi a sidelong glance.

"In your case, it must be your sword," he said grudgingly. "Especially bearing in mind the fact you haven't aged. I can't believe that was Harumizu's doing, so it must be all your own...or more likely, Meidoushi's protection towards its master. It's a convenient side feature, that, apparent immortality."

"I'm not immortal," Tsuneyoshi dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "I'm not easy to kill, but that's all. And you're going off the point. You were explaining about the Dangai and why we can't just open it up and walk through."

"Well, I don't really know what the opening is made of, if there even is a proper opening on this side," Kunimori let out a heavy rush of air, and Tsuneyoshi could tell that this admission was galling to his companion's pride. "We call it a Dangai, but I suppose we don't even really know if that's the right term, as it isn't like the kind of Dangai shinigami usually traverse. You can't use your zanpakutou to open it. It's not like going to the Real World from Seireitei, dangerous as that can be. I'm pretty sure that the gate I was thrown into was created by the Urahara specifically for the purpose of stranding us or killing us, and thus has nothing in common with the transfer gates to the Real World. Why would it have? There's no need for a way back if you're using it to exile and execute miscreants. And I'm smart, but I'm not an Urahara. I never had any access to their research, and it's something I regret, now. They were new nobility and I admit, I rather considered them beneath me."

He sighed again.

"But maybe not. The gate rules are different and I haven't yet worked out completely what they are. It's my hypothesis that Hollows are able to go back and forth, so we must be able to - but pinpointing how is taking time."

"And you think I can do something about it?"

"I think, if your sword is really as horrific as I think it is, that you probably can." Kunimori reflected, moving across the room and perching on one of the round, smooth boulders that were pitched at intervals across the floor. "Unless I've been misled about the nature of the Soldier's control over the divide between life and death."

"What are you asking me to do?" Tsuneyoshi's eyes became slits, and Kunimori shrugged.

"There are a lot of dead people in the Dangai. Ones that didn't Hollowfy and make it here in some deformed version of their former selves," he said evenly. "I can't do anything with dead people, but you can. Can't you? You could find where they are, right? "

"Find...them?"

"Is it a myth, then, that the Soldier can hear the souls of the dead and dying as clearly as he hears the voices of the living?"

A sudden recollection of bloodstained grasses and the drifting wails that hung heavy in the atmosphere flooded Tsuneyoshi's mind, and he frowned.

"What of it?"

"Ah-hah. Then it is true?" Kunimori's beady eyes glittered with triumph. "I thought so."

"You needn't look so excited about it. It's not as though I asked to hear them," Tsuneyoshi became defensive. "And I don't see what that has to do with anything. People who died in the Dangai died in the Dangai. They didn't die here. Moreover, I can't pick up fragmented reishi. The voices fade and stop when the soul desiccates into the ether."

"Yes, but the Dangai is intermediate space." Kunimori pointed out smugly. "What decomposes in Seireitei may well still linger in an intact enough state in the Dangai to be of use to us. Your sword is the key to that puzzle. Finding a trace of them would be the same as finding the Dangai, and once we find it, maybe we can find a way to open it."

Tsuneyoshi was silent for a moment, digesting this. Slowly he drew his sword from its sheath, gazing at Meidoushi's shining blade with a pensive, troubled expression on his features.

"I don't really want to..." he murmured, and Kunimori frowned.

"If you don't, we're not going to find a way out," he said frankly. "I read about it in the original legends, but it's true that I didn't see what kind of power you manifested when you took your family to task. I admit that maybe my assumptions of your range and reach are optimistic and wrong. You're the first person to ever be reincarnated with the Soldier blade, so there wasn't a lot of other information to work with. But, based on the stories of the original Soldier, I'm sure that you must be able to do something."

"It's not about finding dead people," Tsuneyoshi chewed down on his lip. "I never tried to find them. I just heard them. Then, as they faded into reishi, the voices faded too. I never went looking for them. They were just there. I don't sense them here right now, so how can I know where they are? It's not like that."

"Even with your sword?" Kunimori looked disappointed, and Tsuneyoshi faltered. Slowly he shook his head.

"I didn't use Meidoushi, except when I settled things with my family," he owned reluctantly ."Hearing those voices was just something I could do. I didn't need the blade for that, worse luck. I didn't release my sword very often and I don't want to release it now. Bad enough I was plagued by those sensations in Seireitei, and besides, Meidoushi isn't a bloodhound."

"If you released your sword and tried, though, could you amplify your range enough to pick up something in intermediate space?" Kunimori asked hopefully. Tsuneyoshi's eyes clouded, and he shrugged.

"I've never tried it," he murmured. "It might not be...that I find them. Meidoushi's ability isn't really...about finding things. If I do...latch onto the remains of the Dangai dead...I..."

"You what?" Kunimori arched an eyebrow, and Tsuneyoshi let out a heavy sigh.

"I might bring them back to life," he admitted unwillingly, "as agents of vengeance, unleashed to fight again for what they believe."

* * *

"You know, I was really hoping that the mountain wasn't going to be as cold as it looked, but I guess that was a shade too much optimism, give the frigid atmosphere in the lower valley,"

Ketsui tucked his fingers into the folds of his sleeves with a shiver, gazing resentfully around him at the whiteness of the landscape over which he and his companion had spent the best part of their day trudging. Naoko had decided that it was best not to tackle the mountain without warmer attire, and so they had spent a little extra time searching the villages for any discarded winter clothing that they could appropriate for the course of their mission. Naoko had been right, Ketsui reflected, that their Captain would not countenance them stealing materials from the local people in the course of their duty, but discarded furs and cloaks were a different matter and, although their chosen material was torn and threadbare in places, it was decidedly better than nothing. Unfortunately, they had had no such luck with covering their feet and so, in spite of the fact their upper bodies and legs were much better protected from the chill, the dampness of the snow seeped into the tabi, making their feet feel like uncomfortable blocks of ice.

The trek into the snowy peaks was not helped any by the occasional patches of freezing fog that they had had to negotiate. The crisp wintry air hung heavily over the whole of the atmosphere, yet in spite of this obvious evidence of hostile weather conditions, the sense of purity that the two shinigami had sensed in the valley was, if anything, more intense here than down by the river. The mountain was empty of any sign of inhabitants, but a few smoothed pathways between falls of rock indicated that the local people did come here - although on what errand Ketsui could not possibly imagine. It was bad enough living down below, where there was at least the faintest shades of green and brown beneath the frost, but here, the world was insistent and repetitive in white, stretching out in all directions like a choppy sea of snow.

"There's really nothing here," he added with a sigh. "Are we going to camp up here, Naoko-san? Because if we are, we need to find shelter. It'll be dark if we're not careful, and I don't fancy wandering around by moonlight in a place with so few key landmarks."

"Going back down the mountain would be a waste of energy," Naoko turned, gazing back the way they had come with a small sigh of reluctance. "I agree with you, but I hadn't thought it would be so exposed up here. If we are starting back, we'll have to do it soon - and then it will take us as long to get here tomorrow, and we'll make no progress. There may be no landmarks, but you must have noticed - the same strange sensation in the air is here, too. It's like it was down by the river, only, if anything, it's more intense up here."

"Well, I suppose we can explain the lack of Hollows," Ketsui said critically, kicking idly at a small pebble in the white and watching as it disappeared into a drift a short distance away. "Either they didn't like the cold, or - more likely - they can't survive in this atmosphere. It really is getting more and more pure the higher we go."

"I've heard that air at altitude often is more pure," Naoko looked troubled, "but I don't like that there's nothing obvious to explain why this place should feel this way. Coming up the mountain was the right call, but...if you don't mind, Ketsui, I'd like to continue a little more before we talk about turning back. I realise it's a risk, but we were sent here to get to the bottom of the spiritual anomalies Nagesu-sama's sensors picked up. This is definitely anomalous, and so I don't think we can just turn our backs and walk away."

"I know you're right," Ketsui sighed heavily, but nodded his head. "I'll just appreciate fire and warmth a lot more when we eventually go home. That is, if I still have feet," he added pensively. "Can you feel your toes, Naoko-san? I really, genuinely don't think I have any any more."

"Whining about it isn't going to help the situation," Naoko scolded. "Come on. We're better off than we could have been. The mountain might be barren and cold, but there are paths and that makes it easier. Imagine if we had to climb up some of these sections. It would be a lot more difficult to make progress."

"I suppose so," Ketsui acknowledged, falling into step with his companion and pulling the folds of fur more tightly around his body. "And this does help. I'm sorry. I am paying attention, I promise. It's just that there isn't a lot to pay attention to."

"The existence of paths means people have come here. Humans, I mean. People who live here," Naoko pulled Dokushou Houshi's sheathed form from her side, tapping the tip against the path experimentally to check for hidden layers of ice. "They seem to keep them quite clear of snow, too, which means they probably still use them. The local people here don't see us, so there's no reason to be worried about them happening on our mission - but the fact they use this place is interesting to me."

"I think they must be mad," Ketsui sighed. "It's horrible up here. I can't imagine why they'd come."

"Horrible? It is cold, but I think it's quite beautiful," Naoko reflected, returning the sword to her side with a shrug. "Empty, yes, but perfect and pearl-white. Purity for miles and miles...like the snow itself is the source of that sensation. Maybe even the humans can sense that...that there's something beautiful and untouched about this place, and so they come here to be a part of it."

"Well, I can't understand why, but I think you're right," Ketsui strode up ahead, pausing to examine a chunk of the mountain stone that had been cut and carved into a rounded shape. "This isn't natural. Someone put it here. It has something written on it, but it's hard to make out what."

"I'm not sure if we can read the human language anyway," Naoko reminded him, nonetheless coming to see for herself. "It looks a lot like a stupa, though, or well, it's different, but maybe something like that."

"Something religious?" Ketsui looked startled. Naoko pushed her lips together pensively.

"If the humans understand this place is pure, then maybe they consider it a holy place," she suggested, reaching across to brush snow and ice from the stone and squinting at the engraving below. "It's hard to make out, Ketsui, but doesn't that look like the character for 'dragon' to you? It's not very clear, but when I really look at it..."

"Dragon?" Ketsu tilted his head on one side. "Do people here use the same words we do? It might be something else completely...although it does look a little bit like the character for dragon."

"Or an actual dragon," Naoko suggested. "Drawn crudely in the stone. Our characters all came originally from images of the things they represent. Why would it be different here?"

"I suppose so, but we're making assumptions," Ketsui stood back, gazing around him. "There's no dragon here. There isn't even a shrine to one. Just a sea of white with a few bumps and peaks here and there."

"Maybe that's the point," Naoko's eyes narrowed, and she moved to stand behind the stone carving, turning to gaze across the landscape "Ketsui, come over here. Come stand over here. The sun is still fairly high, and maybe that's the reason, but look...look over there. Look at that mountain slope. The ice is so thick around it, it sparkles in the light. And..."

"The sparkles make it look like there's a dragon inside it," Ketsui breathed, his eyes widening in surprise and pleasure at the unexpected sight. "So I was wrong. There is something up here. Some ancient Real World person carved a dragon in the ice, and that's a sacred place for the local people. They come here and this stone," he patted it, "marks the place where the dragon is."

"Seems so," Naoko agreed, "but that doesn't answer any of our questions, and it doesn't explain the purity of the air."

"We're sure there isn't a real dragon? It is just a carving?" Ketsui cast his companion a glance, and Naoko shrugged.

"It doesn't look like anything to me but sunlight off the rock face," she admitted. "I don't think there's a real dragon, Ketsui. I'm not sure the Real World has dragons, and it's not like we really have them, either. Only inside zanpakutou, or so the stories go. I doubt there's really a dragon up here, in all this snow and ice."

"But if people believed there was one, and that dragon was protecting them somehow..." Ketsui frowned. "Maybe something else pure is here, and the dragon is just how the local people interpret it. Maybe they think a dragon is protecting them, and so they come here. Maybe they even make offerings to it, at that stone. But something in that mountain must be creating the ambience. Something spiritual. And it might not be a dragon, but maybe the local people have the right idea. Perhaps they've given us help in our quest after all."

He took steps towards the mountain face, but Naoko reached out to pull him back.

"You're jumping to conclusions and racing ahead without any evidence," she warned. "That's not very Urahara of you. Calm down and think about it, Ketsui. You might be right about the spiritual beliefs of the locals, but that is a long way from saying that whatever they believe is necessarily what we're looking for."

"No, but it's a clue. We don't have any other clues or starting points, so what's wrong with following this one?" Ketsui looked quizzical. "The dragon mountain is here and the air is pure and we've found it. Worst case scenario, it's something we can put on Taichou's map. Right? It might be nothing - but if it's something, and we walked away, we'll just have to come all the way back again and start over."

"Real World people aren't very spiritual," Naoko looked doubtful. "They can't even see us, so why would they perceive something we're searching for?"

"Because when it comes to sacred things, rules change," Ketsui said firmly. "In the village where Ten-nii and I grew up, in Eighth, there were lots of local superstitions. Beliefs in gods and deities and kami and those things...even if they're not really possible in our world. I'm sure the people here are the same. They made paths to come here and they marked the place. They're telling us it's important and this is their world. Let's find out why it's important."

He cast her a rueful smile.

"Besides, if that mountain is blessed, the chances are there's a cave inside it somewhere," he added, "Most spiritual things lead to a shrine where people can come and worship, and we're still looking for somewhere to shelter, right?"

"I suppose we are," Naoko sighed, but she nodded her head. "All right. You win. Let's go see what's inside the dragon's mountain."

* * *

"Bring them back to life?!"

At Tsuneyoshi's words, Kunimori's expression went through the full gamut of emotions, and he darted to his feet like a man ten times less his age, grasping his companion by the wrists with undisguised excitement. "Are you _serious_?"

"What are you getting so worked up about?" Tsuneyoshi shook the other man's grip free, sheathing his sword with a grimace. "It's not a good thing. Do you want to see a sea of seething malcontents break their way through into this spiritual plane and create complete disruption? If you don't mind, I'll pass."

"No, but..." Kunimori took a step back, his mind working quickly. "But wait. If you think like that...Tsuneyoshi-dono, you've been holding out on me. You've not been telling me the full truth of what you did to your kinsfolk, have you? I'm disappointed in you - I thought we'd reached an agreement as allies."

"You told me that we'd be able to go back into the Dangai and settle our old scores if I came with you," Tsuneyoshi reminded him. "I don't think I have any obligation to tell you anything. Now or before. I'm an Unohana and you're a Yamamoto. We're not even really on the same side about anything."

"No, but here..." Kunimori's eyes glittered with sudden anticipation. "You don't fool me. To know that your sword has that possibility means you must have tested it out at least once before. Haven't you? On your kinsfolk...the good, brutal Unohana who slashed each other to pieces over gaining land and power. Tell me, what did you do?"

"My sword is the Soldier," Tsuneyoshi turned away so that his companion could not see his expression. "Once awakened, it compels me to kill, as you said earlier. I fought not to use it for a long time, but I chose to use it to purify my family of its corruption. The Soldier is a killing blade. It takes life."

"But you're worried about the dead in the Dangai - rotting wretches who lost their lives a long time ago," Kunimori pointed out. "Maybe it's true that your sword takes life, and does so effectively because you can't easily be killed. But no, there's more to it than just that. Your sword doesn't just sever life, does it? It also recreates life. You can revive the dead - you more or less just said so. That intriguing titbit of information was not in my knowledge banks before, but it is now."

Tsuneyoshi closed his eyes, as, unbidden, images of a young woman flooded his senses, long black hair flowing wild and free over her shoulders and the splatter of blood staining her pearl white skin. Death and madness glittered in her dark blue eyes, and the swing of her ghostly sword blade slashed through muscle and flesh to the bone beneath without a moment of hesitation. For a moment the apparition shrieked and laughed, delighting in the savagery of her kill before Tsuneyoshi's horrified gaze.

 _Yachiru-hime._

With some trouble he forced the memory away.

"I wouldn't call it that," he said softly. "It's not a good thing to do, Kunimori-dono. It causes untold suffering...untold pain, and once done, I cannot reverse it."

"But you can do it?"

"What did I just say?" Tsuneyoshi swung around, glaring at his companion in dismay, but Kunimori smiled, revealing rows of even white teeth.

"You can do it," he murmured. "You're trying not to tell me, but your eyes tell me the truth. You are foolish if you think you can mislead me. Don't you see? We are but two, but if we had help...allies...fodder..."

"I said that it's not right! It's not...!"

"And nor is our being here, but we are here," Kunimori swept aside his comrade's protests with a dismissive gesture. "You aren't the reasoned, sage man you claimed to be. You don't avoid the path of death or war, and you know it. Stop trying to pretend otherwise. You hate Seireitei, just as I do. I knew it when we first spoke the other day - and I know it now. What do you care if some people there die? Don't pretend to be squeamish. You don't care if it causes suffering or untold pain on those ingrates - what about the suffering and pain they caused you? Don't you want to put that right? Didn't you say you had scores to settle with the people in Seireitei?"

"What are you asking me to do?" Tsuneyoshi looked distressed, and Kunimori reached down to pat the hilt of his companion's weapon.

"Raise the dead," he said simply. "Release your sword, and lets see what it can do. Meidoushi sounds like a fine blade with potential we can use in ways I hadn't realised, and now I know that, I want to understand its full capabilities."

"But..."

"You want vengeance, don't you?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then what better way to announce the return of the Soldier than with the Soldier's agents of destruction?" Kunimori was clearly enjoying the idea now, and the relish with which the other man savoured the concept sickened Tsuneyoshi to his stomach. "Think about it! These are rebels, born and bred, those who have a grudge to settle. Would it not be justice to let them settle it for themselves? We need to find the Dangai, and its surely unfair to think of those souls trapped in limbo, unable to be reborn so long as they fester in the darkness of the Dangai. With your help, they could overcome that. Don't you see the possibilities? There must be thousands of dead in the Dangai. Thousands of dead who you can raise and command in your name - correct?"

"Kunimori-dono, it's not as simple as..."

"You're the Soldier. The General. The leader of the war dead," Kunimori was not listening now, and Tsuneyoshi felt a sense of cold dread wash over his heart, a sensation that was met and suffocated almost the next instant by the pangs of anticipation from the blade that hung at his side. "You needn't worry about the particulars - leave strategy to me, and see how between us we'll bring Seireitei to its knees."

He clapped his hands down on Tsuneyoshi's shoulders warmly.

"You're out of practice, so let's begin slowly. How about this? We'll start with a test. One subject, of your choosing," he added, his tones almost cordial, and edged with a cold glee. "I don't mind what kind of subject, so long as you do it. Find a corpse, any corpse, and make them dance, Tsuneyoshi-dono. It's time we sent a messenger to warn Seireitei of our coming, and what better way to do that than with broken bones and blood vengeance?"

"I never said..."

"You don't have to," Kunimori smiled, a cool, calculating smile. "Just do as I tell you. You'll see that I'm right, when push comes to shove. We came from different places, but in this hell-hole we must be allies, and we can help each other, so you should trust me. Your sword and my knowledge will make a good partnership, I think. It's time you put all the pieces of your memory together and realise who is really your enemy. You and I, we can be powerful together, so release your _zanpakutou_ and give Seireitei a hint that this is only the beginning of our return."

* * *

 **Author's Notes: Recent Reviews (March 2018)**

 _This is just a quick note from author to reviewer - to the Anon reviewer who has recently been reviewing Tenka Ransei, I just wanted to thank you and tell you that I do appreciate it :) I can't PM you directly as your account is not signed in, so I thought I'd take the time here to say thank you :D_


	8. The Dragon's Mountain

**Chapter Seven: The Dragon's Mountain**

"Well, it looks like you were right, Ketsui,"

Naoko leaned back against the cobalt black wall of the mountain, casting her subordinate a grin as she waited for him to scramble over the uneven pile of rocks and stones that formed the opening to the cavern in which she now stood. "The local people in the Real World seem to follow the same rules as the ones in our world - if they worship something, they build a shrine to it. Although I wouldn't have thought the stone of the mountain was as dark as this, given the white aura of everything outside."

"I'm glad you're so impressed with it," Ketsui pulled himself over the last rock, turning to glance back at the pathway with a grimace. "It could have had an easier way in, though. With how smooth the paths are outside, I thought they'd have done similar housekeeping inside - but I guess not."

"Well, it depends how often they come here," Naoko cast a glance up towards the ceiling, a thoughtful look on her clever features. "It looks like this chamber hasn't been used for a little while. The ceiling is smooth in most places, like someone worked hard to make it even, but there...and there, too," she pointed, "it looks like the stone has cracked away."

"So maybe this chamber isn't a good place to camp down, then?" Ketsui looked disappointed, bending to pick up a piece of rock and examining the jagged edges with a sigh. "Pity. I suppose that means we keep on going? I think you're right. This does look like it came from the ceiling."

"I think we have no choice," Naoko's eyes narrowed. "But be careful, Ketsui. I can't see any more cracks, so it might just be that a stray bit of stone fell and they haven't cleared the way yet. But if this chamber is a bit unstable, we need to make sure we don't get buried inside. I'm not sure whether camping here would be a good idea or not - but I do think that, now we are here, we should be investigating everything thoroughly. It's possible that the source of the air's spiritual purity might be somewhere in the mountain - or at least, if it isn't, we need to rule it off our list."

"I don't mind. It's not as cold inside here, and I'm not too worried by the risk of falling pebbles," Ketsui assured his companion with a grin. "My sword is quite good at barriers and I was well trained in the art of drawing and releasing at speed, so I'm sure that if the worst happened, Reihashou could help out."

"Well, you were well trained, that's true," Naoko looked amused, "but we still won't take silly risks. Keep that piece of stone, though, Ketsui. We'll take it back with us as a mineral sample and let the scientists examine it for themselves."

"All right," Ketsui nodded, sliding the piece of stone into his obi. "I wonder how long it took to hollow out this cave, though. It took a while to find a way in, so the local people clearly wanted to hide it from someone...maybe a rival village?"

"Or wild animals," Naoko agreed. "There's no sign of anything trying to live here, and with the cold outside, you'd think that any wildlife in the area would look for a place like this. It must have taken a long time to get this cavern looking how they wanted it - although, if it is a shrine, there isn't a lot here. Maybe we haven't reached the heart of the mountain yet."

"It looks like the rock splits a little at the back there," Ketsui scanned the room thoughtfully, indicating a section of stone that did not appear fully smooth. "It's not so very light in here - just the light from the entrance - so if we're going in further, we're going to need to use Kidou, aren't we?"

"You don't sound thrilled about that idea," Naoko said playfully. "Surely a bit of Kidou flame would keep you warm?"

"My Kidou flame might blow up the whole cave, and resolve the problem of the collapsing ceiling once and for all," Ketsui sighed, rubbing his hands together pensively. "It's improved a lot, and I can fire it decently these days, but we don't want firing here. We want a nice controlled flame...and I haven't reached that level of spell management yet. It's not that I wouldn't like to be better at it - but Kidou isn't my gift and I've had to work really hard to reach even this level."

"I suppose that's your way of saying that it's up to me to provide the light, then," Naoko sighed. "I'm your senior officer, you know. Expecting me to do the mundane tasks is poor form."

"I'm sorry, but I think it'd be a big risk, if I did it," Ketsui gazed up at the ceiling ruefully. "There may be no cracks now, Naoko-san, but I couldn't guarantee that would be the case after I was done."

"Fine," Naoko relented, touching the tips of her left finger and thumb together and producing a red ball of glowing energy between her nails and her palm. "There. Though when we go back, I'll recommend to the Captain that you undertake some strict training relating to your Kidou. It's fine, being able to fire it, but it has other applications and at Eighth Seat, you ought to be able to use it in a variety of ways."

She cast him a glance.

"Don't let Fukutaichou set you a bad example," she added warningly. "He might get away with it, but you were my recruit, and so I've no intention of letting you slack."

"Yes, ma'am. Message understood," Ketsui saluted ruefully. "When we get back, I'll be sure to pay attention."

"Then for now, let's explore the back of the cave," Naoko made her way carefully across the cold stone floor, the flickering glow of the red Kidou flame creating atmospheric shadows on the dark walls. "You're right, there is an opening, but it's very narrow. Maybe the real shrine is through here?"

"We probably won't find the dragon, though," Ketsui made to follow her through the narrow divide, squeezing his lean body between the jagged slabs of stone. "I'm pretty sure that was an illusion in the outer ice, or a carving there that's just not melted because of the cold. Everything inside here seems to be dark and black, and so..."

He trailed off, stepping into the chamber, and his eyes widened at the sight that greeted them.

"Do you think so?" Naoko was clearly just as stunned, for the room they had just entered was entirely different from the barren, black chamber they had left behind. The ceiling was high and jagged, as though created by natural processes rather than the actions of men and picks. Icicles hung from the lowermost points of stone, and the chill that had encompassed the air outside was also present here. The walls were glistening with a sheen of ice, as was the floor, giving it the impression of a frozen lake or even the surface of a polished mirror. The light from Naoko's Kidou flame flickered and danced, making eerie red patterns against the frosted surfaces, and Ketsui stepped cautiously forward, gazing around him in disbelief.

On the far wall of the cavern, dug into the ice by human hands, there was the unmistakeable line of an image, crude but recognisable as the dragon from the stone they had seen outside. More, as Ketsui drew closer, he half-thought that the dragon's eyes were watching him, moving in a ghostly way like orbs of light as they reflected the glitter of the Kidou.

"I guess we found the dragon, after all," he breathed, and Naoko nodded.

"This is the proper shrine," she murmured, gesturing with her free hand towards the far wall, where frosted remains of blossoms and small wooden bowls containing dried fruit were lined up at the base of the image, positioned directly beneath the dragon's claws. "I feel like we're trespassing into something we shouldn't...something sacred to the Real World people that we have no business intruding into."

"I know what you mean," Ketsui took another tentative step, then let out a yelp as his feet slid from under him on the slick icy surface. He fell on his rear with a loud bump, wincing at the force of the impact. "Ouch...that wasn't clever. Be careful, Naoko-san. It's really slippery here."

"I'll learn from your ungraceful example, and stick to the edges," Naoko told him with a grin. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. Just a bit bruised, I think," Ketsui rubbed his hips with a grimace. "It's really cold in here, too."

"I suppose there must be a crack in the wall somewhere, allowing the cold to get in," Naoko reflected. "All the ice and snow probably comes from outside, and because its created this atmosphere, people come and worship it. It's an unusual natural phenomenon, but..."

"I'm not sure it's a natural anything," Ketsui interrupted, gazing down with growing incredulation at the floor beneath him. "Naoko-san, please, come see this. It's not very clear, but this...the floor here isn't stone. It's ice, I think. And there's something in it. Something frozen in the ice down here."

"Something? Not a dragon, surely?" Naoko extinguished the Kidou flame with a flick of her hand, inching carefully onto the ice on all fours until she reached her companion's location. Even without the flame, the room remained light enough to see by, and Ketsui realised that Naoko was probably right - there were gaps in the ceiling that allowed both the ice and the weak winter sunlight to penetrate the darkness of the mountain shrine.

"I don't know," he said now. "I can't make it out. It's a dark shape, that's all. I don't think it looks like a dragon, though. I think it looks more like a person. Maybe...a body?"

"Some holy priest from the local settlements, maybe?" Naoko grimaced, peering into the ice, then shaking her head. "It's no good. I can only see dark outlines, but nothing distinctive."

"It's a bit grisly, if it is a corpse," Ketsui reflected. "Coming here to worship the body of a man who probably died a long time ago. Or woman, of course. With the ice like this, they wouldn't have decayed, and would be here for eternity. Imagine being frozen in ice forever. It can't be a nice way to go."

"Assuming the person was alive when they entered the ice," Naoko pointed out. "There's no need to be macabre. It might just be the burial place of someone important."

"Maybe, but if this is ice, at some point it must have been water," Ketsui said, sitting back on his heels and resting a hand lightly on the surface of the ice. "In which case, maybe it was a mountain lake. Either way, someone dropped someone...or something...into it and then it froze over and...here we are."

"A lake, huh?" Naoko had moved to the edge of the patch of deep ice, running her hands along the stone with a thoughtful look on her face. "Do you think so? Ketsui, this may sound odd, and I'm not a scientist, so it's going to sound even odder, but this stone...looks...strange to me. I haven't seen stone like it in Seireitei before, but it looks as though...it may have been melted at some point?"

"Melted?" Ketsui scrambled across to join her, peering at the block of stone with an incredulous look on his features. "Why would it have been melted? This is frozen over. What could melt stone in an ice cavern?"

"Well, I don't know anything about stone or ice or mountains in the Real World," Naoko sat back pensively. "But I do know that people like Nagesu-sama have the power in their swords to melt stone. Nagesu-sama's Sekizanha creates molten rock and uses it in its attacks, doesn't it? This reminds me of that kind of thing. It looks like someone melted the rock here...maybe to create the lake in the first place?"

"And you talk about me jumping to conclusions based on spurious evidence," Ketsui blinked, and Naoko reached over to cuff him lightly across the head.

"Remember you're talking to your senior officer," she warned. "I haven't lost my mind, either. It reminds me of something...from a long time ago. Something from when I was at the Academy, and on that horrible trip to the Real World."

"I'm sorry," Ketsui held up his hands contritely. "You're right, that was cheeky of me. What do you mean, Naoko-san? What does it remind you of?"

"Well, we were sent to a location on an arid mountain, and beneath the mountain there were caves. Warm water pools and everything," Naoko said softly, tapping the dark stone surface with her index finger. "The stone in those mountains looked like this. Michihashi - the Vice Captain of the Twelfth, now - he was in our group and he said that the mountain stone was unstable. He said it melted, sometimes, like the power in Nagesu-sama's sword. It's something that Seireitei mountains don't do, but apparently Real World ones do at times, melt their own stone and, well, create complete chaos. It's like a mountain exploding from the inside...spewing out hot rock and ash for some natural reason to do with rocks beneath the surface."

"But this place is cold," Ketsui pointed out. "How could something like that happen here?"

"Well, that's what I wonder," Naoko looked pensive. "This rock looks like the rock in those mountains. The lake, as well - if it is a lake...it looks a lot like the water forced the rock apart, and thus created a whole pool by melting stone or...or something. I don't know. I'm not a scientist, like I said. But something definitely melted stone here. For some reason, now it's cold - but in the past, it must have been hot."

"Then maybe that's why the local people associate this place with a dragon," Ketsui mused. "Because it used to breathe fire. And, now it doesn't any more, they give offerings to protect it. The snow and ice is actually a good thing from their point of view, because it's better than their whole area being consumed by fire and brimstone."

"Something like that," Naoko agreed. "And this thing in the ice...well, maybe it is a local shaman. A religious leader...someone important who they consider blessed."

"Or a human sacrifice," Ketsui intoned darkly.

"Let's hope not," Naoko mused. "If it's that way, chances are that there's an angry spirit lurking somewhere around, looking for salvation. And we haven't seen any sign of Hollows, so the chances of this being a violent death..."

"But if there are no shinigami patrolling here, where do the dead souls go?" Ketsui asked. Naoko shrugged.

"Good question. No answers," she said succinctly. "I suppose the atmosphere here is so pure that maybe they just get reabsorbed on their own?"

"I've heard of souls disintegrating in especially pure atmospheres," Ketsui admitted. "The Real World seems an odd place for that to happen, though."

"It does, but if this is a holy place, maybe the local people bring their dead here to be blessed," Naoko suggested. "What happens to the bodies afterwards, I don't know, but that might be enough to disperse the soul and leave the area devoid of Pluses or Hollows. Either way, there are humans here, but no human dead to soul bury, so the atmosphere in this place is probably connected somehow. How, though, is something I'll leave you and Izumi to figure out if it becomes important later on."

She pulled her sword from its sheath, glancing at it pensively.

"I think Dokusou Houshi should investigate this cave, though," she decided. "We've reached the heart of the mountain, and clearly it's just as pure here as outside, if not more so. If there's something important here, Dokusou Houshi will probably help to find it. And if that is a dead person beneath the ice, Dokusou Houshi should be able to detect if there's any spiritual residue left around here that might create problems. There's the matter of the ceiling collapse in the other chamber, don't forget...it's just possible that was caused by something not entirely benign, so I think I should probably check."

"All right," Ketsui scrambled to his feet, moving to the edge of the lake. "I want to look at the dragon image more closely, anyway, to see if there's anything in the carving to give us clues."

"Unfortunately, taking back samples of the ice will be difficult," Naoko reflected, as her blade began to glow faintly with greenish light. "Inotte, Dokusou Houshi."

"Too true," Ketsui sat back against the carved wall, making space for himself between the piled up offerings as he watched the tiny spiritual spores of his companion's blade spread out like a cloud of fireflies into the frozen air. Dokusou Houshi was viewed by some as a hostile sword, even a parasite, for its decidedly un-healer like qualities, but in missions like this, with its ability to sense stray spirit power on an infinitesimal scale, it was more reassuring than it was frightening. The tiny green specks of light really did appear like a swarm of spectral insects, buzzing over every surface in search of somewhere safe to land, but, as they began to settle on the lake's surface, Ketsui suddenly had a deep sense of foreboding.

"Naoko-san!" he cried, but before he could articulate the feeling any further, there was a resounding shudder, as the entire cavern began to tremble. The lake that had seemed so solid and firm in the moments before now seemed fragile, as with a loud cracking sound fracture lines began to criss-cross the polished surface. Naoko let out an exclamation, drawing her weapon back and Ketsui could tell that his companion was hurriedly trying to seal Dokusou Houshi before it could create any further instability, but whatever had begun the chain reaction clearly had no intention of stopping, for there was another rumble, and fragments of stone and broken icicles began to rain down on the unfortunate shinigami. More from instinct than anything else, Ketsui reached for his own sword, pulling it from its scabbard and muttering the release command as a large, jagged section of stone came loose from the ceiling, dropping down in Naoko's direction. No sooner has the command left his lips than a sheen of glittering light shot out from Reihashou's blade, creating a thick layer of crystal glass between his senior officer and the falling stone. The missile clattered against Reihashou's barrier, shattering on impact and sending shards flying every which way. Ketsui yelped, dropping to the ground as several of the shards flew like missiles towards him, embedding themselves in the belly and claws of the dragon carving which, moments before, had seemed so impenetrable.

A third shudder of the earth beneath their feet, and the splits in the lake began to open into some kind of yawning chasm, fragments of split ice sent up in a spray as the segments of the frozen surface disintegrated into smaller pieces. As they did so, Ketsui could see deep into the divide, catching sight of something for the briefest of seconds. Although he knew it must have been his imagination, he felt certain that he had seen a hand, and more, fingers, not the frozen blue of a corpse but the fleshy pink of a living individual, moving in a sluggish way as though attempting to reach the surface. Terrified, he scrambled to his feet.

"Retreat!"" Naoko's bellow finally broke through the crashing and rumbling of stone that had filled Ketsui's ears for what had seemed like an eternity, but had actually been a couple of seconds. "Ketsui, get out of here! The whole place...it's like an earthquake, and it's going to go!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Relieved that someone else had taken charge, Ketsui hastened around the edge of the still-fragmenting lake, putting his feet tentatively on sections that did not seem to have yet broken down. As he reached the other side, and the safety of the entrance where Naoko now waited, he thought that something brushed against the hem of his shihakushou, grasping at the leg of his hakama and trying to pull it down into the hole. Panicked, he kicked out at the entity, ripping himself free and stumbling through the narrow stone divide towards safety.

"Are you all right?" Naoko was covered in dust and grime, and, despite Reihashou's barrier, there were specks of blood on her cheek. Ketsui could not find words, and just nodded his head, seeing relief glitter in Naoko's eyes at his response.

"We'll withdraw," she said succinctly. "This place is not stable, and we need to get back to base camp. We'll go back to the river after all. Whatever is here, we can't..."

That was the last thing that Ketsui heard, for at that moment the cavern that they had just left exploded into a ball of stone, ice and light, sending shrapnel flying through the air and lifting both Shinigami from where they stood, catapulting them with the force of the blow into the frozen world outside. Somehow, Ketsui remembered his grip on his sword, willing Reihashou to project another barrier to protect them from the danger of the exploding stone, but that was as much as he could manage as darkness hurtled in from each corner of his vision. In the moment before he blacked out, he thought he saw the eyes of a dragon, boring deep into his soul, and then, with a flash of brilliant blue flame, it was gone, and he was hurtling like a bullet into the frozen snow.

* * *

It had been a while since she had walked this way.

Kirio gazed up at the big archive building with a sense of nostalgia. The grounds around here were popular, especially on warm afternoons, for recruits and ranked shinigami alike to make the most of their scraps of free time. It was a social gathering ground that she and Tenichi had often frequented during their early years as shinigami in the Thirteenth, and she leaned up against the sturdy wall of the building, allowing her gaze to drift out across the grass. She had not intended to come here, but, with a rare hour free in her schedule, she had gone for a morning walk, and, by some unconscious instinct, she had found herself staring up at the immense structure, memories coming unbidden to her senses.

Since Tenichi had been in prison, she had not come here to relax. In fact, as she considered this in more detail, she realised that the only time since her friend's conviction that she had spent at the archive had been one balmy morning almost five years before, when she had first brought Kohaku here to see the immense library of books at Seireitei's disposal. Then she had taken an amount of pleasure in his awe and astonishment, his excitement infectious as he had darted from shelf to shelf, devouring the titles of different volumes with greedy, disbelieving eyes. Kohaku's voracious appetite for reading had not diminished any in the time since he had joined the Thirteenth and, as she reflected on it, Kirio realised how much supporting Kohaku's integration into the Thirteenth Division had helped her to cope with her best friend's incarceration.

Now, though, Tenichi was once more a free shinigami. Kirio still regretted not having been able to go visit her friend in his confinement, but Tenichi's patchy disciplinary record and apparently frequent stays in the medical wing of the facility had made the matter even more complex, and so Kirio had given it up as a bad job, inwardly fuming at the Shihouin's desire to keep her friend in isolation from those who cared about him most.

The memory of Tenichi in the deep cell, his eyes wide and uncertain, and his cheeks made sallow by the pale blue prison attire, still haunted her memories. She had attended his trial, but had not been able to speak to him. She had seen the terror deep in his green eyes as the court process had gone on, a fear that had lurked in her own heart but, with Kohaku's testimony, the risk of a death sentence had been at an end. Five years had seemed an endless stretch of time to be separated from someone she had seen regularly week by week even when they were stationed at different barracks, but the weight of duty had made time skim by, and here they were, the day after Tenichi's release, once more both living under Seireitei's sky.  
 _  
But I don't know when I may see him, and even if I do, he can't come back to Thirteenth or visit there like he used to. It will be different, and my responsibilities have changed, too. Ketsui rarely needs my guidance, now, but I can't help but keep an eye on Koku, still. I pushed his case with Taichou, and I know it was the right thing, getting him to help with the recruits, but I suppose I shouldn't forget how things were for him five years ago, either. He's come on so far since he's been a shinigami, but I still feel responsible for him in some way. And now I'm going to help with the recruits on top of that, and no doubt will take their progress just as seriously, as they become new parts of my extended Division family...but I never quite forget the hole that Tenichi left when he decided to go to Seventh. I can't help but still think about it, even now._

She rubbed her temples, closing her eyes with a heavy sigh.

Being Fourth seat is an honour but a heavy responsibility, especially with Naoko-san away in the Real World. I almost wish I was there, instead of here...but I suppose that would be considered running away.

"You look pretty serious, this morning. I guess it's a long way down from such a high and illustrious rank, huh?"

The voice jerked her from her reverie, her eyes snapping open with surprise and disbelief at the familiar humour edging the speaker's tones. Where the front forecourt of the archive had been empty, she now had company, and, as she laid eyes on her companion, she felt a surge of astonished joy surge up inside her body. Before she knew what she was doing, she had let out a squeal of excitement, flinging her arms around the lean young man and hugging him tightly.

 _"Tenichi!"_

"Woah! Don't kill me!" Tenichi scolded her lightly, nonetheless returning her hug before gently extracting himself from her hold. "I'm still a little delicate - be gentle with me."

"Delicate?" Kirio sprang back, staring at him in consternation. "How so? Why? What happened? Did they hurt you?"

"Hurt me?" Tenichi looked startled, then he smiled ruefully, shaking his head. He rubbed his wrists pensively.

"Cuffs," he explained simply. "It's not nice, having those things taken off after just a few days, but five years worth of suppressed reiatsu? That hits you like a ton of bricks. Literally."

"I see," Kirio looked concerned. "But you're out and about, and in uniform?"

Tenichi nodded, looking resigned.

"I'm well enough for Kikyue-dono to consider me on duty," he agreed. "Fourth let me loose at dawn and Taichou made it clear that he wasn't going to mollycoddle me when I arrived back. He handed me straight over to Kikyue-dono, who spent about an hour telling me exactly what she thought of me - but I owe them all too much to complain. They stuck by me, so I'll do my best to do as they say. I feel hungover, and my appetite's still a bit ropey, but I can walk, so I can work, and that's what I told Kikyue-dono. As a result, here I am. In one piece - but a little delicate."

He gestured to the archive.

"Since I'm not quite drill-ready yet, and Reihahen isn't entirely speaking to me, I have had the fun job of doing some awesome and exciting paperwork research this morning," he added dryly. "Mundane stuff that was originally on Ohara's workload, but which Kikyue-dono told him to dump off on me instead. I'm on my own recognisance, as nobody can be spared to babysit the parolee, but I was given strict orders not to stray. I've been cooped up in one of the study bays most of the morning, and my head is spinning from staring at old documents, but I got it done. I was about to head back to Seventh to report and then, hopefully, spend the afternoon trying to placate my angry sword, when I saw you here."

"Isn't talking to me straying?" Kirio asked doubtfully, and Tenichi chuckled, shaking his head.

"You're probably my alibi, if anyone asks," he told her. "To be honest, though, blunt as Kikyue-dono's assessment was of me this morning, it felt good to be back in uniform and properly a member of the squad again. Some things have changed, but a lot hasn't. Kikyue-dono is still demanding, still strict, and still my patrol leader, on her own request, apparently. Hajime-dono welcomed me back and told me to just get on with it - that's all he's said, but I guess, as a Vice Captain now, he's got much more important things to do than worry about a subordinate in a different patrol. Since I was locked up, Ohara's taken Fourth Seat and Nakata-san's now Fifth, but I have the same room I had before, and Nakata-san's already given me some bruises to remind me to behave this time around. Ohara's probably the only real difference in all of this, actually. I was sure I'd hear every comment in his vocabulary about District shinigami when I got back - but he's said not a word about it so far, not even when giving me this morning's errand."

"Souja-dono's ghost is laid to rest?" Kirio asked gently, and Tenichi shrugged.

"As much as it ever can be," he acknowledged sadly. "Maybe more for them than for me, in some ways. I don't know, really. It feels like something has healed, anyway. I've had time to come to terms with Fukutaichou's death, I suppose. Whether it was or wasn't my fault doesn't matter, since either way, I can't take it back. Kikyue-dono told me that I have to prove myself worthy of keeping the Eighth seat, and right now, that's all I'm worrying about. Hajime-dono is my Vice Captain now - and that's as much as I want to think about it."

He patted her on the shoulder, his grave expression lightening somewhat.

"I heard from Shikiki about your promotion, though. My congratulations. You are becoming a lofty personage. When do you start running a Division in your own right?"

"Don't tease me," Relief crashed over Kirio as she realised that, despite the five year separation, there was the same, familiar warmth in Tenichi's banter, and she smiled, shaking her head. "I'm finding it intimidating being Fourth seat. Taichou said that one day, someone might look at me as an adjutant, but I really hope that's not going to happen soon. This is more than enough for me right now, believe me."

Her eyes softened, and she tilted her head on one side, taking in her friend's appearance. He was thinner than she remembered, and there were lines to his brow that had not been there five years before. His _shihakushou_ was neat and properly tied, but Kirio's sharp eyes could make out the fading white lines of scars around his throat and upper chest, not hidden by the folds of fabric, and she was reminded of the long and difficult time he must have spent in prison. Despite his clear loss of weight, though, there was something leaner and fitter in his overall demeanour, as though every inch beneath the skin was muscle and bone. At her scrutiny, Tenichi's expression became sheepish.

"I'm all right," he answered her unspoken question. "You can ask, Kirio, it's all right. I'm not going to run from it, nor am I going to try and hide what happened. I did something stupid, and I was punished. Like I told Shikiki, it's something I intend to learn from. Endou-taichou has been fair to me. He's given me a second chance and he hasn't even docked my rank. My conviction right now is to do everything I can to support Seventh and repay that kindness. I intend to look forward, and not back."

"Ukitake-taichou told me you're not allowed to come to Thirteenth," Kirio's expression became apologetic, and Tenichi shrugged, linking his arm in hers and leading her away from the archive, in the direction of the road that led to both the Seventh and the Thirteenth's Division barracks.

"I'm not," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean you and I can't talk. My parole prevents me from visiting the scene of the crime, or approaching my victim, but I'm not considered a general danger, and I don't have to be chaperoned outside of the Division grounds. Kai-dono didn't think that I was likely to reoffend in that way, but I suspect part of the reason is that, if I annoy Seventh again, I will probably be vaporised on the spot."

He smiled grimly.

"Not my ideal outcome, so I'm going to behave," he added. "Taichou has said that, if it doesn't interfere with my work, friends can visit me at Seventh, and I hope you'll keep that in mind. I may be looking forward, but I'm not discarding the people who have stuck by me through all of this. I admit, I was apprehensive about seeing you again, since the last time I did I was in no fit state to see anyone - but your mad hug told me that I shouldn't have worried."

"Of course you shouldn't, idiot. We're friends and practically family," Kirio scolded. "I wouldn't betray you or turn my back on you and you shouldn't even doubt it. You kept a lot of stuff from us, the last time, but if you think I'll let you get away with that again, you're wrong. You need to swallow your pride sometimes and admit it, if you need help. I'm always your friend, so I'll try and listen, no matter what."

She looked troubled.

"I'm sorry I didn't come see you in prison," she continued, "but they wouldn't let me. I tried to convince them we were as good as family, but then something happened and you weren't allowed visitors and after that, only Ketsui was ever allowed to go."

"Ah..." Tenichi's expression became embarrassed. "Yes. Well. That was not one of my smartest ideas. I lost my temper and started a fight with a guard. It's one of those mistakes that, in a Shihouin prison, you only make once...if you know what I mean."

He shrugged philosophically.

"I'm not going to hit anyone I'm not ordered to hit now I'm back, don't worry," he added. "And I'm certainly not going to be releasing my sword on other Division recruits. I don't mind that Thirteenth is a no go area, because, right now, I don't feel like I can go there without remembering what I did and how people must think of me...but even if I could, I wouldn't be repeating the mistake. I've decided mistakes are fine, if you live to review them, so long as you only make them once. Since I already made that one, I'm going to avoid it in future."

"Ketsui is in the Real World at the moment. He's not at Thirteenth, anyway," Kirio remarked, and Tenichi nodded.

"Taichou told me that, too," he agreed. "I admit, I'm nervous about how things will be between us now I'm released - but I guess that will just have to wait for another day. I know you are still my friend, even though I was an idiot - and that is enough for now."

His eyes became clouded.

"Kirio, I know you'll tell me honestly," he added slowly. "Probably more so than Ketsui himself will, in fact. About the Ichimaru girl..."

"What about her?" Kirio looked surprised. "She's still at Thirteenth, of course, but I guess you know that. It's why your parole is the way it is."

"Yes, and I've no interest in attacking her again, don't worry," Tenichi rubbed his chin with his free hand, letting out a sigh. "It's just...Ketsui isn't always the most detailed and descriptive person, and he doesn't always say things quite as clearly as I'd like. I guess he thought it a hard subject, but I got the feeling he...where she was concerned..."

"Ah," Kirio's expression became one of comprehension. She nodded. "Yes. They don't talk about it as such - I think they've both decided that it's something that doesn't require words, since Ichimaru-san can't speak, but yes, I think it's serious, Tenichi. I think it was already...a bit that way when you...well, five years ago, but over the last few years..."

She shrugged.

"Ichimaru-san is scientific and something of a prodigy in the subject," she added. "She could easily have recruited with Third or Twelfth; Nagesu-sama thinks a good deal of her and her ability and has often asked for her to review things on his behalf. She chose to stay with Thirteenth, though, because she and Ketsui are close. I suspect...well, I think that probably won't change. They are a good pair, honestly...and if you want me to be blunt, I think...I think Ketsui's pretty much in love with her for keeps."

"Mm," Tenichi's expression was unreadable for a moment, then he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I can't take it back, so I'll have to go forward and hope I can reach out a good enough olive branch for him - for them - to forgive me," he said at length. "I got that impression, but I knew you'd say it for sure. And, if it's like that, I'm going to have to find some way of dealing with the fact I tried to kill my potential future sister-in-law. I don't want to lose Ketsui - but we both need to re-establish our relationship as brothers now. Somehow that huge boulder of awkwardness is going to have to be climbed over...so I guess now it's for me to figure out how to do that, when I'm forbidden to be within talking distance of the girl, at least for the forseeable future."

"Ichimaru-san's never blamed you. She's always said it was wrong - you attacked her because you misunderstood who she was, and she couldn't tell you your mistake," Kirio said thoughtfully. "We all speak a little of her sign language, now, but only Koku is totally fluent. Ketsui does pretty well, mind you...but sometimes I think she communicates with him in other ways than signing. I do remember, though, that it was Ichimaru-san who made sure Ketsui came and made his peace with you. She only has her brother in terms of family, too...and as I said, she's smart. She understands, and she cares for Ketsui. I think she'll probably deal with the whole business better than either of you two will."

"Probably," Tenichi acknowledged. "It's reassuring to hear that, though. Thank you."

He cast her a crooked smile.

"Koku...Kohaku is a permanent fixture here too, then, now?"

"He's our Twelfth Seat, as of last ranking," Kirio nodded. "Taichou has well and truly adopted him, and maybe I have too, in some ways. He's settled pretty well. He's...not quite like everyone else in a lot of ways, but then again, in others, he is. He's a good kid, Tenichi. I'm glad he's had a chance to find his niche."

"I owe him my life, so I can't argue with that," Tenichi grinned, and the preoccupation was gone. "When there's an opportunity, I need to find time to thank him for being my defence at my court hearing. His brother may be a mad outlaw, but I'm not going to assume it runs in the blood...besides, I'm not in a position to judge, given my prison credentials. I've decided to judge people entirely on who they are, not who they're connected to - and I intend to make good on all my debts. Whatever I think of Keitarou and what he intended, Kohaku is different. I've disowned Keitarou in my mind, but that doesn't mean I can't look on Kohaku as family."

"Ketsui says the same. He's told Koku to consider him kin, and he's done a lot of training with the kid," Kirio agreed. She paused, gazing up at the imposing insignia of the hunting bird that hung like a sentinel over the entrance of the Seventh Division. "And I guess that means we're here."

"It does. Thank you for escorting me home, Kirio-yonseki," Tenichi bowed towards her in mock formality. "You really are racing ahead of me, now. For a former Academy Anideshi, that's quite shameful on my part. I'll have to work doubly hard, now, to catch you up."

"You haven't given up, then, on improving your rank?" Kirio cast him a surprised look, and Tenichi sent her a sheepish smile. He shook his head.

"If I gave up on that, what would the point be in trying to rebuild my life?" he asked simply. "I decided in prison, Kirio. I won't let Keitarou destroy me. Mother wanted Ketsui and I to move away from that side of things. I brushed against it, briefly, but I escaped and I'm still here. Sure, I'm a little tarnished, but I've taken lessons from it, too. Right now, I have no prospects outside of Seventh, and the competition there is tough, so I have my work cut out for me. But I'm not running away from that challenge. I still believe that - when Reihahen starts talking to me again - we make a decent team. And...this time...I'm going to prove that I can be trusted to use that team for Soul Society's benefit. I still mean to be a top level officer one day, even if it takes me my whole life. Now I'm back here, I can try and focus on winning back people's good opinion."

"I'm glad," Kirio gave her friend another hug, gazing at him with a warm smile on her face. "You're here, and you're okay. You are different - maybe wiser - but you're still Tenichi, and Keitarou didn't break you. I'm happy to see you back, and I'm on your side, always. Remember that, okay? It's not a competition, this rank thing."

"If it was, you're already wiping the floor with me," was Tenichi's wry reply, but he nodded, returning the hug with one of his own. "Okay. I need to go and report to my patrol officer before she comes and eats me, and I'm sure Ukitake-taichou will have something for his important Fourth Seat to do when you get back. We'll talk again soon, though, Kirio. That's a promise."

"Mhm," Kirio nodded, watching her friend saunter back beneath the wings of the hunting bird and into the Division proper. Then, once she could no longer see him, she turned on her heel, making her way slowly back towards her own Division barracks.

Despite the distance now between them, the encounter had reassured her.

 _Bit by bit, Seireitei is healing from the things Keitarou did. Bit by bit, everything is coming back together._

She gazed up at the sky, a pensive look on his face.  
 _  
I hope that it continues going in that direction. Tenichi coming back heals another scar left behind by the events of five years ago, and he sounded like himself. Like he really did come to terms with everything, locked away. Maybe now it will all be all right, like Taichou said, and things can move forward. I hope so, anyway. I like Seireitei in peace-time...and I really want to see the back of that man's influence for good._

* * *

"Help with the new recruits?"

Kohaku paused in his tidying away training equipment, casting his Captain a look of dismay. "But Taichou, surely…I mean, I'm only the Twelfth Seat, and it's not as though…I mean I'm just…"

He trailed off, biting down hard on his lip, and Juushirou sighed, resting both hands on his protege's shoulders. It was the evening before the new intake of recruits from the Academy and, mindful of his assurances to Kirio, Juushirou had decided that he should address the issue of induction duty himself. Kohaku had been busy most of the day but, aware he could not put it off any longer, the Captain had located his junior in the training gym, helping with the clearing up from afternoon drill.

"I'm sorry to drop it on you when you've had such a full day. Even more so considering you volunteered to help with the gym equipment, but it can't be helped," he said evenly. "I didn't want to give you too long to worry about it, but I don't think it would be fair to impose it on you tomorrow morning, so I'm letting you know now. Kayashima and Kirio will also be involved – Kirio has accepted and specifically asked for your inclusion, so I didn't think it right to turn her down. I've asked her to notify Kayashima, but I decided to speak to you myself."

"Kirio-san asked for me?" Kohaku looked horrified, then, "I don't understand. She knows how I feel about new people, and…well…what am I meant to say to them? It's not like I know anything about inducting new recruits."

"Kirio pointed out to me that you are now a Twelfth Seated officer, and in our current Thirteenth, with so many officers of Fifteenth Seat or below, that is a rank at which things like sub-patrol responsibilities may be awarded," Juushirou chided his companion gently. "You came here to become a shinigami, didn't you? We both know that you've worked very hard these past five years, and I'm pleased with your progress. But you know that you can't just stop here and sit back. You have to remember that with rank comes responsibility, and Kirio is quite right. This is the kind of job you and Kayashima should both be ready for. It's part of your duty to this Division, to help the members with less experience settle in."

"I see," Kohaku's expression became troubled. "I suppose I understand. I'm being a bother, aren't I? The truth is, though, that they have more experience than I do. I've not learned all the things they did, and I've just…well, we both know I'm unorthodox. What if they ask me questions and I can't answer them?"

"You didn't train at the Academy, it's true," Juushirou agreed. "And I understand that a flurry of new reiatsu signatures is wont to unsettle you, which is why I've never taken you to task on your avoidance tactics before. But this time, it won't do. Kirio will be leading a patrol to the border camp this weekend, and I thought you'd like to be included – but if you can't engage with the recruits, I can't possibly send you on that kind of mission. Some of the new folk will be going too, and I need to know that the seated officers I send are ready to deal with the potential problem of their inexperience. You have Division experience, even if you haven't been a student with Genryuusai-sensei, and that can make all the difference – but if you feel that's not possible for you, I might have to reconsider ranking you at Twelfth Seat."

"Demote me?" Kohaku could not look more stricken, and Juushirou sighed, patting his companion lightly on the shoulder.

"It's not me who makes that decision, it's you," he said gently. "We both know that you aren't here to make up numbers. You're a good shinigami, now, and you've learned a lot – but you can't plateau here. I doubt your sword will humour you running away – and while you train diligently and patrol as you should, that isn't the whole of your duty, is it?"

"I…suppose not," Kohaku lowered his gaze, letting out a heavy sigh. "I know you're right, sir. I'm sorry. I'll help Kirio-san and Kayashima tomorrow. I mean, I don't like it but…but you're right. Kyouka Raigen would be cross with me if I did something that got me demoted and…and I do want to go to the border camp."

"Good lad," Juushirou was relieved, offering him a smile. "I think you probably understand better than most the kind of feelings a new recruit has on entering the Gotei, so you might surprise yourself with your ability to help them."

"I suppose I worry they'll ask…about Father," Kohaku gazed at his hands. "I can't lie about who I am, and it's not that they won't find out, but I do…hate questions about my name."

"Yes," Juushirou looked grave. "But it's only by knowing you that they'll learn how different you are from Keitarou. In the long run, it's better to get that over with quickly. Kirio advised me so and I know she's right. She's thinking of you too, you know," he added.

"Yeah, maybe," Kohaku grimaced. "Oh well. I'll do it. I won't cause trouble. Kayashima will be there too, so that will help. I won't run away, Taichou. I give my word."

"Good lad," Juushirou grinned. "Then you can go. Oh, one more thing," as Kohaku made to obey the instruction, "about Sensei's book. Have you had a chance to look at it?"

"I've read a few chapters, but I haven't got through most of it yet," Kohaku looked thoughtful. "It's really interesting, though I'm not totally sure if it will help me or not with understanding Kyouka Raigen. I'm learning a lot about the swords in general, but I suppose only Kyouka Raigen can really teach me about itself."

"Yes, that is true," Juushirou pressed his lips together, considering this, and then he let out a heavy sigh, nodding. "Very well. I'm sure Sensei entrusted it to you with the hope that you might take something important from it, and I trust his judgement, so try and keep reading it, all right? I know it's an additional duty for you, but you are a special case, and I'd feel happier if we covered all options regarding your sword if we can."

"It's not like a duty at all, because I love to read. I'm enjoying it," Kohaku assured his companion. "I'll find time to finish it, sir. I like learning new things about Seireitei and its past."

"Then I'll leave it with you," Juushirou reflected. "Tomorrow morning, though, don't forget. I expect the recruits bright and early, and I want them to have a good first impression of the Thirteenth, so make sure you aren't late!"

* * *

He had been walking in darkness for eternity, soaked in red and with the scars of battle etched into his body. Every step ached with the pain of despair and defeat, like a black hole yawning open deep inside of his body. The robes he wore were tattered and stained with ash and detritus, and the screams of the women and the children echoed in his ears. The world had been dark forever, bleak, broken and shattered. What had come before it? He didn't know. All he knew was the darkness. The darkness into which he had been thrown.

There was a sword in his hand, the hilt tarnished and the blade rusty from years of neglect. He swung the weapon tentatively, but his arm hung loose and limp from its socket, and the movement was clumsy and ungainly, sending ricochets of pain through his body once more. As he dragged the weapon up towards his line of sight, his blurry eyes realised that the stains that marked the blade were not rust, after all, but dried blood, the sickly sweet smell still pungent to his senses.

And then, there was light.

The darkness that had enveloped him had parted, opening and shaking and spewing him out like a child vomiting up mouldy food. He landed on the grass, a foreign sensation to his sallow skin, and for a moment he grasped at it, dizzy and disorientated by the lights and colours that now surrounded him.

Where was he?

Who was he?

Why was he here?

The answers were not forthcoming, but, as he struggled to his feet, he remembered the clash of weapon against weapon, the whinny of horses and the clatter of hooves. He remembered the moans of the dying, the broken and dismembered remains that lay all around him, soaking the ground an unnatural, eerie crimson. He remembered the feel of his blade against flesh, the eyes of his victim, sinking back into their skulls as life flowed from them. He remembered the ragdolls he had flung from his blade, pushing them aside and trampling them with his own horse as he sought his next victim. He tightened his grip on his weapon, sudden excitement and adrenaline flowing through his disjointed body, but he found it difficult to coordinate his movements, his limbs not responding in the way he expected. Where was his horse? Where was his page? Where were his loyal troops, marching behind him to die on his orders?

He gazed down at the ripped fabric of his clothing, taking in the torn insignia of a family to which he no longer understood his connection.

Where was the enemy? Why did they hide from him? Why did they shame him?

Anger began to replace the anticipation and excitement, as he saw the deep, purple bruises on his arms where blood had pooled beneath the surface from lack of circulation. He remembered the rough sensation of hands against his skin, pulling him from his horse, tying him and dragging him through the city. He remembered the laughs and the jeers of the people, the throwing of stones that had cut him and made him bleed. He remembered the shame of being pulled through the dust, and then, the eternal blackness that had swallowed him without remorse.

They had laughed at him.

He would not forgive them.

He gazed around him, struggling to register where he was. The grass was not bloody, though yellowed in places, and flowers dotted the area where he stood. He no longer wore anything on his feet, and his toes were black, his feet deformed and, in places, missing chunks of the flesh, laying bone open to the elements and causing further pain. His vision was poor, and his hands were still gloved but, beneath the leather he could feel the fabric rubbing against bone, and knew that his arms, too, were wounded beyond all recognition.

This is what they had done to him. This was their way of humiliating him...he would not let it rest.

The sound of laughter from a nearby hut startled him, and he turned, slowly, trying to locate the source of the noise. His gaze rested upon a young woman, a child playing around her feet, and a mix of hatred and despair swirled up inside of him.

They were laughing at him.

He would not forgive them.

With a screeching roar he raised his blooded sword over his head, stumbling and tripping over his heavy feet as he charged towards the direction of the house. The child, alerted first to the threat began to scream, and the young woman grasped the infant in her arms, turning as if to flee. There was no fleeing from him that day, though, for he would have his revenge.

Acid-like bile surged up through his gut, searing through his whole digestion and dripping down from his jaws onto the grass below. His teeth, rotted and black from years of decay were loose and rattled in his mouth as he charged across the landscape, but he did not stop, bearing down on the woman and child and swinging his sword with a heavy, lingering thud. There was a spray of blood, then another, as, in a frenzy of killing rage, he struck the woman again and again. The woman fell, the child cowering beneath her mutilated body, but the attacker was not done yet. He pared the dead woman apart at the spine, pushing the dissected remains aside and drilling the tip of his blade down through the vulnerable body of the infant. The child fell immediately, and in the eerie silence that followed, the killer became aware of more eyes on him, of fear that added a thrill to the thought of attack, and the gathering members of the small Rukongai settlement who had just witnessed a monster slaughter two of their own.

The images of the battlefield flashed once more into his thoughts, the seeping red of the grass beneath his feet blurring reality and history in his mind. He raised his weapon again, letting out a shrieking battle cry. He surged forward, no longer caring that, as he ran, bits of his toes were falling by the wayside, and fragments of bone were burying themselves in the ground. He would have his satisfaction...this time, they would not win. They would not laugh at him any more, for he had returned.

As men and women fled, others dying beneath the swing of his blade, he felt a surge of triumph that, at last, he would put things to rights.

He would make them pay. All of them.

He was vengeance, and any who crossed his path would die.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 _Sorry for the gory stuff. I promise, I haven't lost my mind. (Well, no more than usual)_ _ **.  
**_ _Clearly this isn't a Hollow. There are reasons for the choices I've made in this story, and with this theme, and I hope to explain them as the story goes on. It seems a little early to do that yet..._

 _Also - to the anon reviewer who I know is not anon, thank you 3._

 _I'm quite busy at the moment and my PC just had a meltdown, so this story is likely to go on hiatus for a while after this upload._


	9. New Recruits

**Chapter Eight: New Recruits**

Well, they had made it.

Shinobu took a breath of fresh morning air, casting a glance of triumph around the open courtyard of the Thirteenth Division as he drank in his new environment. He had waited and trained for this moment for the past six years but, now it was here, there was a surreal sense of unreality about it. If not for the black and white shihakushou in which he was perfectly and neatly robed, he might have mistaken their early morning departure from the Academy as yet another one of Genryuusai's exercises, but, as he snuck a glance along the line of his fellows, he realised that the Academy was now a part of his past. From this point on he was Yatsubashi Shinobu of the Thirteenth Division, and as he digested this, he said an inward murmur of thanks to his old teacher for helping make this moment a reality.

 _Now we can do our bit to help the people back home, rather than just hearing the stories. Maybe we can create some of our own, too – just like Ukitake-taichou did, when he first came to Seventh District._

"Attention!"

A crisp voice rang out across the courtyard, and the ten recruits hurried to obey the instructions. Shinobu shifted a curious gaze to the speaker, a young woman with a thick tail of wavy red hair and green eyes. She could not be quite as tall as he was, he realised with a jolt, yet she clearly held some division rank, for the two officers in her slipstream were treating her with deference, standing to attention in the same way the recruits were. She turned, nodding to each of them to stand at ease, then turned her attention back to the newcomers, casting a glance over each of them as she walked slowly down the line.

"You're here in good time," she said at length, and Shinobu felt that they'd somehow passed an unexplained test. "My name is Hikifune Kirio and I'm the Fourth Seated Officer of the Thirteenth. Like you, I'm a graduate of the Academy, and I understand the level of training all of you have received and cleared to be here. Thirteenth Division has a strong ethic of teamwork and mutual support, and over the next few days, it will be for you to understand your place in that framework. You are not here for Thirteenth Division to do things for you, but to be a part of Thirteenth Division and add to it with your hard work and diligence."

She paused, allowing this to sink in, then she smiled, and the aura of gravity was suddenly broken.

"Being a recruit is very different from being an Academy student," she said simply. "Taichou has a firm policy about recruitment, and therefore there are no immediate seatings in this Division. All recruits serve a minimum of one full year in that role, understanding their position and the hierarchy of the Division, and undertaking the tasks given to them, obeying the orders of their seniors. While innovation is prized, it is vital that you all know why a Senior officer gives a command and why it should be obeyed. The best way of doing this is to work your way through the division through individual hard work and effort. Whatever your grades before this, you are all now equal and you are not the only recruits here. There are four others from last year who have not yet been given full rank, and they have a year's experience on you, so mind that you learn from them too. Ten is a large intake, but we are not in the habit of recruiting people we don't think will belong here. For that reason, welcome to your new home. I suggest you each resolve to give it your full attention, loyalty and dedication from this point on."

She gestured to her two companions, who, at her words, had exchanged looks, one of them offering the other a knowing smile.

"Kayashima is our Eleventh Seat, and Kohaku our Twelfth Seated officer," she explained. "From this point on, until you are summoned before the Captain this afternoon, the six male recruits are subject to their instructions. They have been told to induct you fully into the life of the division, and will answer your questions, but remember, they are your senior officers, and you should address them appropriately. The girls," she added, glancing at Kawakami, "will come with me, and I'll show you your quarters and such like. This afternoon, Fukutaichou intends to run a training exercise. There is an important patrol going out at the weekend and there are a few recruit slots open. Taichou hopes that some of you will impress him enough to fill them, even though you have only just arrived, so I suggest you stay on your mettle."

At the Academy, Shinobu knew that such a comment would have been greeted with murmurs of excitement but, despite the flare of eagerness that had risen inside of him at Kirio's revelations, he did not speak a word. His companions remained similarly silent, and Kirio nodded.

"Girls, come with me," she instructed. "Kayashima, you're in charge of the rest. At ease!"

This last to the recruits, and Shinobu hastened to obey, watching as the senior officer led the four female recruits away towards the main building. The six remaining male recruits exchanged glances with each other, and the seated officer, who Kirio had called Kayashima let out a chuckle of amusement.

"This place is a lot different from the Academy," he observed playfully, "but one thing is still the same. Girls and guys don't share quarters. Nor baths. Ever."

He gestured to himself.

"Like Hikifune-san said, I'm Kayashima Eiji, and I'm Eleventh Seat. I was a recruit here first almost six years ago, so rest assured, there's nothing I don't know about it!"

He gave his companion a little nudge, and, much to Shinobu's surprise, the other shinigami reddened, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"Your turn. Introduce yourself properly, idiot." Kayashima sent his friend a pointed look. There was a moment of hesitation, as the other shinigami seemed to debate what he should do, then he let out a sigh, his shoulders sinking as if in defeat.

"I'm...I'm Aizen Kohaku, and I'm the Twelfth Seated officer," he said reluctantly. "I've been here five years, now, and I'll do my best to help."  
 _  
Aizen Kohaku?_

Shinobu blinked, certain that he had misheard.  
 _  
Surely that couldn't be right. It must be a coincidence. Why would an Aizen be right here, in the middle of the Division Ukitake-taichou runs? Ukitake-taichou is known in District Seven as one who fought against Aizen Keitarou and all his bad intentions, even as a student. There are tons of legends about it, back home. This can't be the same family - it must be a different Aizen. There's just no way._

"Hey, daydreamer, snap out of it!" Kayashima's voice booming in his ear made Shinobu start out of his reverie, turning to send a guilty look at his superior officer amid laughter from his friends. "Your turn. You kids need to identify yourselves, too. We need to know who we're inducting, so hurry up and introduce yourself. We don't want to be here all day. Fukutaichou won't be amused if you're late for training because one of you took a waking nap."

"I'm sorry, sir!" Shinobu scrambled to compose himself, knowing that his cheeks were blazing red at his uncharacteristic lapse in attention. "My name is Yatsubashi Shinobu. I'm from Seventh District, and I was Anideshi last year at the Academy."

"Anideshi, huh? I hope you weren't spacing out then, too," Kayashima's words were light and teasing. "Okay, Yatsubashi from Seventh. Next?"

"Naniwa Hiroshi," Hiroshi cast Shinobu a quizzical glance, then turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "I'm from Sixth District. Near the border with Five."

"That's not far from where Taichou grew up," Kohaku observed, and Hiroshi grinned.

"I heard that," he agreed. "I know a couple of Ukitake, not far from where I was born. I never met Taichou before he came to the Academy, though, so I don't know whether they were family to him or not, and I guess it doesn't matter, really."

"Next?" Kayashima's gaze roved down the line, and Morata stood forward.

"Morata Junji. I'm from District Three."

"Takahashi Kenzou. District Two."

"Tanemura Masahiko. District Eight."

"Katou Heisuke. District Four."

At length the introductions were over, and Kayashima stood back, mulling this list over thoughtfully.

"Everyone's from different places," he reflected with a grin. "Well, that's good. Diversity is good."

"Kayashima-san, what District are you from?" Takahashi asked, and Kayashima's grin widened.

"I'm from Fifth," he said matter-of-factly. "Right bang smack in the middle of it, as it happens. But Thirteenth is like that. We do have people from all over the place."

"What about Aizen-san?" Shinobu had asked the question before he realised he was going to, and at the sound of it, Kohaku flinched, a look of distress entering his brown eyes.

"Koku is Kohaku. We call him that," before he could react, however, Kayashima had intervened, shooting his friend a grin. "Well, you guys understand, right? It's an awkward surname to have in this climate, so we try to keep things less complicated. Right, Koku?"

"Right," For some reason, Kohaku looked relieved at this explanation, nodding his head. "I'm sorry, but that's how it is. And I can't really answer your question, Yatsubashi-kun. I'm not really from any District, not really."

"Not from any District?" Hiroshi's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you from the nobility then, Kohaku-san?"

"Decidedly not," Kohaku spoke with deep irony, and Kayashima chuckled.

"Well, in a manner of speaking, maybe," he bantered, and Kohaku grimaced in his direction.

"I'm not from the Clans," he said, casting Hiroshi an apologetic look. "I'm District. Well. In a way. I was actually born in Rukongai. My parents were...erm...working there at the time, so I was born there. I don't belong to a District because of that."

"Born in Rukongai, huh," Takahashi looked impressed. "I've never even been to Rukongai. But we'll get to go, right? I mean, now we're recruits, it's part of our job, isn't it?"

"Thirteenth Division aren't on a Rukon rotation right now," Kayashima shook his head. "We're due a Real World rotation, but recruits never get deployed to the Real World. It's too dangerous."

"But we've all been to the Real World already," Katou objected. "We went as part of our Senior Year. Why would it be too dangerous for us to go now?"

"We're not at the Academy any more, that's why," Shinobu recovered his wits, casting his former classmate a dark look. "You don't think that Sensei didn't pick out the place we went or kept an eye on what we did? This isn't like that. No safety nets. This is real. Sure, Taichou and Fukutaichou aren't going to send us places and not care if we get killed, but if we go somewhere, it's to do a job. We're not there to be nannied, and we haven't proven to anyone yet that we're reliable, let alone able to manage in a full on field environment."

"Yatsubashi's right," Kayashima nodded. "Truth is, Koku and I haven't been yet, either. The cut-off is Thirteenth Seat, and we were promoted just a month or so back. So it will be our first eligible rotation, too. Taichou takes people's skills seriously, but also their safety. That's one of the things here in Thirteenth. Taichou sends the people he believes are best for the job - and we don't argue with it, because, generally, he's right."

"We will go to Rukongai, anyway, when it's our next rotation," Kohaku added. "Meanwhile, there's a lot of Seireitei to patrol as well. The Districts are all quite pretty, really, and it's good to help the people in the villages and towns."

"Well, doing that is a big reason why I signed up, so no complaints here," Morata observed. "I wanted to be able to protect people like my family, so Seireitei patrolling is right up my street."

"There'll be endless supplies of that, believe me," Kayashima rolled his eyes at Kohaku, who grinned, nodding his head. "In the meantime, we should move. Hikifune-san briefed me on which room you guys are sharing - it's the one Koku and I used to bunk in, so we'll be sure to tell you all the good and bad points - then I guess we'll show you the bath rota, the patrol rota board, the mess hall and the training grounds. Anything else I forgot, Koku?"

"The koi pond," Kohaku's eyes twinkled faintly with mischief, and Kayashima laughed.

"Yes, the koi pond," he agreed, as though they had just shared some private joke between them. "Keeping that tidy is an important recruit duty. Taichou takes it very seriously - it's one of Thirteenth's most stunning aesthetic features, but in reality, Taichou just likes his fish and his water, and we do what we can to make sure both are clean and healthy."

"Taichou likes fish?" Takahashi looked blank. "To eat or to watch?"

"Both, I think," Kohaku looked thoughtful. "His sword spirits are also fish, though. He told me that, when he was training me. I suppose he has a strong connection with things like that."

"I didn't know that," Kayashima looked startled, and Kohaku grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

"Taichou likes fish," he said simply. "I suppose we can just leave it at that."

"Ukitake-taichou came in person to meet with us at the Academy," Hiroshi reflected, as the group made their way across the courtyard towards the main sleeping quarters of the bulk of Thirteenth's expanding personnel. "I hadn't decided on my Division up till then, but I liked the way he made Thirteenth sound. I don't know if this is the right time to ask this, but I suppose I'm still curious about how much it matters, as a District Squad, in a really Clan society. It's not that I have any problems with Clan, and some of my friends from the Academy are Clan students recruiting to other squads, but I suppose it did occur to me. Do you get a lot of prejudice, or is that really just something in the past?"

"It's mostly in the past, I think," Kayashima pursed his lips, considering the question. "I certainly am not aware of it. You know our Vice Captain and Third Seat are both Clan born? Well," as the recruits nodded, "the moment you meet either one of them you'll realise that the line is blurred both ways. Fukutaichou especially. He's very vocal about people being given rank based on what they can do, and he works over hours sometimes to make sure anyone who's flagging or lagging behind is brought up to speed. I think that Taichou's helped, too. He's been known to march down to the Council of Elders and speak his mind to them on occasion in the past. Plus, he has a lot of strong friendships among the other Clan Captains."

"He takes on the Council of Elders?" Tanemura's eyes almost fell out of his head. "You mean, the place the Clan bigwigs go to decide things like Seireitei laws and so on?"

"He's yelled at them a few times," Kayashima nodded, clearly enjoying the fact he was creating a sensation. "Apparently he's known for it. So people have said, anyhow. He's not at all scared of them. He just goes and says what he thinks and a lot of the time they listen. I don't think he'd stand for anyone discriminating against District kids any more. The world has changed, and it's going to stay changed."

"He yelled at them on my behalf, actually, once," Kohaku reflected pensively. "Because I was born in Rukongai, and everything was...well...uncertain, really. A lot of people didn't want me to be recruited, but Taichou fought my corner and he won. Because of that, I'm here and able to do what I believe in doing."

"I guess Ukitake-taichou really is a hero, huh, Shinobu?" Hiroshi nudged his friend, and Shinobu frowned.

"Stop teasing me," he retorted. "I said he was a great Captain and worth admiring. That's all. Stop making me out to be some kind of hysterical fanboy."

"If it's like that, Yatsubashi, you and Koku had better start a fan club," Kayashima observed playfully, then, "ow!" as Kohaku swiped his friend across the back of the head. "What's that for? Everyone knows you're Ukitake-taichou's ward and his pet protege, so there's no point in pretending you don't idolise him."

"Stop being an idiot," Kohaku retorted categorically. "I'm a member of the Thirteenth, like you are. Not being loyal to my Captain would be stranger, so shut up. We're meant to be showing recruits around, not making drama out of nonsense."

He cast a smile at the bewildered recruits.

"You'll want to settle your stuff in your quarters and there's still a lot to show you," he added. "The room is this way. Follow me."

"You do know that hitting me is insubordination," Kayashima rubbed his head ruefully. "I do rank one up on you, you know."

"Well, then stop saying stupid things. You'll give people the wrong idea," was Kohaku's matter-of-fact response. "We don't have time for it, so stop wasting that time. Kirio-san will be cross with us if we don't do this properly, and if you want to be on punishment detail, you can be on it on your own!"

With that he was gone, and, rolling his eyes, Kayashima headed after him, turning to gesture for the recruits to follow. They did so, exchanging looks as they were led inside the panel walled building and along a narrow corridor to a small, airy chamber at the very far end. It was not excessive, but comfortably appointed with six identical bunks spaced evenly and two windows that let in plenty of light.

"Pick your bunks," Kayashima instructed them. "They're all pretty much the same, so pick one and stick to it. If you're a wuss when it's cold, maybe stay away from the window - it picks up a breeze in the winter. Otherwise there's no real difference, so it's not worth a battle over."

"It seems nice," Tanemura reflected, pulling his travel bag from his shoulder and resting it across the covers of the nearest bunk. "This one will do me. I'm not fussy."

"Me either," Shinobu was quick to follow suit, striding across the room and dropping his own bag down on the window bunk. "I don't mind it cold, either, so I'll take that one."

"We're all used to dorm living, so it's almost like a home from home," Hiroshi reflected, as he and the others each selected their own bunks, dumping their belongings on the covers. "How far are we from the main centre of operations, Kohaku-san?"

"You mean the training grounds or the mess hall?" Kohaku asked, and Hiroshi grinned, shrugging.

"Either, but probably the latter," he admitted, and Kayashima let out a low chuckle of appreciation.

"Well, put it this way, it pays to be up early if you want to avoid a stampede," he said frankly. "This corridor is long, and it's not very wide. You guys are at the end of it...and everyone in the rooms ahead of you wakes up just as hungry. Unless you're into window-jumping, which I don't recommend if Shikibu-san is on duty in the yard, it can be a crush."

"Shikibu-san is the Third Seat, isn't she?" Katou asked. Kohaku nodded.

"She's on a mission to the Real World at the moment, so she isn't here," he agreed. "She normally handles recruit induction, but because she's away, Kirio-san was sent to do it instead. With us, of course. You'll probably meet her in a few days, when she's back."

"Is she strict?" Hiroshi looked apprehensive, and Kayashima shrugged.

"Yes, but she is mostly fair," he said honestly. "Just, she doesn't like things that shouldn't happen. Window-jumping is one of the above, so if you're going to do it, make sure you know who's on duty where and when and don't get caught. It's really not worth it, because you'll waste more time being scolded than you would trying to get through the crowd."

He glanced around at the bunks, nodding in approval as he saw each one had been neatly claimed. "Right, now that's done, leave your stuff and come with us. We'll give you the full tour, and you can ask us any questions you may have as we go along. If we can answer, then we will - and if not, you can ask Fukutaichou later on when you see him for drill. Koku, you're closest to the door, so lead the way, huh? We'll head to the mess hall, since Naniwa is so interested in how to get there, and move on from there."

"All right," Kohaku nodded, casting the slightly embarrassed Hiroshi a grin. "The mess hall it is. Let's go."

* * *

The first sensation that something was wrong in the Rukon was the sound of people's screams.

From atop a tall pine tree, where he had been lazily drowsing in the morning sunlight, the young man was jerked to wakefulness by the sound of panic and mayhem from the settlement across the rise. Alert in an instant, he drew his body tight to the trunk of the tree, half fearing that the sudden flood of chaos was some kind of military incursion and that they had located his spiritual trail. As he pulled himself higher into the branches of the dense evergreen, however, he caught sight of a dark, hazy blip cloaking the horizon in the direction of the old peasant village and, as he fixed his gaze on that location, the sun glinted off what could only be the blade of some kind of sword.

 _An attack.  
_  
Fear was replaced by anger in the young man's soul, and he scrambled down the tree at speed, aware now of what he had not picked up before. A spiritual presence, dense and broken, loomed on the horizon, and, in the direction of that dark hole in the landscape was a monster, a monster with a weapon, killing innocent people for fun.

 _Well, not on my watch._

Always lithe and quick on his feet, the youth knew all the short-cuts and track pathways to get around the Rukon with the minimum of fuss, but, in the past five years, he had never had cause to respond to an attack of this nature. Indeed, as he sped through the winding forest, not making a single error in knowing which tree to skirt around and which to duck beneath, he reflected that if anything, the number of Hollow incidents in both Seireitei and Rukongai had significantly dropped. In the five years since peace had fallen over Seireitei, the shinigami who governed the land from their selective Inner Seireitei and their surrounding Clan strongholds had put their minds to appeasing the population, and regular patrols had taken care of the majority of the threat. Even here, in the darkest part of Rukongai where even now, shinigami seldom had cause to come, there had been progress, for agents had come from the Third District to dig a deep well where a haphazard spring had been broken through the stones some years before, and the land had been properly tilled and tended to, while rains had flourished, swelling the stream and reconnecting it to one of Rukongai's major water sources. Although in the summer it still ran shallow, at peak times of year, and particularly after the thaw that heralded the start of spring, the stream often played host to fish and other living things, and the lot of the people there, which had once been bleak and unwelcoming, had been completely transformed. Though the young man loved spending time in Seireitei, teasing the local girls at market and bartering for cheap supplies using the trinkets he found through his travels, there was something about this part of the Rukon that he had not quite been able to shake off, and so, when its residents came under attack, it took little or no thought for him to rush to the rescue. Though the population that lived there now were mostly newcomers, settlers who had come to the land without knowing its history after the improvements had been made, it didn't make any difference. It was meant to be a safe space, now, and he had decided that he would make sure of it, if ever he was around.

He reached the village in record time, but, as he arrived at the clearing that opened out into what had been flower-specked grassland, he found himself frozen momentarily to the spot by the scene of horror and carnage that lay before him. The village appeared abandoned by its residents - at least, those who were living, for pieces of torn peasant clothing were scattered all over the land and, although he did not want to look more closely, he quickly realised that some of those bundles of rags concealed bodies. In some cases, the huddles were small, dwarfed by the pool of blood in which they lay, and this sent fresh anger through the young man's heart. Something had killed people here, but more horrifically, it had not discriminated about who it had slain. Women, children and men alike lay mutilated on the ground, some savaged in such a ferocious way that they were no longer recognisable, and the grass was soaked with a crimson hue that was darkening to a rusty colour as it began to dry. He wasn't sure how many people had died here, or whether there were still Rukon residents, cowering inside their huts away from their predator, but there was no time to stop and find out. Though his concern was for the lives of the frightened Plus souls, the threat was real and still very much in residence, swaying and lurching around the desecrated village as though looking for its next prey.

At the sight of it, the young man felt sure he was going to be physically sick, for this was no Hollow that had encroached on the land. In fact, working out what exactly it was that loomed before him was difficult to say, for, although it seemed to take the form of a man, large swathes of the creature's skin were blackened or peeled from the bone. What skin remained was sunken and slack against the body, giving the impression of emaciation, and the eyes in the sockets were bloodshot, roaming around independently of one another as though the connections within the optic nerve and ligaments had been permanently detached from their normal function. The man's feet were little more than putrid, bloody stumps, and a trail of detritus indicated the path the individual had walked, for bits of skin and bone and maybe a toenail or two had been left behind in his progress. The blade he swung was tarnished and old, so old that the youth had never seen one like it, and the robes the man wore - dirty and stained with blood though they were, were preserved enough for him to see the insignia of some family, but not one he could immediately draw to mind.

The creature lurched around, seeing him for the first time, and it opened its jaws, a limp tongue lolling against the corner of blackened gums lacking several teeth. Those that remained wobbled dangerously with every step the individual took, but from the leering smile that touched the apparition's features, he did not seem overly concerned with his cosmetic appearance. Rather, there was a glint of something unearthly in his eyes, something empty and dead and yet that sparked with a ferocity that told the youth that this attacker was not normal. Hollow he might not be, but he was not some rogue bandit or runaway soldier with a penchant for murdering innocent people. This was something else - something darker - something that was the fabric of nightmares and which now had all of its focus directed squarely on him.

There was a low, moaning sound, as though the attacker was trying to speak, but was unable to control his tongue muscles enough to form the words. Lips flapped helplessly together, giving the impression of a landed fish, and for a moment the young man just stared at his opponent in horrified fascination, unsure how all these limbs and ligaments were holding together in the face of such rampant decay. The next minute he snapped himself to attention, for the blade, fresh with blood and spattering drops of stolen life force all around him, was now driving towards his upper chest, making for his throat in order to pare him open and impale him like the poor Plus souls that surrounded them on the ground.

The young man's eyes narrowed.  
 _  
Well, you picked the wrong opponent, this time. And the wrong village to attack. I'm not a forgiving person, and I don't need an excuse to kill you, so I'm not going to stand and wait for you to add me to your list of victims._

With a yell he ducked the swing of the blade, bringing his legs up against the knees of the attacker, and wincing inwardly as he felt the brittle bones crack and buckle under his pressure. Another moan from the individual seemed to indicate that some pain instinct remained, but, in spite of the damage he had just received, the attacker lurched back to his feet, intent once more on securing his prey. Traces of scattered, broken reiryoku were all around him, and the young man tried to pick up the threads of it, pulsing a psychic wave of energy across the landscape between them. In a moment his own head was filled with horrors, screams and the clash of horses in a mad, pitched battle of life and death. Despite himself he let out a gasp, withdrawing his psyche hurriedly from the opposition.

 _Definitely not a Hollow. A Hollow I could control...but this...I don't know what this is, but I don't want to try seeing inside its head again._

He swallowed hard, dots of dizziness dancing against his eyes from the shock of the images and the accompanying sense of empty despair that had engulfed them both in that instant of connection. The blade swung down again, and he rolled out of its way, allowing his instincts to take control as a powerful flare of spiritual energy burst forth from his body, lighting up the whole area in a blaze of blinding light. The swordsman stumbled and fell back, but the young man was not about to retreat or grant mercy, and he redoubled his effort, pumping as much energy into the blast as he could manage. The nearby hut, already vandalised from the violence of the village attack, burst into eerie flame at the force of such raw reiryoku, but, as the attacker's spiritual presence began to wane and fragment, the young man dropped to the ground, breathing heavily and sweating profusely at the effort of his work.

As the light began to fade, and the burning hut crumbled and succumbed to the spiritual energy, he cast his gaze around the now-scorched landscape, looking for any sign of the attacker.

A charred skeleton lay on the ground, the hilt of the sword still clutched in his bony, charcoal hand. With some trouble, the young man got to his feet, moving cautiously towards where the corpse lay.

 _Definitely not a Hollow. More like a man. A dead man. A dead puppet._

His eyes narrowed at this frightening new thought, and he extended a tentative toe, kicking the charred leg to see if there was any response. Nothing happened, and, slowly, the young man picked his way around the dead attacker, glancing at the sword and the hand that still held it in such a tight grip. The spiritual blast had welded the two together, bone, skin and metal into one black block of decay, and he stifled a shiver, moving quickly to the other side. Although the assailant's robes were largely burnt away, the buckle of his belt lay separated on the ground, the glittering insignia embossed on its surface, and he bent to pick it up, dusting the charcoal from it and tilting it up to the light. It was not an image he knew, however, and he thanked his lucky stars that, at the very least, this had not been an attack from one of Seireitei's Clans.

Not that he had really thought that it was, for other, darker thoughts had entered his mind as he contemplated the manner of the creature's attack.  
 _  
Like a corpse doll, dancing to the tune of a puppeteer, killing on someone else's directive, with a mind full of hate._

He swallowed hard, kneeling at the man's side and brushing the remains of the clothing from the exposed ribcage. Beneath, he could see the charred ashes of lungs and a heart, and, as he turned his attention to the grinning skull, he realised that whatever this individual might have been moments before, he was now well and truly dead.

 _I cut the puppet strings, but that doesn't solve the bigger problem of who was twitching them originally.  
_  
He stood up once more, turning his back on the cadaver and moving to explore the nearby horizon. From the tree, he remembered, he had definitely seen the wave of black, as though someone had opened some kind of spiritual gateway to unleash this would-be warrior on the unsuspecting populace. There was nothing immediately apparent, but the young man had seen these things before, and he knew that, even if there didn't appear to be a sign, it didn't mean there was nothing there. Closing his eyes, he gathered what spirit power he had left, reaching forth into the air and extending his senses until he found what he was looking for - the anomaly in the atmosphere that told of some kind of gate.

 _But it's not a shinigami gate. Not a formal Senkaimon, that's for sure._

He opened his eyes, lowering his hand and stepping back.

 _This is the kind of gate that only one person I know of ever tried to operate. Only one person could ever control this kind of opening and only one person could send this kind of puppet. It ought to be impossible, but..._

He turned back to glance at the corpse.

 _I just fought the impossible with my own two hands. If I'm right, this could be a serious matter, and if it threatens people here in the Rukon - especially the people in this part of the Rukon - then I have to do something about it._

His eyes narrowed, resting on the faint outline of an old battered hut that stood on a small rise in the distance.  
 _  
I guess this means I'm going to District Three. Whatever this thing was, its dead now, but there may be others...and I need to find out one way or another whether this is just a one off freak incident, or the start of something else._

* * *

Silence had fallen inside of the Dome, and Kunimori gazed across in irritation at his companion, taking in the huddled, trembling form of the Unohana not three feet from where he stood.

"Well?"

He broke the silence impatiently, his words echoing in the empty hall. "What happened? You've not said anything for a full five minutes at least - tell me what you sensed! Tell me what you found!"

There was no response, and Kunimori paced back across the smooth floor of the chamber, pausing directly in front of his companion and giving him a nudge with his foot.

"I said, talk to me!" he demanded. "Don't just sit there like a quivering imbecile! Did you find the Dangai? Did you manage to lock into one of the dead souls? You agreed to run a trial mission, remember, and if you don't tell me...woah!"

He stumbled back in surprise, as without warning his companion sprang towards him, hands reaching out to grasp at the old man's throat. Whatever he had been about to say was lost as he met the gaze of his fellow exile, for there was a glittering madness in the depths, and more, a lust for death in the other man's bubbling reiatsu that Kunimori had never felt there before.

"Get a grip on yourself!" he exclaimed, kicking out at the advancing Tsuneyoshi and reaching for the sword that hung at his waist. Tsuneyoshi's hand was already closing around the hilt of Meidoushi, but Kunimori had not survived millennia alone in the Void World for nothing, and he readied his own weapon, pushing Tsuneyoshi's blade back with a muttered curse.

"You're a fool if you think that you can kill me that easily," he snapped, swinging his blade to block Tsuneyoshi's speculative swing in his direction. "I'm starting to see why they threw you in this place. If this is the person who slaughtered his way through his family, I can well believe why they wouldn't want you anywhere near them, Unohana or otherwise!"

"I'll slit your throat, and that'll stop you talking about my family in those terms," Tsuneyoshi's voice was little more than a low growl, and his eyes glimmered once more with the steely light of insanity Kunimori had first seen when he had encountered his companion slaughtering Hollows in the underbelly of the Void World's stone forest. "You know nothing about me or my family, and you're just a traitor. An exile. Outlawed and unprotected. Nobody would cry if I killed you, and my blade is sharp and ready for action."

"And mine is fed up and not about to play games with a nutcase," Kunimori was unmoved, and he parried the swift attack his opponent thrust forward, swinging his weapon around so that he could use the pommel to drive deep into his companion's midriff. Taken off guard and winded, Tsuneyoshi stumbled back, and Kunimori tut-tutted, using his upper body to shove his companion bodily to the floor. Stamping his foot hard on Tsuneyoshi's ribcage, he used his own weapon to nudge Meidoushi free from the other man's grip and, as the weapon clattered onto the stone floor, Tsuneyoshi started, blinking and struggling against the other man's pinning foothold as though waking from a deep sleep.

"Hey, what are you..."

"You thought you were going to kill me," Kunimori drew his weapon back, turning it and sheathing it with a sigh. He pressed down on Tsuneyoshi's ribcage to emphasise his point, causing his companion to flinch and cry out in pain. "Unfortunately for you, you thought wrong."

"That hurts!"

"Good," Kunimori offered him a cold smile, nonetheless withdrawing his foot and allowing his fellow exile to sit up. "If you try and kill me, you should expect it to hurt. Call it training. I don't care how immortal you are, you aren't a match for me with blades. You may have had a proper warrior's education with a sword, but you shunned the battlefield, and I spent my entire life fighting savages with more military education than you have. Just because your weapon is psychotic and it leaks its poison reiryoku into you when it feels like it, it doesn't mean you can best an old warrior like me. I'm not accustomed to losing. In fact, I only ever lost one battle in my entire life, and I don't intend on adding to that tally."

"The one that got you thrown in here, no doubt," Tsuneyoshi rubbed his ribcage, wincing as he found fresh bruises. "Did you have to be so rough?"

"I was waking you up," Kunimori said matter-of-factly. "You'd gone into a little hell-fire slaughter delusion and pain is often a good way to wake up daydreaming halfwits. Now answer my question, if you please and stop whining. You can't be killed by me, we already made that clear, so if I do you a little damage here and there, it's nothing to write home about. You raise your blade to me, and you should expect bruises. I'm not afraid of you, Soldier or not, so remember it. Even if I can't kill you, there are plenty of things I can do which would make death a far more pleasant option, so keep it in mind."

"I don't remember," Tsuneyoshi admitted, putting a hand to his head. "Did I really attack you? I don't recall. What did you ask me? The last thing I recall is you talking about raising an army, and persuading me that it would be all right to test it, just once, on one soul. Then a sea of red and anger and...you standing on me like you mistook me for the floor tiles."

"You did," Kunimori kicked out at the discarded Meidoushi. "Or maybe I should say, that did. I see why you were so reluctant to use it, now. It doesn't just affect the subject, does it? It affects you too, playing the line between life and death? You have no real control over Meidoushi's actions...probably because you refused to engage with it beyond the basics for so long, and kept it hanging up as a trophy on the wall at home. I always told my brother it was a waste," he added nostalgically, "having a wielder of the Soldier sword in Seireitei and yet letting him sit at home making flower chains and singing peace hymns to all and sundry."

"I did no such thing!" Tsuneyoshi scrambled to his feet, retrieving his weapon and sheathing it with an indignant glare. "My mother was a healer from a Healer's Clan and I learned her skills, that's all! I may have gathered flowers to make remedies and save lives, but I did not make flower chains, nor did I hold sing-songs!"

"Well, it's all the same to me," Kunimori shrugged. "You snapped, went on a rampage, and ended up here. My issue is with your lack of discipline. I don't care about the subjects you control, but I don't really want to be fighting you off every time you try and reach one of the unfortunates in the Dangai."

"You think you're going to make me do it again?" Tsuneyoshi shivered. "I don't like it. The people in there...are wrong. They're twisted up, body and mind, and piecing it back together is enough to make anyone crazy. Besides, finding all the pieces to make a realistic puppet is difficult. I bring them back to life but I can't mend dead bodies. Nor can I fill in the gaps in hollow minds where the brains have already begun to decay. God only knows what kind of apparition fell through the gateway just now."

"So you did succeed in resurrecting someone?" Kunimori's eyes narrowed. "I thought you didn't remember."

"I don't, not clearly, but I do recall red and blood and the sense of battle," Tsuneyoshi moistened his lips, looking uneasy. "The one time...the only time I did this before, something similar...the flow of hate and anger is overwhelming. I can't explain it, but I know it was there. And then, like a flame, it was snuffed out."

"So something killed it? A shinigami or something like that?" Kunimori tut-tutted. "Pity. If it's as weak a weapon as that, we're going to need significant numbers to cause any kind of damage over there."

"It was already dead, so killing isn't the right word," Tsuneyoshi's complexion was grey, Kunimori realised, as though he was genuinely sickened by the things he was saying. "It's not a nice feeling, dragging something back from the dead. You don't understand. It rips right through your soul and taints you...like you're starting to decay inside as well."

"Well, you could do with some rotting, considering you haven't aged a day since you were tossed in here," Kunimori said unsympathetically. "Besides, this was only a trial run. Remember? Your psychosis aside, we aren't creating a fun festival attraction here. We're building something bigger - doom and despair and untold suffering, if you recall. And in any case..."

He frowned, reaching out a hand and then clasping his fingers together, drawing the arm back down by his side.

"One soul wasn't enough," he admitted. "I didn't sense enough from what you did to locate the Dangai at all, let alone find the opening. We need to do more than that, Tsuneyoshi-dono, so I suggest you do some serious mental training and come back with a better game face. I intend to leave here, even if you don't, and as it stands, your sword is the best chance we have to get out. I might find another way, but I'm running out of time. You might be defective, but unfortunately Meidoushi only answers your will - or seeks to control it, one or the other. That means I need you, and you need to toughen up. We're criminals in Seireitei's eyes. That means we don't have to obey their rules...and more, we shouldn't be troubled by those rules, or silly things such as conscience. Understand?"

Tsuneyoshi sent his companion a dark look, but made no response, and Kunimori smiled.

"When you've located your spiritual spine, we'll try again," he said softly. "You look like you'll throw up or faint if I make you repeat the exercise right now, and that would be annoying, not to mention messy on this nice clean floor. I'm serious though, Tsuneyoshi-dono. You might think you can quietly rot away in here with your sword for eternity, but I have other plans and a more limited timeline to accomplish them. I expect you to be more cooperative and useful the next time, else I'll be putting into action some of those fate-worse-than-death promises I made when you waved your sword at me."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Omatase itashimashita  
**

Updates for this story are likely to continue to be sketchy for the near future as I am in Japan doing fieldwork for my PhD.  
To the people who left messages/reviews without signing in, thank you for your support, I appreciate it :)

 **Thirteenth Division in this story**

A refresher for anyone who's forgotten, and an introduction to a couple of new individuals who were only mentioned by name in Sukuse.

 **Captain:** **Ukitake Juushirou :)**  
 **VC: Houjou Enishi**. A classmate of Juu and Shun's from the Academy, and of Yamamoto stock. Enishi is strong, direct and loyal, but really bad with Kidou.  
 **Third Seat: Shikibu Naoko:** Another classmate of Juu and Shun's, and born a Unohana, Naoko has no healing inclination and has been in Thirteenth Division since the start. Although Clan born, Naoko has fully embraced the life of a District shinigami.  
 **Fourth Seat: Hikifune Kirio:** Kirio, in her pre-Royal Guard persona/guise. As, in canon, she is barely recogniseable to those in the Gotei who knew her, I'm assuming she changed quite a lot after her promotion there. An orphan from the Districts, raised by a kind family, and a trusted member now of the Thirteenth. Close childhood acquaintance of Kotetsu Tenichi and Ketsui.  
 **Fifth Seat: Atsudane Makoto:** A down to earth and friendly District Shinigami who graduated the year after Juu and Shun, but first appeared in the Meifu series as a member of Class II.  
 **Sixth Seat:** **Tsukabishi Tsunemori:** Ancestor of Tessai and greatly skilled with Kidou, Tsunemori first appeared in Fourth Maki, as a bullied junior who Juushirou and Enishi rescued.  
 **Seventh Seat:** **Kira Hideharu:** Ancestor of Kira Izuru and a former classmate of Atsudane's. Diligent with records but not always over confident, Kira is very attentive to instructions.  
 **Eighth Seat: Kotetsu Ketsui:** Ancestor of Kotetsu Isane and Kotetsu Kiyone. Younger brother of Tenichi, and a loyal member of the Thirteenth. His father, a disgraced Urahara, was involved in Keitarou's schemes, but died in Third Chronicle.  
 **Eleventh Seat: Kayashima Eiji:** Kohaku's closest friend since recruitment, and a District shinigami with a playful personality.  
 **Twelfth Seat:** **Aizen Kohaku** : Second child of dead rebel Aizen Keitarou, Kohaku's spirit power was influenced by reidoku poison, meaning that it is hard for him to control. He has the power of prophesy, and was adopted by Ukitake and recruited to Thirteenth at the end of Sukuse.  
 **Thirteenth Seat:** **Ichimaru Izumi:** Hime of a disgraced Urahara family branch, Izumi was the target of Tenichi's attack in Sukuse. A very intelligent scientist, Izumi is mute, yet always manages to make herself understood. She and Ketsui are particularly close.  
 **Fourteenth Seat: Furuta Masao** : A fellow recruit from Kohaku and Kayashima's time, therefore a close friend of both. Furuta was briefly mentioned at the end of Sukuse.

 **New Recruits:**  
Yatsubashi Shinobu  
Naniwa Hiroshi  
Morata Junji  
Kawakami Aoko  
Yamaguchi Mirei  
Takahashi Kenzou  
Katou Heisuke  
Nakamoto Kanna  
Aibachi Keiko  
Tanemura Masahiko


	10. Investigations

**Chapter Nine: Investigations**

The world was black, and trembling all around him.

From somewhere in the inky depths came the sound of a voice, muffled but growing gradually clearer as it penetrated through the murky haze of unconsciousness that had enveloped Ketsui's body.

"Ketsui? Ketsui, are you all right?"

The voice was close now, and Ketsui realised that the shaking was no longer the rumble of the mountain, but rather the touch of someone else's hand on his shoulder, trying to wake him with a worried note in their voice. He struggled against the sleepy lure of oblivion, fighting to open his eyes and blinking several times as the light of the day seared against his blurry retinas. An unfocused auburn and black blob was leaning over him, and, as he brought the world into greater clarity, he realised it was Naoko, covered in dust and stone, her cloak discarded and her shihakushou wet from the snow on which he too now lay. Pain resonated through his body and he grimaced, pulling himself awkwardly up into a sitting position and flexing his limbs one by one as he struggled to recall what had happened. They had been inside the mountain, he remembered, but then something had exploded, and now...

He raised a confused gaze to Naoko's concerned one, slowly shaking his head.

"I'm not hurt," he said slowly, "at least, nothing is broken. But I'm not sure if I'm...all right. What was that? Something inside the mountain...did it erupt, like the mountains you talked about before?"

"No..." Naoko sat back on her heels, clearly relieved at his responsiveness. "You were out for a while, and I was worried you'd taken a bad blow to the head. Look at me, will you? I might not be a proper healer, but I do know how to spot a concussion."

"I'm not certain that I hit my head," Ketsui did as he was bidden, and Naoko examined him carefully, checking one eye and then the other for signs of haziness. "I did black out, though. The last thing I remember is releasing Reihashou. There was light and I thought I saw the dragon. Then nothing. I hit the deck pretty hard, I think, and the jolt rendered me out. It's more my body, though. I feel a bit mangled, but nothing lethal."

"I don't think you're concussed, either," Naoko said frankly, getting to her feet. "That's good. Can you get up? You said no bones were broken, so..?"

"I think so. I'm made of pretty tough stuff," Ketsui nodded, accepting the hand she proffered him and noticing as he did so that her fingers were scuffed and red, maybe even swollen from the shock of the fall. He frowned at the sight of blood against her skin, and at his gaze, Naoko shrugged matter-of-factly.

"If not for Reihashou, we'd probably both have been worse," she said honestly. "It's just scraped, that's all. You were quick, releasing your blade. I did train you well - thank you."

"It was instinct more than anything," Ketsui admitted, brushing himself down and wincing at the bruises he found beneath his shihakushou. "I really am going to be black and blue, but I suppose it's no worse than that for me, either."

"They do say ice is good for bruising," Naoko said ironically, gazing around at the mountaintop. "There's plenty of it to be had, so long as you don't want to go back inside the mountain."

"No..." Ketsui gazed down at the leg of his shihakushou, suddenly recalling the sense of something grabbing onto it in the moments before the cavern had exploded. Sure enough, the fabric was torn, and he bent to touch it, a sense of deep unease settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Something was inside there," he said softly. "I saw it. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't a corpse. It tried to grab me. I'm sure."

"I didn't see anything," Naoko's eyes narrowed. "Dokusou Houshi isn't sure what happened, either. My spores shouldn't create that kind of spiritual chain reaction, no matter how pure the atmosphere, but it's all I can think of. Somehow, releasing my sword caused something inside of there, and..."

"No, it wasn't Dokusou Houshi," Ketsui insisted. "I'm certain, Naoko-san. I saw a hand - a hand like yours or mine," he held up his right hand, twitching his fingers tentatively. "It did this. I saw it. And then, as I tried to get out, something grabbed me. It tore my shihakushou when I tried to get away. Then everything exploded, and we ended up out here."

"You're saying, in fact, that whatever it was inside of that mountain escaped, and created the whole explosion in doing so?" Naoko asked. Ketsui nodded.

"I...I suppose I am," he admitted. "I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what happened. I'm sure. I didn't imagine it. And my shihakushou didn't tear itself."

"Dokusou Houshi also agrees that there was something there," Naoko admitted reluctantly. "As soon as things began to shake, I sealed my sword, because I thought it must have caused it. But the moment before I did, Dokusou Houshi thought it picked up the traces of something. Something...or someone...with spirit power. It wasn't a reiatsu I knew, and Dokusou Houshi didn't register what exactly it was. Just that it was there, and Houshi-sama was pretty sure whatever it was was living, not dead reishi. They made a momentary connection."

She glanced at her sword.

"Maybe that fact itself woke whatever it was up. Shinigami don't normally come here...I guess the release of a zanpakutou might be enough reiatsu to stir something in deep sleep. That is, assuming it was spiritual, as Houshi-sama thought."

"So not a human sacrifice, then?" Ketsui shivered. Naoko shrugged.

"Well, whatever it is, it isn't there now," she said sadly, gesturing towards the crumbled remains of the mountainside. "The whole shrine went up, and there's nothing left of it now."

"The local people will be sad," Ketsui reflected, and Naoko sent him a fond look.

"Not a lot we can do about it," she said frankly. "If there was something inside the mountain, and it's gone, then that's how it is. We were sent to find the cause of the anomalies, and, probably, we succeeded. The only problem is that we seem to have lost track of it. I don't know if you noticed, but the air up here is neither as cold nor as pure as it was before. I don't know how long we've been out, but the sun is starting to set, so, assuming it's the same day, we've been unconscious only a matter of hours. In that time, whatever it was disappeared...and a thaw has begun."

"A...thaw? That quickly?" Ketsui was startled, and Naoko nodded.

"I tried to get back inside the shrine, for what it's worth," she said bleakly. "I couldn't get all the way to the dragon carving, or what's left of it, but I did see the remains of the frozen lake. And it isn't frozen any more. It's pure, clear water...like it was never ice at all."

"Then this whole mountain...all the ice and cold...was caused by whatever it was trapped inside?"

"Maybe. It's a theory, and the best one we have to take back to the Captain," Naoko sighed heavily. "We should go down the mountain. I dislike leaving this place, especially sine we don't know where the frozen sleeping beauty went to, but it's not here and Dokusou Houshi has confirmed it. I've walked the area while you were out cold, but there's nothing at all. It's completely vanished."

"But it left without hurting either of us, even though the explosion knocked us unconscious," Ketsui's brain was working now. "Even though it tried to grab my leg, I suppose that means it isn't hostile?"

"All it means is that we still don't know what we're dealing with," Naoko admitted. "But we do at least now know there is something here to look for. And that is something we can report back on, at the very least."

Ketsui turned his gaze towards the mountain, pursing his lips pensively as he remembered the twitching pink fingers, and the searing cracks that had rent through the ice. At length he nodded, getting to his feet.

"We need to do that," he agreed. "It might not have hurt us, and it might not be hostile, but if you're right and the source of the ice and the pure atmosphere here was because of whatever that was, then the whole eco-system here is likely to start to change. And the Hollows might come back."

"More importantly, we need to find the source and make sure it poses no danger to our work or the Real World as a whole," Naoko added. "But for now, we'll return to the river. We both need to rest and review what happened, and then we'll think about our next move after that."

* * *

"Well, so what do you reckon?"

Hiroshi sprawled out across the covers of his bunk, casting Shinobu a thoughtful look. It was later that same afternoon and, after a brisk tour and break for lunch, the recruits had been given an hour to settle themselves in before attending the drill yard and Enishi's training exercise. Several of them had gone to the bathhouse, for it was empty at this time, but Shinobu had lingered in the dormitory, and, after a moment of thought, Hiroshi had elected to remain behind to speak to his friend alone.

"Thirteenth, I mean," he continued now. "What are your first impressions, Shinobu? It seems pretty fine to me, but you've been real quiet since our tour earlier. I wondered if you were just overwhelmed by the fact we were finally here, or whether something was eating you."

"Eating me?" Shinobu set aside the recruit handbook he had been leafing through, raising his gaze to meet his friend's. "Not sure. I mean, it's as you say. We're here. I'm happy. Very happy, actually. The Division is everything I expected, and the facilities look decent. Everyone we've met has been friendly. Later we have a chance to go prove our merit to be chosen for a special patrol even though we're just through the door, and I mean to make the best impression I can on the Vice Captain when we meet him, since the way Kayashima-san and Kohaku-san were talking, he sounds like someone you want in your corner. I like being in shihakushou, and I'm really looking forward to knowing what formal patrols I'm going to be assigned to and who my immediate superior officers are likely to be."

"I feel there's a but coming in this," Hiroshi arched an eyebrow, and Shinobu stretched out on his own bunk, letting out a sigh. He shrugged.

"Like I said, I don't know," he admitted. "It's earlier. What happened then. I mean, nothing really did, but..."

"You're not making sense," Hiroshi sighed. "Look, I stopped back here to talk to you, but if you're not going to be coherent, I might as well have gone with Morata and the others to the bathhouse. It's a long and dusty journey, even from the tolls, and while my shihakushou is still pretty clean, I'm sweating buckets underneath it."

"Sweating? It's not that hot," Shinobu looked concerned, and Hiroshi grimaced.

"Nerves," he said frankly. "I told you. I've been having doubts about my abilities for a while, and now I'm here, I guess I worry that they'll decide I'm not good enough after all."

"You're an idiot, then, because Ukitake-taichou accepted your application and he only accepts those he has an interest in," Shinobu said acidly. "I don't understand what it is with you lately, you know. You went through the whole Academy without a single issue like this. We reach final year, and suddenly you're worrying about everything. What gives? What happened to knock your confidence? I don't get it."

"I don't know, really," Hiroshi glanced at his hands. "Well, maybe I do. Honestly, I'm quite glad we're not going to the Real World yet. I didn't really like being there, if you want to know the truth. It scared me. A lot."

"You were attacked by those Hollows." Shinobu's expression became one of comprehension. "I'd forgotten. It was a one off situation, though, Hiroshi. You couldn't predict that you'd slip and fall into that ravine, or that there'd be a Hollow posse lurking around there. You did pretty good, fighting them off on your own, even though you'd hurt your arm and your leg in the fall. Sensei was impressed with your reaction, remember? I hadn't thought it was bothering you any - but if that's it..."

"It made it all very real to me, all of a sudden," Hiroshi admitted. "I know you're right, and I did fight back. I managed to take out one Hollow before I passed out from loss of blood, but if you and Takahashi hadn't appeared on the scene, I'd not have survived. I know that, and it frightens me. I thought I was fit and ready to handle anything, but I wasn't, and I nearly died. I suppose I've been questioning everything since then."

He rolled up the sleeve of his shihakushou, glancing at the healing scar across his upper arm.

"This reminds me," he added. "I know it's paranoid and morbid, but I can't help how I feel. I never had a situation go out of my control before, and the one time it happens is when it really matters."

"But the important thing is that we were there to back you up," Shinobu pointed out. "And we will be here, too. That's what squad is about. Thirteenth has that close vibe, and I don't think Ukitake-taichou sounds like the kind of person who'd put people at risk if they weren't ready to be there. That's why he limits lower seats going to the Real World. We'll be doing Rukongai, probably, but how dangerous can that be? You'll be fine. You'll get lots of experience and you'll get your nerve back. Then, when it's our turn..."

He made a cutting motion with his hand.

"Hollow sashimi."

"Idiot," despite himself, Hiroshi grinned. "You're probably right. And that is why I decided to come here. You're here, and when Takahashi said that he was really liking Ukitake-taichou's rhetoric, I felt the same way. I thought that, you guys came and saved my life, so you were good people to enter squad with. So I did. And I'm glad I did. It's just a lot to take in. I'll be fine."

He rested his chin in his hands. "But that's my problem. We were talking about yours. What's bothering you? This has been your dream for the longest time - ever since I met you or before. Don't tell me it doesn't live up to it somewhere along the line?"

"It lives up to it," Shinobu shook his head. "It's not that. Something else is niggling at me."

"Such as?"

"Well, tell me what you think," Shinobu pursed his lips. "About Kohaku-san. What do you make of him?"

"Kohaku-san?" Hiroshi looked surprised. "Should I make anything of him? He seemed fine. A little more reserved than Kayashima-san, but that's all. Why?"

"You heard how he introduced himself, though?"

"Aizen Kohaku? Mhm. So? What of it?"

"You don't think anything when you hear that name?"

"Aizen? Of course I do, but think about it, Shinobu," Hiroshi spoke matter-of-factly. "This is a Gotei squad. The Gotei killed Aizen Keitarou. The Captain of the Eighth Division sliced him up at Third Division, if all the news reports were to be believed. Thirteenth Division were also a big part of facing down his rebellion, and Ukitake-taichou had been at war with the guy for years. Even when he was at the Academy, if you listen to the rumours."

"Yes, I know."

"Well, then why would it bother you if there was a division member called Aizen?" Hiroshi asked sensibly. "I'm not the only Naniwa in the world, you know. There are other families with the same name as me, but they aren't related to me. Why should we assume all people called Aizen belong to Keitarou somehow? The name must have existed before that - and besides, if I'm right, Aizen wasn't even Keitarou's real name, was it? He was an Urahara. You don't think anyone called Urahara is a terrorist, do you?"

"Well no, but..."

"Then why should someone called Aizen be, just because he has a lousy choice of family name?" Hiroshi shrugged. "If you want to know the truth, I felt kind of bad for him. He looked so uncomfortable when you called him Aizen-san. From what Kayashima-san said, it sounds like he gets a ton of hassle over it already, so let it go, huh? Ukitake-taichou's a smart man, and you heard Kayashima-san. Kohaku-san is Taichou's protegee and ward. That surely puts him above suspicion."

"I suppose," Shinobu sighed, and Hiroshi's eyes narrowed as he had a sudden revelation.

"Unless that's what's really eating you," he said slowly, and Shinobu started, eying his friend in consternation.

"What do you mean?"

"Kayashima-san made it sound like Kohaku-san was a particularly close person to Ukitake-taichou, and Kohaku-san said himself that he'd trained one-to-one with the Captain. I don't suppose you could be feeling, well, a little jealous?"

"Jealous?" Shinobu's eyes widened in dismay, and Hiroshi shrugged his shoulders.

"If not, then fine, and I take it back," he said evenly. "I just wondered. I tease you, I know, but I realise that Ukitake-taichou is a big deal idol for you. I don't have a clue what it was like in Seventh District, before, but I am smart enough to realise you do and that he made a big difference to the lives of people there. If you're just wanting to settle a curiosity, then fine, lets call it settled. But if it's about Ukitake-taichou and people in his trust, keep an eye on it, all right? Because I know you when you get an idea into your head, and that one would not be a good one."

"I am not jealous of anyone, thank you. It's just as you said. I'm settling a curiosity," Shinobu was indignant, and Hiroshi grinned.

"Then that's fine, and we've settled it, so moving on," he said frankly. "It's almost time for our afternoon drill. I don't know what this special patrol is due to be - although I guess it's here in Seireitei somewhere - but if you're right about my skills being good enough, I guess I've got to put my best effort on show and see what happens. Want to come down to the training ground with me now and scout it out before Fukutaichou arrives? It wouldn't hurt and we might get brownie points if we're early."

"Fine. I guess that makes sense, since we don't have time to go take a bath now, and we'll probably need it more after," Shinobu sighed, but nodded, getting to his feet. "But I'm serious, Hiroshi. You focus on getting your nerve back and don't read too much into my queries. You're probably right, so let's call it closed and not mention it again. Not in front of the others, especially. All right?"

"Promise," Hiroshi agreed serenely. "You're my best friend. Why would I betray your confidence? It's safe with me."

"Then let's go," Shinobu scooped up his sword, sliding it into his obi."After you!"

* * *

The landscape was quiet, though the wind echoed forlornly through the faded wisps of tree branches, whistling softly as though sending a prayer to the beyond for the lost souls that lay beneath.

The young man stood atop the rise, his torn cloak wrapped tightly around his thin frame as he surveyed his location. There was an odd sense of surreality about the view, he mused to himself, for although his ancestors had lived here, it was the first time he had ever been this close to the Clan heartland. For him, it was foreign land - an alien landscape cloaked in the guise of a place his antecedents had known like the back of their hands. Although it was new terrain for him, slipping over the District Three divide had been strangely nostalgic, as though some part of his genetic structure understood that, without this place, he would not here at all. He had never been one to dwell on the past, but, at that moment, as he stood surveying the landscape, he felt faint tugs at his heart, the wondering of life before a time when the Urahara Clan had been rent asunder by fear.

Below him, at the crest of the land where the central Urahara manor met the fall and rise of the territories beyond, an old stone building had been constructed. Deep within these stones lay the dusty memorials of great Urahara long since passed, but it was not this illustrious past that had drawn this individual here. The tomb that he had come to visit was the most recent burial among all the others - one put in place a mere five years earlier. It had been a solemn, empty ceremony, attended only by the Clan Leader and a couple of his subordinate officers, but it had been conducted with the utmost respect and reverence, and since that day, the peace of this place had not been disturbed.

The soul that rested here may finally have found eternal sleep.

 _At least, that's why I'm here. And that's what I've come to find out. Even if it's not nice...I've come to make sure._

The figure's lips thinned at this thought. It was night time, but the sky was overcast, rendering the moon little more than a dim haze of light through the cloud. It was not uncommon weather for District Three at this time of the year, yet it seemed to suit the grey coldness of the location better than any rays of sun. It reflected the claustrophobic sense inside the visitor's sombre heart, as slowly he made his way down the winding incline towards the burial vault. As he drew closer, shards of bittersweet memory seemed to grow more vivid in his mind, and the haziness and uncertainty that he had felt at the top of the rise were replaced by something else - a dark determination to find what he was looking for before he lost his nerve.

True, he had not been to the ruling territories of District Three's Clan before, but now finding his way was based on conscious knowledge as well as the drive of instinct. Glancing around him to make sure he had no company, he was both relieved and unsurprised to find the landscape deserted. Not many people chose to visit the world of the dead when there were acts of the living to attend to, and in peacetime, the victims of war were more likely to be forgotten and overlooked. Besides, this particular grave was unlikely to bring mourners from far and wide. Though the corpse had been buried with every respect due a noble Urahara, the tomb's resident had been one of Seireitei's most notorious criminals - a terrorist and a dangerous man who had spoken for the lives of people on both sides of Seireitei's wide social divide. There were only a handful of people in Seireitei now who even thought of him, let alone mourned his loss. In the five years since he had died, the tomb had been largely left undisturbed - a body whose Clan had claimed him, but who had been left to be forgotten among the dust of history.

The youth let out a heavy sigh.  
 _  
It was done, and done for the best, but I can't help but feel strange about it. Why am I really here, anyway? What will I feel, if he is there? What will I feel if he isn't?_

He shivered.

 _I wish I didn't have to do this, but it's not like I have anyone else I can ask to go in my place. And I have to know. After what happened in Rukongai...I have to know._

He pulled his cloak more tightly around his body, raising the hood so that his face was concealed even more from view. Though he could not sense any spirits on the wind, he was uneasy here. This was the heart of the shinigami territory, and he knew that this place was not safe for him - not now and not ever. Coming here had been unavoidable...coming here was necessary. The memories of the blood-soaked corpses of the Rukon and the carnage that the corpse doll had caused on its hellish rampage still struck a painful chord inside of him, and that nagging fear of familiarity with things that ought to have been buried deep into the past. Buried here, in this place, with nobody to mourn him.

 _Well, maybe not quite nobody, but that's beside the point._

He rested his hands against the thick wood of the door that was the only break in the carved stone walls. A gentle push and it opened, causing him to start back in surprise at the lack of a lock. But, he mused ruefully, who would come to steal from the dead? The Urahara did not bury treasure with their lost souls, and there was little to be gained from pick-pocketing the dead, for even their death robes were simple and unadorned - plain cloth that would find little value pawned at market.

 _The Urahara's beliefs relating to death have always been simplistic ones. I suppose this is my proof that nothing much in Clan circles changes, no matter who tries to break the mould. And, it makes life easier for me. I don't have to blow open the locks on a grave site. That would just be adding insult to injury, given what I came here to do._

The figure stepped into the darkness of the vault, letting out a faint sigh as the shadows enveloped him. It was a cloistered and musty hallway surrounded by corpse chambers, another world from the open air of Seireitei that he loved, although this too reminded him of his childhood in a way he preferred not to recall. He disliked being here at this time, although the bleak night sky made safer travelling than the light of the sun. At least it was nice to be in the cool safety of the darkness, he supposed, where people were less likely to notice him, and he allowed himself to loosen his cloak just a little, taking a breath of stale air into his lungs.

 _Time to get to work._

Though the complex went deeper underground, the chamber that he sought was one near the top of the burial vault, in a stone room that had been built more than a hundred years earlier by a man who had never come to lay here. Though the crest of Urahara Keitsune was painted on the inner walls of the chamber, it had chipped and faded with the years, and the sole tomb that had been carved and erected into the wall held the body of another - Keitsune's only son, Keitarou, the mastermind of mischief who had brought grief to Clan Lords and peasant mothers in equal measure during his life.

The young man paused at the crest, resting a pensive hand against its chipped surface.  
 _  
Broken beyond repair, and nobody with the time or will to fix it. I suppose that makes sense. I suppose there's no reason why they would, or why I should mind that they let it fall to ruin._

The room beyond was dusty, although it looked as though it had been casually cleaned at some point in the last few months, for the dust wasn't thick enough to obscure the writing on the tomb from view. There were no fancy adornments, simply a basic inscription, written in formal script on the top of a plain stone slab.

"Urahara Keitarou."

The young man murmured the words out loud, resting a gloved hand gently on the stone surface as the full meaning of his being there washed over him. He had come so far, and taken so many risks to reach this place, but now he was here, there was no going back. Tears glinted briefly in his dark blue eyes, but he blinked them back, telling himself that it was dust, and not emotion, that had summoned them. Had he not made his resolve already? Being here was hard enough, without adding feelings to the equation. Whatever his misgivings, this was his only choice and he knew he had to take it. He didn't owe the shinigami anything, and he didn't owe the Urahara, either. But the people in Rukongai, that was different, and he wasn't about to let them be murdered in vain if there was a way to stop it.

Or a person to find that maybe he would be able to reason with, if no other could.

He sank down on his knees beside the tomb, resting his other hand on the surface and closing his eyes. It had been five years ago, and all residual energy from Keitarou's corpse should have been long since dissolved into the ether, but as he sat there, he felt something faintly flickering against the edges of his consciousness, and despite himself, his heart leapt in his throat.

Maybe there was more to his fears than idle paranoia.

And that meant there was no way back. There was only one choice, and now was not the time to be squeamish about it. He drew together all of his concentration, focusing his spiritual energy through the palms of his hands until he heard the soft 'crack' of stone and knew that the plinth had begun to give way. A little more energy and it split from top to bottom, sending a cloud of rock dust up into his face and causing him to cough and choke.

Still, now the tomb was unsealed, the stray wisps of reiryoku made his heart pound in his chest even more. What had he found? Could Keitarou, the man who had escaped justice a thousand times, really have escaped death after all?

Gently, and not without a few misgivings at what he might find inside, he slipped his gloved fingers carefully into the open crack, pushing the pieces of the slab aside until he could make out in the dim light the contents of the unfortunate Keitarou's tomb. Thick fabric, saturated with spiritual energy filled the recess, but as he gently worked this aside, his fingers brushed against the unmistakeable feel of something hard, and he stifled an exclamation, resisting the urge to yank his hand away. Instead, he got a grip on himself, moving the cloth gently until he could see the outline of a person's head, faint in the darkness but clearly visible enough to indicate that the corpse was still there.

He drew his hand back, horrified and sickened by the sight before him, and yet, despite the sunken eyes and greyish complexion, there was a mixture of relief and mystification at his discovery. The man in the tomb was Keitarou, and even without touching for a pulse, the visitor knew that Keitarou was dead. Not wanting to touch the man's body more than he had to, he still knew that the lack of decay of the corpse was unusual. In five years, a man of Keitarou's spiritual potential should have rotted away to nearly nothing, and he had been prepared for a skeleton, or spiritual ashes that bore no particular resemblance to the individual they had once belonged to. To see the ghoulish dead face of a man he had known in life, once so animated and driven in his actions was more than the young man could bear, and he swallowed hard, knowing that his vision was blurring once more, and that this time he could not blame dust for the tears that sprinkled on his cheeks. Sometimes he had feared this man, other times disagreed with him - but at that moment, he knew he could not hate him, and the sight of his dead body was one he would regret seeing - one he would never erase from his mind.

There was the sign of a wound at his throat, not quite covered by the simple, soft robes in which the Urahara leader had shrouded the body, and the figure sighed.  
 _  
They really did kill you, then. They really did catch you, this time. In which case, what happened in Rukongai...it wasn't you. And if it wasn't you...who was it? What was it? And why haven't you decayed? Is someone using you as a scapegoat...using your spirit power, somehow, to create puppets from the dead? I'm not you, and I'm no genius, but what if they are?_

A flush of anger flooded his heart, and he reached into the tomb, his fingers brushing against the small black box that lay at the man's side.

 _I won't let that happen. You should rest in peace, now. You're dead, and gone, and the world is moving on. They should let you move on too. You need to be reborn. Start again. Live a new life, without all the darkness and the hate. How can you do that when things are like this?_

He lifted the black box from the tomb, setting it down carefully on the surface of the stone and fumbling with the catch until the lid popped open, revealing the contents inside. It was a tantou knife, the blade dulled and no longer pristine, but still largely intact, and at this sight, the young man frowned.

 _Is it this that's stopping you? Chudokuga had the power to make people puppets. What I saw in Rukongai, that sure looked like a puppet to me. If someone is using you...using this...then I need to do something to stop it. I don't really know how to do that, and I don't know a lot about zanpakutou...but I know that this sword should've decayed with you, and it didn't. That means someone could still use it - and I won't let that happen. I'm sorry for desecrating your grave, but it's all I can do. Take it as the last thing I can do for you...let me take this away, and let you rest._

He snapped the black box shut, sliding it, not without misgivings, into the folds of his sash. Then he stood, carefully making sure that the burial was otherwise undisturbed. Carefully, and not without a sense of sadness, he pushed the cover stone back into place, matching up the break so that it was barely visible from the outside.

Pressing his hands together, he closed his eyes for a moment, saying a rough prayer for the repose of the soul of the man inside.

 _No doubt nobody else will bother, so I'll wish for you to get reborn myself, and hope for the best._

Katsura opened his eyes, casting the tomb one last, sad look, then,

 _I'll be going then, Father. I'll see to it that nobody gets to use you and your spirit power for bad ends again, I promise. Even if Koku isn't able to help, now...I haven't forgotten my family. And I won't forget you, either. I know my duty as your son, and I'll see it out, so rest in peace._


	11. Keitarou's Grave

**Chapter Ten: Keitarou's Grave**

"It seems such a long time since I came back to District Three,"

Mareiko stepped down from the carriage carefully, accepting Nagesu's hand with a rueful grimace as she almost tripped and sprawled across the brightly polished cobbles. "Whoops! Sorry, Nagesu-sama. It seems wrong that you should hold your hand out to me, being my Clan Leader and all of that."

It was early the next morning and, after leaving Inner Seireitei at the crack of dawn, the carriage had arrived in good time on the front forecourt of the main Urahara manor. It was already looking like being a nice day over District Three, with clear skies and the sound of birds calling to one another as they revelled in the bright weather. It was yet more proof that an aura of peace had spread across the Eight Districts since the demise of the rebel Aizen Keitarou, but for these two individuals, that loss was still something more personal than just the death of a vigilante. Keitarou had been born an Urahara, and, as a very small boy, had once played on these cobbles - a fact which the Clan sometimes found hard to forget.

"In terms of science, I know who is the better scholar," Nagesu shunted his spectacles up his nose now, offering her a grin as he saw her safely onto the ground. "If you get hurt, then our work is delayed and people will be cross. I try my best, Mareiko - but I don't have your genius and that's a fact. That's why I brought you back with me this time. My people have been instructed to make sure there's accommodation readied for you, because I think it will take a few days to find what I'm looking for."

"I'm at your command," Mareiko shrugged her shoulders, gazing up at the main estate with a pensive expression. "You know, perhaps I've never even been here - or if I have, only as a small girl. My memories are so hazy, really, of what happened when I was small. It seems strange to think that someone like me should be welcome in a place like this."

"Someone like you also happens to be my most trusted scientist," Nagesu said seriously. "We haven't discussed the things that we spoke of at the memorial ground, five years ago, but they don't change anything. You are an Urahara, both by blood and by adoption. The only people who know who your true father was are you and me. I haven't even discussed it with my son and heir, nor my wife and daughters. It is a secret between us, Mareiko - but one you should carry no shame in whatsoever. On the contrary, now the dust has settled over the whole unfortunate Keitarou affair, I find it reassuring. My uncle didn't die in vain. He didn't leave this world only with terror and destruction in the form of his son, but also hope and new creation through the work of his daughter. And, legitimate child of the Clan or not, I think he'd be far happier with that state of affairs than he ever would have approved of Keitarou's path."

"Mm. Perhaps," Mareiko pinkened at this, her soft gaze becoming dreamy. "Keitsune-sama is still barely real to me, but I know he was dear to you, Nagesu-sama, and the things you've said about him make me glad to know he was my father, rather than someone who just abandoned my mother to struggle. I just wish I could have used that knowledge to understand more - and maybe, bring Keitarou back from the brink."

"The past can't be changed," Nagesu said regretfully. "Only the future can...as Keitarou's son is a constant reminder."

"Kohaku," Mareiko's eyes became shadowed. "The boy doesn't know that I'm his aunt - or maybe he does. His sight unnerves me, and I don't quite know what he might see if he looked into my soul. I prefer to stay as far from him as possible, Nagesu-sama...his ability is beyond anything my science can quantify, and it makes me uneasy."

"Really? I find it fascinating," Nagesu was surprised. "And he lacks any of his father's resentment, for which we have to be grateful."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose, maybe, the memories of five years ago are still raw for you. I'm sorry, Mareiko. I don't always think about such things, since Keitarou's betrayal is a burden I've shouldered a very long time. Perhaps we should go settle in?"

He gestured towards the house, then paused, shaking his head.

"No. On second thoughts, perhaps we'll delay that until later. My servants will come collect the bags and take them to their respective places - but if you're not tired, I think a little walk out to the northern point of my estate's territory would be a good idea."

"A walk?" Mareiko looked flummoxed.

"The hereditary territory for the Clan leader of the Urahara borders my uncle's former territory," Nagesu nodded, "and when he died, my father annexed it, and expanded our land to include his. The border between the two is marked by a family mausoleum - one which my uncle had prepared for his own burial, one day long into the future. His body, of course, doesn't rest there - but Keitarou's does, and it might be a way to pay respects to both of them before we get down to properly analysing the paperwork I brought with me. It will be a gruelling weekend - but I try not to forget Keitsune-jisama when I come back here, and I think that, since you're with me, you ought to come as well. Even if he isn't there, now, it's a place I remember him, because he was the one who had the shrine there built."

He smiled.

"I remember him there, once, giving instructions as to its layout," he added. "I was only about six or seven, and he had me holding plans in a blustery winter wind whilst people tried to mark out land. The mausoleum itself is very old, but Uncle's shrine is the newest part of it - and though he never rested there, it's still his place to me."

"His body was burned, wasn't it, because he was executed as a traitor?" Mareiko asked softly, and Nagesu sighed.

"I'm afraid so," he agreed regretfully. "Father did not request the return of his body, so it was disposed of in a general cremation of Urahara felons. I have always regretted that fact - which is one reason why I insisted in bringing Keitarou back here. He might have been an enemy in life, but he was still blood kin, and I wanted to mend that rift in death if I possibly could."

"You are a kind person, that's why," Mareiko murmured. Nagesu grimaced.

"As such, I've been taken for a fool too many times," he owned. "I am not like my father, and people try to take advantage of it. But I am still here, and the world has not yet ended - so maybe kindness isn't as much of a weakness as my father always said. He always made the word sound like an insult - but I hope you don't think so."

"The foolish ones are the ones who betray you, not the other way," Mareiko said bitterly. "People like my Captain, and people like me."

"You didn't betray me. Keitarou used his sword and made you act outside your will," Nagesu reassured her. "You are my ally and I have full trust in you. Don't worry about things like that, Mareiko. Walk with me - I'd like you to see the place your father had built, if nothing else."

He set off along the path, and Mareiko hesitated for a moment, before falling into step behind him.  
 _  
There are so many things you don't know about my actions five years ago. Things I haven't been brave enough to tell you - things that Atsushi-dono wouldn't let me tell you. I've born the guilt for them on my own, and done my best to make it up to you - but when you say things like that, Nagesu-sama, it just tears holes in me inside. The people who you've trusted have burned those bridges and yet you still can look at me and have no doubts. That trust makes me sickened inside of myself - and that's what I really meant, when I said, 'someone like me'_

* * *

The border camp lay on the edge of the Urahara's land in District Three, flanking the divide between the Clan land and the Rukon Valley that stretched out below. Lying adjacent to the territory of a failed project known as the Spiritless Zone, this stretch of land had been extended under Nagesu's direct command to create a halfway point between Seireitei and Rukongai, into which, over the course of the past five years, sundry Rukon individuals with spirit power had been relocated. Far from being any kind of prison camp, entry into the border camp was entirely at the individual's discretion, but, with food supplies in wider Rukongai often scarce, the numbers of individuals looking for placement within Seireitei proper had swelled the numbers from a handful of identified residents to close on three hundred registered souls. As a result, the trees that surrounded the area had been so stripped of fruit that they seldom produced any fresh crops, and the problems of food and water that had plagued poorer areas of the Rukon in times past had begun to spread into this little spiritual limbo. Each day, new souls arrived at the camp, increasing the numbers of mouths to feed and the hopefuls looking for Seireitei residency, but, in spite of the increased pressure on supplies, Nagesu and his companions had been loath to turn anyone away. It was the Urahara's way of atoning for the damage done by Keitarou's rebellion, but also a way for the shinigami to acknowledge that the spiritual imbalance in several of these Plus souls was more likely due to spiritual pollution or poor Soul Burial techniques than any other reason, and thus, as a governing power, they had a certain amount of responsibility for seeing that these individuals were taken care of.

For Katsura, the fluid nature of the border camp personnel made it an ideal base camp. There were risks involved, for the shinigami did make frequent forays there, but he had learned their usual schedule and pattern, and had become adept at slipping away whenever danger was on the horizon. While he had always longed to live in Seireitei, he had still grown up in the Rukon, and therefore his sympathies were most of all with the people like those in the village where he had been raised. For that reason, whenever he returned, he did his best to bring with him whatever supplies of food he was able to barter for on his journey.

Although the barrier between Seireitei and Rukongai was strictly lined with powerful Kidou spells, preventing anyone entering Seireitei without the proper authorisation and paperwork clearance, the divide between the camp and the Rukongai side was less strictly guarded, so as to allow people to enter and leave at their own convenience. Some individuals who had come to the camp initially had ultimately returned to the deeper Rukon, deciding that Seireitei was too big a challenge and preferring to eke out their existence in a place they knew, for shinigami often brought supplies and carried out checks on the well-being of Pluses in the surrounding areas. Others had stuck their ground, even when days had become weeks, and weeks months, determined to start a new life in a place where it was possible to grow crops and easily trade for food at market. Several of the residents of the camp had skills they had brought with them from their real lives, such as weaving and carving, and there was a thriving level of barter trade within the settlement, as individuals made do with what they had, and made use of the nature that surrounded their makeshift homes. Katsura identified with this determination towards self-sufficiency, and even when his own food ration was meagre, he did his best to contribute to the people who had never betrayed his presence there, no matter how often he came and went. Normally it was easy to bring them supplies, as his unique spiritual gifts allowed him to hunt away Hollows and thus obtain gifts of gratitude from Seireitei villagers whose homes and livelihoods he had saved. In recent times, however, the Hollows had been scarcely seen, making it much more difficult to make ends meet. In spite of that, Katsura knew he would not let these people down. Though he had always said he had wanted away from the dour hardship of Rukongai life, he could not completely sever the connections of his youth.

In the settlement where Keitarou had run his operations, there were still sundry bits and pieces that had been overlooked and ignored by the shinigami searching for clues to Keitarou's wider schemes. For this reason, Katsura had gone back there, looking for coins or pieces of furniture or other material that could be traded for food at a Seireitei market. His presence there had been coincidental, but although the encounter had been horrific, he knew that had he not been there, many more people would have died.

He gazed at the Rukongai side of the gate with a sigh of resignation.  
 _  
That fight meant I didn't stick around to grab more than a handful of Father's old coins. His bits and pieces are running short now, anyway, and there are things that he had which, if I traded them, it would lead a path right back to me. As it is, I used my spirit power. I'm hungry, but I have barely any food and I have to share it. And, at the bottom of my bag is the sword from Father's grave. I wonder if I've taken too big a risk this time...but I don't know what else I could do. I'm not a genius, and Father isn't here to ask. If he didn't do it, he'd probably have known how to stop it - but I'm not him, and I don't understand all the things he does. I'm at my limit operating the gate openings he left dotted around the place in order to keep out of sight. I'm not designed to figure out dark and sinister happenings._

"Oniichan!"

"Nii-chan, have you brought us food again?"

"Niichan is here! Oniichan, welcome back!"

As he stepped in through the Rukon boundary, several of the settlement's children hurried up to him, excited looks in their eyes despite the ragged nature of their clothing and the thin bodies that hid beneath the grimy fabric. Despite the gravity of his errand, he bent to ruffle the hair of the nearest, casting her a warm smile as she clung to his arm. He nodded his head.

"I always bring you food, don't I?" he asked lightly. "Why such a greeting? It's not been so long since I was last here, surely? I've been away only a week or two at most, maybe - surely you aren't all as starving as all that?"

"The shinigami brought food last week," one of the older children reported, shaking his head. "We've had fish from the river, too, but the trees aren't flowering, so we won't have any fruit, and the ground is still cold, so it's not possible to grow anything either. Everyone is fine, Oniichan, but glad to see you."

"I like it better when you stay here," the young girl clasped his hand more tightly in her tiny grip, gazing up at him with a wide beam. "I wanted you to come back, Oniichan. It was a long time. I missed you."

"I'm sorry," Katsura's expression softened at this. "I did intend to come back more quickly, but I had another errand to run, and then I had to go to market. It's harder these days, trading and bartering for food. There just isn't as much around as there was before, but I wasn't going to come empty-handed. I made a promise, so I wanted to keep it. Were you really so lonely without me, Homare-chan? Didn't everyone look after you?"

"They did," Homare pouted, "but it's not the same. I wanted to be with you. You promised you wouldn't leave me here on my own, didn't you? I'm always afraid when you leave. I worry you won't come back. You never take me with you...so all I can do is wait."

"If I took you with me, you'd get into trouble, and I don't want that," Katsura rested a hand gently on the top of her head, eying her seriously. "The shinigami will find a place for you to live, and then you'll be safe. You won't need to worry about me any more."

"But I want to be with _you_ , Oniichan," Homare's pout deepened, and Katsura sighed.

"I'm not someone you should stay with," he said sadly. "I've done things that make the shinigami angry with me. If you stayed with me, bad things could happen. It's better you're here, with everyone else. The Ojiichan will look after you, you know that, and nobody would leave you on your own."

Homare didn't reply, instead flinging her arms around Katsura's thin body and hugging him tightly.

"She really is stubborn, that one," the voice of one of the camp's older residents made him glance up, sending the other man a rueful smile. "All she talks about is when you'll get back, Gorou. You were a long time this time, you know. None of us know what the dangers are out there...and we do worry that you put yourself at risk, bringing things here for our sake."

"I like doing it," Katsura admitted, gently disentangling Homare from his body with a grin. "It's hard to explain why. Maybe I feel it's a debt I owe...I don't know. My debt is pretty heavy, so I'm sure it can't be repaid by bringing some people food and supplies. But I do believe in helping you. I'm from Rukongai too, you know. We're not so different, really."

"Yes, but you are different. We all know that," the old man said pensively. "We all know that you aren't like us, and aren't dependent on this place or the barrier. You help us, and we don't ask questions. We all know that Gorou isn't your real name, but none of us ask to know what it is. How many of us here really know what our true names are, anyway? We are the people we are, and we don't mind. Still, if helping us puts you in danger..."

"Believe me, this is the least of my issues in that department," Katsura said ruefully. "In the meantime, I did bring food. Don't question it, because I like to do it. It's never a burden. Please don't think it is."

"You've lost weight, and you look tired," the old man said critically. Katsura shrugged.

"It's not been the easiest trip, but I'm here now," he reflected. "Have the shinigami been recently, or are they due?"

"There wasn't a patrol at the normal time this week, so we don't know," the old man frowned. "We expect they may come anytime. Your help is appreciated as supplies are running low, but you may want to make your visit short and sweet until they're gone."

"I may," Katsura's lips thinned, and Homare glanced up at him sadly.

"Are you going again, Oniichan?" she asked plaintively, and Katsura sighed.

"Not immediately, but perhaps, for a little while," he hazarded. "Just until the shinigami patrol has been."

"But Oniichan..." Homare began to protest, and the old man tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"Don't, Homare," he chided gently. "You know that this is how it is. I know you love Gorou - we all do. But this is part of keeping him safe. You know that too, don't you?"

"Yes," Homare admitted reluctantly, kicking her feet absently against the dirt. "Yes, I know. But I like Gorou-niichan to be here with me. The shinigami don't seem like bad people. I don't understand why they'd be angry if they knew Niichan was here."

"The shinigami aren't bad people. At least, the ones who help you don't seem to be," Katsura shook his head. "It's complicated, Homare. Please don't ask me to explain it...it's better that you don't know."  
He gazed around him with a thoughtful look.

"There seem to be ever more of you, though. How long since the last settlement? Surely there must have been one since the last time I was here."

"The shinigami who came last time said they were having trouble allocating more space in Seireitei," a lean, gangly young man sauntered up to join them, holding out a hand to the young girl, who sniffed, turning up her nose in a pointed way at his attempt to distract her. "I'm sorry, Oniichan, if Homare was bothering you. For some reason she's obsessed with you. She won't listen to anyone else."

"She never bothers me. None of the kids do," Katsura remembered the scene of carnage in the Rukon valley, and his eyes became shadowed and sad. "Here may be crowded, but it is, at least, safe. You don't get hurt by Hollows here."

"The shinigami's barrier keeps them out," came the reply. "But all we can do is wait, and hope we can manage on the rations we have. People come here still, every day...but with nobody leaving anytime soon..."

"Supply and demand, huh." Katsura pushed the memory of the massacre from his head, lifting the sack of food from his shoulder and setting it down in the centre of the settlement. "Ojiisan, I hope I've brought enough for everyone to have at least a little. I can only carry so much, and I hadn't realised how the numbers here had grown."

"The little ones need it especially, if they're going to grow up and live proper lives over the other side of that barrier," the old man shuffled up to take the bag, resting his stick against the ground. "I can take care of that, if you want to take a moment to rest. You do look very tired...more so than usual."

"I had to use my spirit power a little more than I expected, this trip," Katsura grimaced. "If the shinigami are due, though, I won't take too many risks. If I can leave the supplies in your hands, I'll take a wander around the village and see what the situation is. See that everyone has a fair share of things, Ojii-san. I know they'll listen to you, if you tell them what is what."

"I do my best, my lad," the old man nodded, offering a warm smile. "Your kindness is never forgotten, I'm sure, not by any who ever pass through this place."

"Tell us again about Seireitei," the eager Homare begged, as the old man opened the sack, and he and the young man who had spoken earlier began to sort the contents into small, evenly distributed piles. "Is it really all green and beautiful? With trees of fruit and fish and vegetables growing and all kinds of things at market to buy and sell?"

"All those things," Katsura agreed. "But it's hard work too, you know. Finding a good village and settling there is the first step. You should listen to your elders and learn what you can from being here. There are lots of smart folk in this camp - people with skills they can teach you. In Seireitei, it helps to have a skill you can sell. Weaving or painting or making jewellery...any of these things can help you find food, so don't forget, all right? The world gives you back what you give to it - and to other people in it."

He patted the young girl on the head.

"I can't stay long," he added. "I'll walk the village, and then I'll go. If the shinigami haven't been in a week, they'll doubtless come soon. It's better I'm not here when they are. I'm not meant to be here, and it would be trouble for you if I was."

"Can I come walk with you, Oniichan?" Homare begged, but Katsura, mindful of the sword in his pack shook his head.

"I want you to help with the food," he said gently, smiling at her disappointment. "Don't look like that. If I have to slip away, it's better you don't see me go. I'll come back, I promise - I always keep that promise, don't I?"

"Yes," Homare agreed reluctantly. "All right. I'll help. Because Oniichan asked me to."

"Good girl," Katsura's eyes twinkled. "Then I'll leave it in your safe hands."

"You're always welcome here, you know," The skinny youth glanced up from where he had been helping the old man sort food, and Katsura sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe, but not where they're concerned," he said cautiously. "It's better this way."

"Well, so long as we keep your secret, you keep bringing us food, so it's not for us to argue the particulars," the old man said comfortably. "Go do as you must, my young friend. Your presence is welcome here among the people who know you and understand what a kind soul you are. Shinigami or otherwise, we are grateful to you, and the effort you go to on our behalves."

"Well, it was something my mother believed in, and it's not like she's able to help people in the way she used to, now," Katsura said sadly. "Thank you, Ojiisan. I'll keep your words in mind, and I won't forget to come again, next time I have supplies."

He bowed his head towards the old man and Homare, then turned, making his way carefully between the thronging crowds of people who had begun to gather, eager at the promise of food, however meagre the rations might be. As he picked his way between the makeshift wooden houses, Katsura could see the wear and tear from the elements on the outer walls of the buildings, and the worn patches of earth where feet had worn away the grass. The trees flourished with new leaves, but there were no flower buds on the plums or the cherry trees, and Katsura knew that they would probably not yield a crop again this year. Nonetheless, despite the hardship, he was heartened by what he saw. The people, though thin, were lively and positive, laughing and jostling together as they gathered to receive their share of the food. There was no desperate fighting for every morsel, and, though their feet were bare and their clothes faded and worn, they were generally better off than some of the individuals in the poorer areas of slum Seireitei he had encountered on his travels. While the Shinigami and the Clans had worked hard to fix the economic holes in their Districts since peace had been settled, there were still those who struggled to make a living, or who, through disease or the hardship of nature's disdain had been forced to start again from scratch and scramble even to find food and shelter. Katsura had done his best over the previous five years to help these people, and he knew that the potential of those in the border camp to follow their example was high.  
 _  
But the shinigami aren't letting anyone in until they find places to settle them. That means that, although here is busy and food rationed, they won't be forced to fend for themselves. That's something at least. Koku, I guess your shinigami are on the right side, after all. Father was wrong - they aren't demons. They're just not perfect, and there are no perfect answers to this world's problems, anyway.  
_  
He ducked behind the row of buildings, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that none of the settlement's residents had followed him. They were all intent on the food he had brought, however, and so he fumbled with his sash, pulling out the sleek black box he had taken from Keitarou's tomb and gazing at it with a pensive, bittersweet expression.

 _This problem is one I still don't know the answer to, but for now, this will have to do._

Crouching down on the ground, he scooped away the loose, dry earth from beneath the foundations of the house, creating a narrow gap just big enough to conceal the box. Carefully he slid it into the hiding place, gathering the dirt up behind it until it was completely hidden from view. Clapping his hands together in a moment of superstitious prayer, he sighed, lowering his hands and letting out his breath in a heavy rush of air.

 _Nobody would think to look for a sword like that in a camp full of transients. The people who come here aren't staying here longterm, and none of them are particularly close to the shinigami. It should be all right, here. Nobody will mention it, because nobody knows about it. Besides, the people here have known me for ages, yet they've never given me away before. There's no reason to think they'd start now.  
_  
He turned his back, making his way slowly around the perimeter of the camp as he continued his examination. Here he was close to the Kidou line set up by the shinigami to prevent illegal entry into Seireitei in the absence of the Sekkiseki wall divide, and, although he could not see the spells that had been erected here, he could feel the prickle of their energy pervading the atmosphere. Although he believed in free movement, and disliked the idea of keeping people corralled, at that moment, he was glad of this trace of shinigami energy seeping into the general atmosphere.

 _Chudokuga has been dead five years. Intact it may be, but its spiritual presence inside of the case is feeble. With the spells hereabouts, and the individual specks of reiryoku from the local residents, it's unlikely anyone will ever pick it up. It really is the only place I have to hide your sword, Father...I wonder if you'd approve of this, or whether you'd be chastising me for getting involved at all._

His eyes narrowed, and he rested his hands on the worn trunk of one of the barren cherry trees, gazing up at its budding branches.

 _Whatever that creature was, back in the old village, I don't want to see another one. If it has something to do with your sword and the puppet skills you had, I want to make sure that connection is severed. Here, behind the shinigami's barrier, is a good place. It's a difficult place for people from Seireitei to get to, and nobody from Rukongai is going to be manipulating gateways and making puppets of dead men. Whatever it was, I want it to be a one off. Until I find out what happened, and why, I can't take any chances. That means Chudokuga stays here, in the border camp. And I'll go underground until the way is clear, and hope that I never encounter anything like it ever again._

* * *

It had been almost five years since the last time Nagesu had been here, and yet, as he gazed up at the stone frontage of the old Urahara burial vault, he felt a sense of deep nostalgia washing over his senses. He had taken the unexpected decision to bring Keitarou's corpse here after the insurrection, and, although he had faced some opposition from more conservative members of his family, he had pushed the issue until he had, ultimately, got his way. Keitarou had become a bitter enemy and a man better dead than alive where Soul Society was concerned, but, deep within Nagesu's heart, he was still the little, muddy-haired boy that had so eagerly paid attention to every detail of the world around him. Up at the manor, Nagesu knew that Keitarou's childish first scribing of his name was still scratched into the stone, an irreplaceable reminder of the childhood neither of them had been allowed to have, and, although he had brought his cousin's corpse here after death, somehow Nagesu felt that it still wasn't really enough.

He glanced at his companion, taking in the clouded and thoughtful look in her clever, pale eyes. Mareiko was illegitimate, born to his uncle outside of wedlock, although this detail remained a closely guarded secret between them. Not for the first time, though, looking at her, he reminded himself how much he had come to rely on and trust those who were outside the boundaries of the Clan - and how, festering beneath the surface of the Urahara, were secrets and lies that had almost destroyed Seireitei once, and, maybe, would do so again.

He let out a heavy sigh, and, at the sound, Mareiko raised her head, a quizzical look touching her features.

"Nagesu-sama? Is something wrong?"

Nagesu offered her a wry smile, shaking his head.

"This place always makes me remember, far more than any other, how restricted and limited we are in this life," he said reflectively. "It's nothing, Mareiko. Just my meanderings about the past, and no more than that. A Clan Leader is a fallible and useless figure when faced with death and betrayal. Such lessons are frequently made clear to me...but whatever else may change, this place is the same as it ever was."

"I've never been here before," Mareiko admitted, resting her fingers against the aging stone of the outer facade. "I'm not sure I should be here now. This is the crypt for the most important members of the Clan. I..."

"You are my cousin, Keitarou's sister, and my uncle's daughter," Nagesu cut across her, shaking his head. "Besides, I have invited you here. You needn't feel uncomfortable."

He sighed again, gazing up at the stone.

"Well, no more than I do, perhaps," he amended."My father sleeps here, and his disapproval seems to seep through the marble and stone irrespective of how many years he's been dead. He and I would not have agreed on much - and sometimes I think of him in anger, other times with regret. He would not have sanctioned my bringing Keitarou here, I'm sure - but I want to seal the gaps of the past and move forward. Come, follow me. The tomb space built and designed by my uncle is through the main archway, but along a passage to the left."

He gestured, and Mareiko bowed her head, obediently following him into the cool darkness of the stone construction.

As Nagesu had said, Keitarou's tomb was not far ahead, in what was obviously a more recent part of the ancient complex. While people came each week to dust the ancient tombs and set new incense or flowers about the shrines, Keitarou's tomb had been left abandoned and ignored since the day he had been laid here, and so, as Nagesu stepped into the burial space, he coughed, waving away the dust that had gathered over the previous five years. There was a sweet, faintly pungent aroma that hung in the air, and, glancing up towards the rafters, Nagesu saw evidence of cobwebs, dry and abandoned by their former hosts. Somehow, for a man whose sword spirit had been a spider, this seemed strangely appropriate, and a sad smile touched Nagesu's lips.

"The spiders have found him, here," he murmured. "I wonder whether he would have approved of that."

He moved to light the chamber's regulation kidou lamp, illuminating the surroundings in a dim haze. As the bluish flame flickered up the stone walls, Mareiko let out a surprised gasp, darting towards the tomb in sudden surprise.

"Mareiko? What is it?" Nagesu turned, casting her a confused look, but his companion did not immediately respond, instead crouching at the side of the stone tomb that stood proud and abandoned before the shrine. Carefully she ran her index finger over the surface of the stone, her brows knitting together in consternation as she did so.

"Nagesu-sama, I think this is broken," she said at length, raising her gaze to her confused Clan leader's. "Was it so when you had Keitarou laid to rest? I wondered at the smell in the chamber, but a crack in the coffin might explain it."

"A crack?" Nagesu was at her side in a moment, all thought of spiders and contemplation forgotten at his comrade's surprising announcement. "I checked the stone and everything properly, before he was laid to rest. An unsealed tomb is a bad thing in a place like this - I would not have allowed any cracks or breaks, and I came here after the rite was over, to light incense for his soul. There was no damage to the tomb then, I'm certain."

"But there's no doubt about it now," Mareiko tapped her nails against the smooth marble surface. "The characters for his name are damaged. The 'Ta' of Keitarou has been cracked right across - it's how I noticed something was wrong."

"You're right," Nagesu's eyes narrowed behind his glasses, and he rested his index finger against the broken kanji with a frown. "I can think of no natural occurrence to cause this. I haven't released Sekizanha in some time, and there's no natural seismic activity here in Third District to account for it."

"Vandalism?" Mareiko's expression became anxious, and Nagesu's lips thinned.

"It's not impossible," he admitted. "Keitarou is unpopular, and a lot of people were against his being buried here. I had to fight to get the ruling through the Urahara court, with all the problems he had caused us. Still, if this was a case of vandalism, you'd expect there to be more damage. It really looks as though something heavy fell on it, or a tremor passed through it...it doesn't look like someone with a grievance came to smash it up."

"No, but, Nagesu-sama, I think I can feel the threads of something else here," Mareiko's earlier discomfort had disappeared in the light of a scientific mystery, and she crouched closer to the stone, running the palms of her hand across the surface pensively. "It's hard to make out; there's so much spiritual corruption, but it feels as though something broke it. Some...kind of a spell, or...no, maybe not a spell. It's not properly formed enough for that. Just...the sense that something else was here, and that something else caused this crack."

"Something unformed, but spiritual?" A cold chill ran down Nagesu's spine at his companion's words. "You don't think...Keitarou's son...?"

"Kohaku?" Mareiko looked startled, and Nagesu hunched down at her side, shaking his head.

"Katsura," he replied grimly, spreading his own hands over the stone as he tried to pick up the broken fragments of raw spirit energy. "He's disappeared, but five years is nothing for a kinsman of Keitarou. We don't know where he is, or what he's doing - but he had no formalised way of using his spirit power. All the accounts of him indicate that he used untrained energy to fight. You said it wasn't a spell, so we can't rule out the possibility that he came here."

"And damaged his father's grave?" Mareiko sat back on her heels, and Nagesu shrugged.

"The tomb needs to be properly examined," he said heavily. "I'm sorry, Mareiko. I brought you here to pay respects to your dead brother, and not to begin a new mystery."

"I don't mind," Mareiko admitted. "If my science is of use to you, then I'll use it as best I can. Will you allow me to be involved in the investigation? As you said, Keitarou was my brother, and..."

"I would be indebted to you if you were," Nagesu agreed wearily. "You picked up the anomaly quicker than I did."

"With the amount of spiritual corruption in the air, I would suggest this happened recently," Mareiko got to her feet, dusting down her robes. "I think that's a sign of the coffin seal having leaked, and thus, Keitarou's spirit remains are tied up in the aura here."

"We should leave here. I'll have the place sealed, and summon Shiketsu to help you with your investigation," Nagesu suggested. "I will, of course, assist - though I must deal with my family first. But, if you are right, and this scent is decaying spirit matter, then it does mean, at the very least, Keitarou's corpse is probably still within the tomb."

"Shiketsu-sama and I will begin investigating what we can as soon as possible, and I am willing to remain here until he arrives," Mareiko suggested. "Nobody will get in here past my kidou, and I should like to make a more thorough examination of the tomb and...I'm sorry, sir, but also its contents. That might not be pleasant viewing...and I think...I would rather do it alone."

"Are you sure?" Nagesu glanced at her in surprise, and Mareiko nodded.

"I am indebted to you as my Clan leader for many things," she said frankly. "Probably, I'll never find all of the words to explain to you my gratitude. But, when it comes to science, I can start to repay that debt a little. You knew Keitarou. Even if he was my sibling, I did not. You remember him as a child...I have no such nostalgic connection to him. He was a rebel to Seireitei and his corpse lies here. As a scientist, I can examine his remains in such a detached way. However, Nagesu-sama, you brought him here. I think...maybe..."

"I would find it harder to be objective?" Nagesu asked, and Mareiko inclined her head apologetically.

"I mean no disrespect," she added, "but I think...that this way would be best. I will inspect the tomb thoroughly, and, when Shiketsu-sama arrives, we will carry out proper tests and obtain some answers. Keitarou is nothing to him, and nor is he really anything to me. You are our Clan Leader and we will report to you when we have findings...with your permission."

Nagesu rested his hand on the other shinigami's shoulder, sending her a wry smile.

"You owe me nothing, but I am grateful for your offer and will accept your kindness in undertaking this task immediately," he replied. "You are the best person to get to the bottom of this - if Aizen Katsura is once more on the loose, we need to know about it. For now, though, this is a secret and must not be divulged to the wider Clan, or the Gotei. We need answers, first, before we create panic. It may be nothing at all, and we must be sure."

"Yes, sir," Mareiko bowed her head in acknowledgement of the instruction.

"I will tell Shiketsu the same," Nagesu bit his lip, glancing back at the tomb. "Even dead, my cousin continues to haunt me and the future of this family. I hope we are overreacting, Mareiko - but I greatly fear that we are not and, after all this time, Keitarou's son and heir is making some kind of move."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Introducing Homare :)

Also, I am packing up to return home in the next few days. I shall probably have deep Japan withdrawal when I arrive back in cold and wet London, so take pity on me :/


	12. Chudokuga

**Chapter Eleven: Chudokuga**

It had been a busy morning in Seventh Division.

Hirata glanced ruefully across at the tall pile of documents and supply issue slips that still congregated on his desk with a sense of resignation. It was not easy, he mused, juggling the needs of Seventh District and the day-to-day requirements of the Division, but even though he was used to balancing the two responsibilities, it seemed as though he had yet more paperwork to process than ever before.

He could usually hand a considerable amount of it over to his Vice Captain. Kitabata Hajime had been appointed to the role from Fourth seat following the death of Hirata's only son, Souja, in Rukongai five years ago, and he had proven a natural at the job, trustworthy and responsible with whatever duty he was given. That morning, however, Hirata knew that Hajime was in District Seven, meeting with youngsters hopeful of recruiting to the Seventh Squad and putting them through their compulsory drill paces to ensure that they had met the standard required for Division entry. Since events of five years ago, Hirata greatly preferred recruiting new members who had been through Genryuusai's vigorous training program, but there were still old-fashioned minds within the Endou Clan that had resisted a blanket rule about the subject, so Hirata had had to compromise, allowing young noble sons the right to train at home through the old methods. At least, he reflected now, pushing aside one finished document and reaching for the next, he knew that Hajime was thorough, and not afraid of disappointing or offending those he went to observe. A lower born member of the Endou, Hajime had attained rank through his actions rather than his bloodline, and was largely resistant to the stuck up comments of some of his better-born brethren. In fact, Hirata admitted to himself dryly, he rather pitied any Clan peacocks who thought they could tangle with his Vice Captain, for Hajime was not given to suffering fools lightly.

He signed the supply document with a sweep of black ink, pushing it aside and moving to check what else was urgently awaiting his attention. Top of the pile was a sign-off sheet with the Shihouin crest, a formality confirming that Tenichi had successfully returned to his squad and ensuring that Hirata knew the conditions under which he had been paroled. At the very least, Hirata mused, skimming over the neatly listed bullet points with a sigh, that had gone according to plan. True, Tenichi's return to the Division had been delayed an extra day by the extreme reaction he had suffered to releasing the spirit cuffs, but the Captain of the Fourth, Unohana Retsu, had warned him of that possibility ahead of time, and he had therefore factored it into his plans. Since returning to barracks, Tenichi had done everything according to orders and, while he was still struggling to reestablish his previous deep bond with his zanpakutou, Reihahen, this too was something that Retsu had highlighted as a common symptom of lengthy exposure to the cuffs. It would return in time, and in the meantime he had been diligent and respectful, undertaking mundane and boring tasks without complaint and reporting to barracks and to individual officers at the time and place he had been instructed. It seemed that, whatever had happened in prison, Tenichi had no intention of doing anything that would send him back to the Shihouin cells, and this suited Hirata just fine. Whether Hajime approved new intake or not, having a reliable Eighth Seated officer back on the premises was no bad thing.

Unfortunately, though, the level of paperwork still awaiting the Captain's attention was not something he could dump on the parolee's shoulders.

"Taichou?"

A knock at the door alerted Hirata to the presence of his older daughter, Kikyue, the Third Seated officer and leader of his Division's second patrol. Since the loss of Souja, Hirata knew his bond with Kikyue had become closer, and, though devastated by the boy's death, Kikyue had worked hard to fill the breach, identifying her own weaknesses and endeavouring to become an officer of which her brother would have been proud. Even now, female shinigami from within the Endou clan were rare, but Kikyue's spiritual talents had shown themselves when she had still been very young, and there had never been any question that she was more suited to the active, military life than that of a pampered court lady. She was an attractive young woman, but there was the glint of a determined predator in her pale eyes, and Hirata knew that this independent and fiery spirit had scared off the wimpish Endou males who might have made suit for her hand.

Secretly, Hirata liked Kikyue better the way she was, for she had been able to carve her own path in defiance of Clan expectations, but he knew better than to say as much in front of his traditional kinsfolk.

He pushed the parole sheet aside, raising his voice to call his daughter in, and she pushed back the sliding door, entering the office and bowing her head respectfully before the desk.

"Taichou, there's been a report from the Rukon," she said softly. "It's not clear at present what the cause is, but seriously high levels of spiritual activity have been picked up in that same sector again. The sector you mentioned running an extra patrol to investigate this week."

"Spiritual activity?" Hirata looked weary, sitting back and regarding his daughter with a sigh. "I had meant to send a patrol quicker, but there's been so much to settle. Was this an eye-witness account, or something picked up by one of Nagesu-sama's sensor points? It'd be nice to know a little more."

"The latter, sir," Kikyue shook her head. "A messenger came from the Third to update us on the latest data. The readings were apparently very abnormal. They spiked for a brief period, and then disappeared to almost nothing. They'd like us to investigate, sir. I told them you were busy, but the only way I could get them to go away was to promise to bring the report to you straight away."

She reached into the folds of her obi, pulling out a folded sheet of paper and passing it across the desk.

"These are the coordinates," she added slowly. "I might be wrong, sir, but I think...I'm pretty sure the area...well, it's an area known to Seireitei, sir."

Hirata glanced at the numbers, and lines of consternation creased his brow.

"It's where Souja was attacked," he said frankly. "It's in the vicinity of Keitarou's camp, where Kohaku came from originally."

"I thought so too, sir," Kikyue looked uneasy. "I mean, I don't remember every single digit where Rukongai is concerned, but...where Oniisama met his killer..."

She sighed, rubbing her brow.

"It's not something you forget," she admitted. "I was sure you'd know it too, sir. And given the instructions you've asked us to follow when patrolling, I was sure that, when you saw the location, you'd want to do something more to investigate."

"You think there's a possibility this relates to Katsura, don't you?" Hirata asked, and Kikyue nodded.

"Criminals re-visit the scenes of crimes, and familiar haunts. Hajime-dono said that, before, when we were discussing potential spaces Katsura could be hiding," she said honestly. "I don't know whether he realises that the shinigami have all sectors of Rukongai and Seireitei under closer observation, now, but it would make sense that he'd go back to a place he knew well. The sensors are there, but he wouldn't know that. And Rukongai is wide, so we can't patrol every area every day. If he hasn't seen shihakushou, he might assume it was abandoned."

"Maybe," Hirata acknowledged. "The trouble with Katsura is that, like his father, he seems to have the uncanny ability to move. Before, when we sought him, he slipped between Seireitei and Rukongai without any issues. Whether he's using technology left by Keitarou or whether this is innate to him isn't clear, but even if he was in this place," he tapped the paper pensively, "it doesn't mean he will be if we go and search."

"No, but we might find clues," Kikyue responded. "Please, sir, will you authorise me to lead a patrol there this afternoon? Third want it investigated, and I think we should, given the situation. Hajime-dono is still away, but I can take my men and we can be back by this evening. Ohara is conducting drill with junior members in the yard, so he's close at hand."

"All right," Hirata made up his mind, nodding his head. "Go, and find out what happened. But don't take any juniors, Kiki. I won't have them put at risk if that fugitive is there."

"Understood, sir," Kikyue saluted. "I'll take Ohara and Takasugi. Oh, and..."

She paused,tilting her head on one side and casting her father a questioning look.

"Otousama, what about Tenichi? Do you still not want him to go out on open patrol yet, or can I take him with me too?"

"Tenichi?" Hirata pressed his lips together at this, considering the question. "Well, he's run errands efficiently enough since he's been back. How is his progress with his sword?"

"I'm not sure he and Reihahen are in sync, yet, but he's spending every hour he has trying to get back on form," Kikyue said thoughtfully. "He's been up at dawn every day, and he's late to bed, too. I'd like to take him, sir, with your permission. I think it would be good for him, and if there are no juniors, then it would help to have an extra body along."

"Then take him," Hirata offered her a smile. "You're his patrol leader, and I'll bow to your judgement, since you've spent more time with him directly than me since he returned. I admit, the conversation we had the other day reassured me that his mind is in the right place, and he understands that finding Katsura - even killing Katsura - is an objective for this Division. Just keep an eye on him, Kikyue. He intends to make good on this parole, but it's still early days. I want to ensure he becomes a shinigami we can utilise to the top level - and it's a fine line, once someone discovers a taste for violence, as to whether they control it or it controls them."

"Yes, sir," Kikyue said gravely. "I'll tell Ohara, too. We'll both make sure nothing untoward happens. If we find Katsura, we'll do our best to ground him. And if not, we'll investigate the scene in full."

"Attacking Katsura is your brief," Hirata agreed, "but not at the danger of your life or the lives of your fellow officers. I want that outlaw here, either dead or in my cells - but I won't take any more losses on Keitarou's account. If it becomes dangerous, withdraw. There will be a second and a third chance to catch him, so no stupid risks."

"I understand, sir," Kikyue saluted again. "I'll go brief the others now, and I'll report to you directly when I get back."

"Do that," Hirata agreed. "At the very least, maybe it will give me something to report back to the wider Clan, next time I'm called to District Seven."

* * *

"What have you to report to me?"

Nagesu set aside the document, casting his son a troubled look. "I don't like this, Shiketsu, and the sooner I get to the bottom of it the better. What can you tell me about the site of Keitarou's grave? Was there anything useful you could glean from the tests I had you do?"

"Sekime-taichou is still mulling over the data, but she's as foxed as all of us," Shiketsu sighed, sinking down into the vacant seat before his father's desk. "Someone definitely broke into the tomb, and someone definitely broke the seal. I mean, it's not a consequence of decomposition - which is another thing. There really is very little of that, too. All in all it's an unpleasant and rather macabre errand, Otousama - and one I don't take real pleasure in overseeing."

"Shinigami can't be squeamish, and nor can scientists," Nagesu said softly, and Shiketsu nodded his head.

"I know, and I didn't say I wouldn't continue," he assured his companion with a grimace. "Just, prying about the final resting place of a man who most of Seireitei would have liked to string up or burn isn't my favourite occupation. There are any number of people who might have hated or resented Keitarou enough to desecrate his tomb...but right now, we have no leads. Spirit power was used, and the data is...somewhat familiar yet somewhat not familiar. That's as much as Sekime-taichou was able to give me from her initial analysis. Whatever was there is somewhat affected by the residue from Keitarou himself."

"I see," Nagesu removed his glasses, setting them down on the desk and rubbing his eyes in an attempt to stave off the headache that he knew was brewing. "Then tell me about the other thing. The body. I know it's distasteful to you," as Shiketsu's expression clouded, "but I need to know everything I can. Keitarou's remains have lain there for five years. A shinigami of his ability ought to have been long since decomposed - but you say that's not happened?"

Shiketsu was silent for a long time, then he groaned.

"I would rather have been greeted with bones and spiritual entrails than a ghostly corpse that looked a few weeks dead," he owned. "Do you really want me to give you the full breakdown? It's unnerving enough to see it - but seriously, Father, I'd think that somehow he'd managed to stave off death and maybe broke the tomb himself in order to go walking the streets of Seireitei at night."

"Shiketsu!" Nagesu's eyes narrowed in irritation. "I've told you already, this isn't a time for squeamishness or superstition. Scientifically, if you please...what can you tell me about Keitarou's corpse?"

"If you'll forgive my interruption, Nagesu-sama, I think I can answer that in clearer detail than Shiketsu-sama can."

Before Shiketsu was able to respond, Mareiko pushed back the door to the office, bowing apologetically at her sudden interruption. "I realise that I shouldn't just barge in on you like this, but you did say...as soon as I could..."

"I did, and you needn't worry. Shiketsu seems reluctant to divulge gory details to me, but I trust you won't have the same hesitation?" Nagesu sent her a weary glance, and Mareiko shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not gory," she said simply. "That's what bothers Shiketsu-sama most, I think - and me also. Keitarou's body is not that badly decayed. It is not perfect...when you look at it closely, his skin is thin and fragile, and I imagine it wouldn't take much to damage it. However, the body is still very recognisable. The wound where Shunsui-dono cut him down is still easy to make out, the cuts clean and recognisable from the embalming of the corpse five years ago. The shroud is untouched, if dusty - the whole scene is dusty. But Keitarou's body ought to be spiritual ash by now - it just isn't."

"Such a thing is highly abnormal," Nagesu murmured. "Disenterring a man like my cousin is wholly against my principles, but if someone broke into his grave, and he's not decayed...I hate to ask the question but, Mareiko, are we sure that Keitarou was really...is really..."

"Keitarou is dead," Mareiko's eyes were sad, but she nodded her head slowly. "He has no spiritual pulse, and no living aura. He has no heartbeat, his eyes have no response to stimuli, and they are sunken and opaque, even if they too are mostly intact."

"Then..."

"It's only my theory," Mareiko tucked a stray wisp of unruly fair hair behind her ear, so absorbed in her conversation that she did not notice when it popped out again the next moment. "A theory unproven, but the only thing I can think of to explain it. Keitarou's body was exposed to his reidoku poison. I have heard that some of the individuals who were afflicted with Keitsune-sama's poison also did not decay with the speed that people expected."

"Really," Nagesu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now how is it that you know that and I don't? I've never heard such a thing before, but Keitsune was my uncle."

There was a long silence, then Mareiko let out a heavy sigh.

"Daigo-sama...did research..." she said unwillingly. "Not on people's relatives, not in that way...but he did examine bodies which had been destroyed by reidoku in its early stages."

"Kusakawa Daigo," Nagesu's eyes became slits. "I see. Daigo-dono did work with my uncle, didn't he...I suppose he knew more about reidoku than anyone else left alive after that particular catastrophe. Daigo-dono was one of the few survivors at my father's court who would have had that knowledge. In which case...you know because..."

"Of Taichou. Yes," it was not possible for Mareiko's expression to become any more troubled, and Nagesu sighed, remembering yet again that the betrayal of Mareiko's former Captain, Daigo's son Shougo was still a fresh wound, despite the fact the man had been dead for so many years. "It was just something that came up in conversation...I think around the time Endou Seimaru died. I know that reidoku was part of his death, too, and I remember Taichou saying it was a pity that nobody Urahara would get to view the corpse, since it would be interesting to see whether that particular theory bore out."

"Kusakawa Shougo was guilty of treason against the Urahara," Shiketsu said blackly. "He was experimenting on people in the Rukon probably long before Endou Seimaru was killed...he probably just wanted another toy to play around with in his quest for the perfect poison."

"Shiketsu," Nagesu spoke chidingly, and Shiketsu reddened, casting Mareiko a sidelong glance.

"I'm sorry, Mareiko-dono. I know he was someone you trusted, once, and I know he let you down. But it makes me angry, thinking of the things he did and without us ever knowing. It's probably a good thing he never got his hands on Seimaru-dono's body. If he had, goodness knows what would have happened in his experiments."

"Kusakawa's poison and Keitarou's reidoku are not the same thing," Nagesu agreed, resting his chin in his hands. "I don't really feel inclined to request the Council authorise exhumations of those we know his potion helped to destroy, but even if we did, there's no telling that the effect it had would be the same. Whatever may have occurred in the distant past with uncle's experiments, we know that Keitarou didn't hollowfy when he drank his own formula, and according to reports, nor did Seimaru. Shougo's potion, on the other hand, was very unstable, and so was Daigo's before him. Daigo's creations that we fought in the Real World were stabilised by Keitarou, so Shougo never stabilised his drug at all. The components are not entirely the same - so even if I was to beg the Kuchiki and the Yamamoto for exhumation rights on Anabomi and the Eleventh's poor Vice Captain, there's no reason to assume we'd get the same result. And as for Endou Seimaru..."

"Cremated, probably - what was left of him," Shiketsu said matter-of-factly. "I know it's not a pleasant thing to think or say, but it was a pretty fitting end for him, and he was a charred mess when they got to him, anyway. Reidoku or not, his body was already in tatters before the funeral."

"Which leaves us with Keitarou," Nagesu mused sadly. "A man who is dead but not at rest...not returning to the world that gave him spiritual life. It's unpleasant, and especially if the grave was broken into - but if we have no other leads on who did that..."

He paused, casting Mareiko a troubled glance.

"Unless, of course, my other fear...you've found anything...?"

"Other fear?" Shiketsu looked blank, and Nagesu sighed, nodding his head.

"Keitarou had family," he reminded his son gently, "and we would do well not to forget that possibility in a situation like this."

"Kohaku?" Shiketsu was alarmed. "But I thought..."

"I don't mean Kohaku," Nagesu shook his head. "While it's possible he might know something about his father's work on reidoku, or may even have some symptoms of it in his own genetic structure, I don't suppose he's had enough free time, or motive, to go around demolishing graves which are some considerable distance from Inner Seireitei. I imagine Ukitake would notice if one of his officers was absent for any length of time, even if I did think the boy was of that nature - which I don't. I'm talking about Kohaku's brother - the missing miscreant who savaged Fourth Division healers and ran riot around the Seventh Division before being chased off into oblivion. Aizen Katsura is at large and a definite loose cannon. More to the point - Mareiko said when we found the damage that it was probably done by untrained or stray reiryoku. It wasn't a weapon, or a spell. Correct?"

"That was my first impression, and even with proper testing, I can't find any evidence of anything being used bar raw spirit power," Mareiko agreed. "I can't match it to anything from Aizen Katsura here, though. Not yet, at least. I don't have the right data to compare it to - if it still exists. I don't even know if any proper data for his reiryoku signature was recorded, if I'm honest. So much happened in a short space of time - I can't be completely sure. I won't give up," she added, "but at present I need more than what I have to make that kind of assertion."

"And the samples on the coffin are tainted by Keitarou's reiatsu traces," Shiketsu supplemented, his confusion clearing at the explanation. "He hasn't decayed, Otousama, but it's still there, emanating from him like a bad smell. It's broken reiryoku - that's what it is - and it has a cloying sensation all of its own. It's stronger than trace evidence of anything else - and it's contaminated our ability to take good samples. Even if we had a sample of Katsura's reiryoku, I don't know if we could match it like this."

"The body is intact but the spirit is gone," Nagesu sighed heavily. "Very well. In that case, we shall return him to his rest. I'll station guards to protect the tomb in the short term, in case it's someone with a random grievance launching an attack without means or motive. If it is Aizen Katsura, well, finding him would be one problem off the Council's to do list - and if not, we'll get to the bottom of it more quickly."

"I suppose no other graves have been desecrated, Nagesu-sama? Just Keitarou's?" Mareiko asked softly, and Nagesu looked confused.

"Isn't it enough that one is?" he demanded. "Why? Do you think this is something other than a one off hate attack?"

"It's _Keitarou'_ s grave," Mareiko said grimly. "That being the case, there could be threads all over the place. Especially if this is the work of Aizen's son. To do something like this...if it was Katsura, he'd have to have brain like Keitarou's, in order to break the seal and mess with his own father's corpse. Besides, there was something else that troubled me about Keitarou's grave - something we haven't yet had a chance to report to you. I still think that, if it was a fit of pique, we'd have seen more damage - but a crack across the surface almost implies someone hoped it wouldn't be quickly noticed."

"In short, someone came to the grave for another reason than to tamper?"

"That would be my conclusion, yes."

Nagesu rubbed his brows with his index fingers, letting out a groan.

"But the corpse is there, and intact," he reminded her. "If someone was playing games, what were they after? Breaking Keitarou's tomb in a way we're not meant to notice - and which we wouldn't have, had I not decided we go pay our respects - yet leaving the corpse...what was the purpose of something like this? If not to make a point to us, or a threat, or to vandalise Keitarou's body...then what?"

"They didn't want the corpse, Otousama," Shiketsu's expression darkened, and he exchanged looks with Mareiko, who nodded her head.

"Taking Keitarou's corpse might make us believe he wasn't really dead, and you'd expect them to want us to see that, in order to create panic," she said slowly. "That's clearly not what happened. However, the tomb is not complete. Keitarou is still there...but Keitarou's sword..."

"Chudokuga?" Horror flooded Nagesu's expression. "But...

"It's not there," Mareiko pressed her lips together in a grim line, and as she spoke, Nagesu felt a distinct sense of unease wash over him. "It was buried with him, but now it's gone. No hilt, no scabbard, nothing."

"Could it have decayed?" Nagesu asked. Mareiko shrugged.

"With the state of Keitarou's corpse, it seems unlikely," she replied. "Moreover, Shiketsu-sama tells me it's customary for a _zanpakutou_ to be buried within a sealed box of its own, at the side of the wielder. There was no sign, however, of any such box within the coffin."

"The sword was definitely sealed according to tradition." Nagesu said heavily. "It was there...I am sure of it."

"Then it has doubtless been taken," Mareiko said gravely. "The box would not decay, but it is gone, and so is the sword. Chudokuga is missing...and therefore we must assume that was the real motive for disturbing Keitarou's sleep."

Nagesu bit his lip. Slowly he nodded his head.

"Chudokuga is dead, and there shouldn't be any danger from it, even in unknown hands," he said softly, "but if this is something relating to Keitarou's son, there's a possibility we don't know all the information we need to know to understand this crime. On the off-chance that this is more than just a random souvenir hunt or a mistake...I think that we can't keep this matter a secret any more. I will address the issue with the Captains at the next meeting - although, Shiketsu, I am forbidding you from mentioning it at a Vice Captain's meeting yet. We need more information first."

"Yes, sir," Shiketsu agreed grimly. "I understand."

"I will have to go to Thirteenth, though," Nagesu sighed heavily. "Above his rank or not, I need to talk to the Aizen boy. Kohaku might be the one trump card we have in getting to the bottom of this business - and I need to ask him about his brother, and about his father's sword."

* * *

The vale that led down towards the flagged area of Rukongai was unusually quiet as the four officers from Seventh Division made their way through the sparsely dotted forest terrain towards the correct regional coordinates. The sky was a greyish colour, though at intervals it appeared lighter, as though the sun was fighting to get through the heavy cloud cover and illuminate the landscape in its glow. This was still one of the poorest areas of Rukongai, far from direct Shinigami supervision and low on natural resources in spite of all the work from Third District people to improve the environment and make it more habitable. Still, there were enough ramshackle houses spaced here and there on the walk down to indicate that people normally did live here.

Tenichi gazed around him, mixed feelings in his mind as he registered his surroundings. He had been surprised when Kikyue had hauled him out from the training ground and told him to get ready to dispatch on an immediate and unplanned Rukon patrol, but he had also been excited, for, although he understood that he was an officer under observation, he had disliked the mundane nature of his workload so far. His sword still sulked at his waist, refusing to fully give him the release power that had once characterised their fighting style, but although he had asked Kikyue about this when she had given him the message, she had not seemed to mind.

"Taichou said I could take you, so you're coming. It's an order, so no complaining," had been her brisk response and Tenichi had immediately acquiesced, sheathing his stubborn weapon and hurrying off to do as he was bidden.

He had not been a part of a Rukon rotation before, as the idea had surfaced following his incarceration. In spite of that, as they made their way down into the valley proper, he realised that this area was familiar to him. Five years ago, he had been forcibly abducted here by one of Keitarou's agents, the still missing Onmitsukidou known by the moniker of Kurotsuchi, and he had spent a number of days here as a result. It had been that abduction which had begun the steps to his downfall and ultimate disgrace, and he sent Kikyue a sidelong glance, wondering if she had realised that when she had selected him, or whether it had been coincidental.

Still, he reminded himself, ducking between the lower branches of a maple tree, it was a long time ago. Keitarou was gone, and the area was no longer the bleak, dead land it had been back then. The Rukon outcasts that Keitarou had claimed to be helping had all been relocated to different areas, and the souls that now inhabited this stretch were newcomers, individuals who had been Soul Buried from the Real World since Keitarou's death. There was no longer the taint of death in the atmosphere and, as they passed a small, winding track, Tenichi paused for a moment, his gaze following the line of stone towards a dilapidated hut that stood abandoned at the edge. The briars that surrounded it had once seemed like a prison fence, but now, with the improved drainage and the substantial spring that marked the base of the mound, they had begun to flourish, and Tenichi almost thought he could see tiny flower buds in the twisting branches, evidence that, come the summer and autumn, there might even be fruit.

The spring itself was now a proper pool of water, and Tenichi shifted his gaze to it, remembering with a wry smile how he had been the one to originally break through the rock and ground here to provide what had then been but a trickle in an otherwise dry terrain. So he had done something to help the people here, he reflected ruefully, even if, in the long run, all his other actions had been proven folly.

"Tenichi, are you coming?" Kikyue's impatient voice alerted him to the fact that he had stopped, and he hastened to join his companions, an apologetic expression on his features.

"I'm sorry, Kikyue-dono. I got distracted for a moment."

"I suppose it's unusual levels of fresh air for you, isn't it?" Takasugi Heita, the Seventh Seat gave him a nudge with his elbow. "Thinking about it, it's your first time in the Rukon, isn't it? No wonder you're sight-seeing, though the rest of us are used to it by now."

"We're not here to sight-see," Ohara Masayuki, the Division's haughty Fourth Seat eyed the two of them with censure. "We came to do a job, and you are lagging. Kotetsu, I don't think I need remind you that your conduct is under scrutiny. First time or not, if you delay our patrol, the Captain will hear about it, and you won't be going on another one any time soon."

"I know. I'm sorry, Masayuki-dono," Tenichi bowed his head. "I didn't mean to. I suppose Takasugi's right. It's my first time on a Rukon rotation."

"Not your first time in the Rukon, though," Kikyue said acidly, sending him a hawkish glance, and at that moment, Tenichi knew that Kikyue had not forgotten the events of five years ago. He reddened, shaking his head.

"No. I suppose not."

"Not?" Takasugi was surprised. "How so? Kotetsu was banged up inside the first time we ran a rotation, and he just said it was his first time, which means..."

"I see," Ohara's expression became one of comprehension, and he glanced at Kikyue. "Hime, did you bring Kotetsu here for that reason? Or for another one?"

"As it happened, I just asked Taichou if I could bring him, as I thought he needed the time out on the road," Kikyue said dismissively. "The fact it was here made no difference. Though I did think you might remember," this last to Tenichi, "it doesn't change anything. The past is there and it will keep coming back and biting you. We're not protected from it and nor are you. The report was from here, so we're here. You understand, don't you? This place has history, and if there is any connection between that history and the present, dealing with it is our job."

"Yes, ma'am," Tenichi said gravely. "I understand, and I have no intention of acting otherwise. Here or anywhere, I already decided to go where my Captain orders me and do what my patrol leader instructs. I don't mind being back here. The past is what it is, but I'm moving forward."

"Good," Kikyue looked approving. "Then, if you've finished sight-seeing, let's go. As you can see, a lot of work has done to improve the place...so I'm sure it's a lot different from your memories."

"You really have been here before, huh?" Takasugi cast Tenichi a startled look, and Tenichi offered his companion a humourless smile.

"I was brought here by force by an agent of Aizen Keitarou, and held here for several days," he said honestly. He raised his hand, pointing across to the abandoned hut. "That's Kohaku's hut - the place the local people said was the home of a demon, though of course, that wasn't true."

"And it's the same region in which Oniisama was attacked," Kikyue said softly. "Where Kohaku found him and brought him back to Seireitei."

"Hime," Ohara sent her a concerned look, and Kikyue returned it with a resigned smile.

"Tenichi said it. The past is what it is," she responded evenly. "Oniisama came here and he was attacked. Kohaku found him and brought him back to Seireitei. Because of that, the Gotei was able to finally kill Aizen Keitarou and capture my aunt, putting an end to their activities. Oniisama was a brave martyr to that cause, and he would have not been unhappy about that, knowing his sacrifice led to us putting an end to things."

"But we've come here in search of Aizen Katsura, haven't we, Hime?" Ohara asked softly.

"Katsura?" Tenichi was surprised. "Is that the case, Kikyue-dono? I know that Taichou mentioned to me the possibility, but..."

"We've come to find out whether it's a coincidence or not that the signal alert came from this area of Rukongai," Kikyue replied crisply. "If Katsura has returned here, our brief is to take him out. If we can't kill him immediately, we bring him in. Taichou said that he doesn't want us risking our lives, but I believe that, if we take him off guard, we can catch him. We know what he's about, now, and he won't be able to stun us so easily. Plus, this time, you're here, and not languishing in Thirteenth's prison cells," she added acerbically, casting Tenichi a glance that made his cheeks burn red in mortification, "so that has to be seen as a positive."

"Believe me, Kikyue-dono, I have no intention of seeing the inside of any cell, ever again," he said fervently. "I've learned that lesson. I promise."

"Good. Then we press on," Kikyue gestured forward. "The coordinates that Third brought to me are for a little further along this path. Tenichi, you've been here before, so you'll know how deep into Keitarou's old territory we are right now."

"Right in the middle of it, I'd say," Tenichi recovered himself, eying the landscape with a pensive shrug. "Kohaku's hut was on the outskirts, and the people who lived here were afraid to approach it. The main settlement where Keitarou lived and where most of the people were was straight ahead," he pointed, "but everything here is much greener than it was then, so whether it's the same settlement or not is hard to say. Keitarou's dead, in any case. Probably they razed the area and rebuilt it when they cleared people out."

"Well, it's not Keitarou we're looking for, so that isn't a big problem," Takasugi said matter-of-factly. "I missed all the excitement of this Katsura's attack on the Division five years back, since I was on duty at the main house, so I'm looking forward to the chance to match up against him."

He flexed his fists in anticipation.

"I haven't had a good fight in a while, and he sounds like decent prey."

"He doesn't use a sword, but he shouldn't be underestimated," Kikyue warned. "He has psychic abilities, he can manipulate Hollows, and it's unclear how much control he might have gained over his skills in the past few years."

"We don't actually know if he's even alive, though, Hime," Ohara pointed out. "Of course, I have no qualms about fighting this ingrate again if he dares show himself, especially if he behaves in the disgraceful manner he displayed when he came to Inner Seireitei, but the fact is that Hajime-dono fired at least four bolts of his sword into the criminal's torso. I've yet to see or hear of anyone surviving that kind of wound, and Hajime-dono is normally an excellent shot."

"Hajime-dono didn't get the chance to finish the job, because I recalled him," Kikyue reminded her companion, who looked suddenly abashed at the memory. "Normally you're right, and he would have taken the man's head as surety, but there wasn't the time. You were incapacitated, and Nakata was injured. You both took priority, so we withdrew. We didn't find a body, so we can only assume that he survived. Keitarou might have saved him. We really don't know."

"Then I have even more reason to find and fight him," Ohara murmured, glancing at the ground, "as my carelessness is part of the reason he might have eluded justice."

Tenichi cast a quizzical glance between the two officers, but Kikyue did not seem inclined to expand on her earlier comment, nor respond to Ohara's words, instead indicating that they should continue at a brisker pace. Ohara cast her a pained look, but obediently followed the instruction, leaving Tenichi and Takasugi to hasten their steps in order to keep up and avoid a further scolding.

 _I guess a lot happened in my absence.  
_  
Tenichi pressed his lips together as he considered this.

 _Ohara has been like a different person since I came back on duty. He's the most different of anyone. When he scolds me, it's for my discipline, but he hasn't once linked it to my District birth as I expected he would. True, it's not as though his deference towards Kikyue-dono has really changed that much, but there's something else about it that wasn't there before. Like he's got a heavy debt to repay and he means to do it...at whatever cost. I've also never heard him praise Hajime-dono before. I wonder what happened...though I guess it's not my place to ask questions about things I had no part in.  
_  
He sighed heavily.  
 _  
Kikyue-dono is right. I was no use defending my division against Katsura's attack because I was too busy trying to kill that poor girl at Thirteenth. I really did lose my mind. Kikyue-dono sent me to get help from Thirteenth, and instead of doing that, I launch an attack on an undefended recruit. How I imagined I would get away with it is anyone's guess...or did I even care? Thinking about that day still gives me chills inside...that I could lose myself so completely and act in such a way. I wonder if it really was because of Keitarou, and the paranoia that he instilled in me...or whether the urge to kill has become a part of me somehow. Maybe joining Seventh, maybe being here...perhaps that alone was enough to wake it inside of me. I suppose it doesn't matter what Ohara's situation is, or what may have happened in my absence where he was concerned. I have my own heavy debt to repay to this Division for my lapses in judgement five years ago, so if that means drawing my sword and fighting against Katsura this time, I'll have to do it - whether Reihahen is fully up for the challenge or not._

At that moment they reached the edge of the settlement that they had been sent to investigate, and as they stepped through the last of the trees, all four of them stopped dead, words deserting them as they surveyed the scene before them.

Although it was a poor region of Rukongai, agents from Third District had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure that the housing was stable, if not extravagant, and the area was habitable, with better irrigation and a thriving water source. For that reason, it had been well populated, and though Tenichi had not been there in the past several years, it was clear from the number of freshly built houses that it had become home to a sizeable population.

In spite of that, the area was largely deserted, and it didn't take long for the shinigami to see why.

In the centre of the village, a large section of the grass had been seared black by some kind of of hostile spirit power, which had flared up and consumed at least one of the houses in its blaze. As they drew closer, it became clear that the humps of ash and dust that lay scattered around it were, in fact, the remains of bodies, scorched where they lay helpless on the grass. Further along, outside the burnt area lay two further bodies, the land surrounding them caked in dried blood, and it was clear from a distance that one of them was too small to be anything but a child. In spite of himself, Tenichi felt physically sick. Whatever had happened here, it had been brutal, and anyone who had been able to leave the scene had quickly done so.

"I guess we know what the reason for the signal was, now," Takasugi was the first to break the silence, clambering down over the last of the boulders and dropping carefully into the settlement itself. "Kikyue-dono, this is what we came for, isn't it? This is why Nagesu-sama's sensors were picking up flares."

"Who would do something like this? And to women and children, too?" Ohara approached the nearest pile of ash and charcoal, pulling his sword from its sheath and using the very tip to push aside the burnt remains of old cloth to reveal the tiny, blackened form of an infant's skull beneath. At exposure to the air, however, the bone quickly crumbled, disappearing into a cloud of dust. He sighed, withdrawing his weapon, and turning to his patrol officer.

"What would you have us do, Hime? There's nobody here, but clearly there's plenty to be looked at."

"Take samples of the ash, and examine the scene thoroughly," Kikyue's instructions were firm, but Tenichi felt sure that even she was shaken by the horrific violence that had been unleashed here. "There's a lot of spiritual energy in the air, too. Something big happened here, and it was definitely sinister. This was an attack and we should treat it as such. It's our rotation, so finding the culprit is our duty."

"Do you think it was Aizen Katsura?" Takasugi knelt down beside one of the unburnt corpses, turning it over gently and flinching back at the savagery which had cut the woman open. "Someone did this with a blade, Kikyue-dono. I don't think even a psychic mad creature could dissect a person open in quite this horrible a way."

"We don't know what he can and cannot do these days, or how much his power of manipulation might have developed," Kikyue pointed out. "Takasugi, lay those corpses out and do what you can to preserve them until the Fourth Division can send a retrieval team to collect the remains. The burned bodies are falling apart right in front of us, so whether they'll be of any use or not I don't know."

"It's impossible to know if they were burned after they were dead, or whether they got caught in crossfire of some kind," Ohara stepped away from the infant's corpse. "I can make out maybe six bodies here. With the two Takasugi has, that's eight. Kotetsu," this last to Tenichi, who was standing at the edge of the scene, still staring at it in undisguised dismay, "if you're going to be squeamish about a crime scene, perhaps you should go and check the surviving houses for anyone who witnessed this. If there's anyone left alive here, who hasn't fled, we need their statements."

"I'm not squeamish," Tenichi assured his superior officer, although he was not sure he was telling the truth. "I'm just shocked that something like this could happen here, after so much was done to change it. I'll go check the houses," he added, "although I imagine if something that awful happened here, nobody will have stayed around to become the next victim."

"Check anyway," Kikyue instructed. "Ohara is right. We need to make sure of that. There must be witnesses to this - the population figures for this area are certainly recorded at higher than eight, and there are no other corpses as far as I can see. Be careful, in case the perpetrator is still around here. Your sword isn't fully functional yet, so don't try to do anything clever. Call for backup, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Tenichi saluted, hurrying across the ground to do as he was bidden. Although he knew that there was very real danger of the attacker still lurking around the premises, he found it a relief to be away from the sight of death and destruction just a few metres away.

 _Just like when I was a child._

He sighed, forcing the memories away, and moving to enter the first hut. He pushed back the cloth divide, quickly ascertaining that the tiny shelter was abandoned. Whoever had left here had left in a hurry, because there was a knocked over pan and a damp patch suggesting a recent spillage of water. He touched a finger to this, realising that although it was still moist, it was not soaking.

 _The heat of the fire, maybe? Or perhaps this happened a little while ago, and we've only just got the alert?_

He gave the rest of the shelter a cursory glance, then withdrew, moving on to the next. Inwardly, though, his mind was whirling.

 _Who would do something like that, though? I don't think even Keitarou in his worst scheming would have murdered innocent children and carved them up in that way. Is this really the work of his oldest son? In which case, we really do need to find him._

His memory flitted back to his own youth, when, as a small boy of eight or nine he, his mother and his younger brother, then only a child of six, had gathered up a few belongings and said their farewells to his father, fleeing into the night for the safety of District Eight's refugee camp. He had never forgotten those experiences, or the villages they had passed through where people had been slaughtered and left to rot in the streets, their bones bleaching against the ground. In other places, people had simply starved to death, unable to get the supplies due to cut lines of transport caused by the movement of Endou Clan warriors. Ketsui had been too young to fully comprehend the real scale of the hell that had occurred in District Seven at that time, but Tenichi had often foraged for food or water while his mother sought shelter, and he had seen things that he had never spoken about to either one of them. This was Rukongai, but the suffering of people here once again reminded him of that time in his own life, and anger seared up inside of him at the injustice of the victims in each case.

 _Women, children, innocents who cannot defend themselves. Nothing has changed, except the person holding the weapon. Whoever did this is unforgivable. They must be stopped. No matter who they are, they must be found. The world has changed so much. The Endou has been purged of its murderers and District Seven has found peace thanks to the Taichou and his family. But that doesn't mean people stop being killed for no reason. It just moves, doesn't it? That's why Taichou wants to find Aizen Katsura and bring him to justice. Because when there are loose ends, things like this happen._

The second hut was also empty, as was the third, and, as Tenichi made his progress through the settlement, he realised that, though no people remained, there was no sign of damage at the further reaches of the land. Tracks in the dirt indicated a mass stampede to leave, and Tenichi surmised with some relief that, although there were a few specks of blood lining the pathway, most of the residents had managed to escape whatever violent predator had come to their door that day.

He turned back towards the scene of the crime, hurrying to rejoin his companions and trying to put out of his mind the ones who had not been as fortunate.

"There's nobody here, Kikyue-dono," he reported, as he reached them. "All the huts are empty. There's signs people left in a hurry, but not much evidence that many of them were hurt when they did. I suspect they scattered into surrounding land - but I think most people managed to get away."

"Then our witnesses are probably going to be in nearby villages and settlements," Ohara clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance. "That means a much wider canvassing of territory, and we are only a few. Would you like me to begin on that errand, Hime?" he asked, casting Kikyue a questioning look. "I might try the immediate neighbours, and see what stories have passed through the area."

"Do so," Kikyue agreed. "If there's nobody here, there's no danger. Be careful, and see what you can find out."

"Yes, ma'am," Ohara saluted, disappearing into shunpo, and Kikyue sighed, turning to Tenichi.

"I thought you'd got to grips with the reality of death," she reflected. "Is Ohara right? Are you going to faint or throw up, or can you be useful in examining the scene?"

"I'm all right, Kikyue-dono," Tenichi promised. "It reminded me of being a child, fleeing to Eighth District, that's all. Innocent people being killed just because they were there...it's not something you forget easily."

He glanced at the charred mess.

"I want to find whoever did this, too, before they can do it again," he added. "It seems like pointless, random violence, and that makes me angry. People here have a hard enough life without that. We need to stop it, so tell me what you want me to do."

"Fine words," Takasugi came up behind him with a grin. "Kikyue-dono, the corpses are a lot messy, but they're ready for a forensic retrieval. There's some kind of spiritual residue on the corpses, but I can't make it out. It seems to have broken down quite a lot, and I don't know if anyone will be able to pick a reiatsu signature from it."

"I'm not sure that it matters," Kikyue looked grim, stepping past the fallen bodies of woman and child and pulling her own sheathed weapon from its place at her side. Gently she nudged aside some of the dust and debris, revealing the hilt and then the blade of an old, rusted sword. It too was charred and damaged, but clearly recogniseable, and Tenichi's eyes opened wide with surprise.

"A sword? What kind of sword is that?"

"Whatever kind, it comes attached to a hand," Takasugi peered at the weapon closely. "No arm, though, just bony fingers clapsed around it. Quite gruesome, really," he added cheerfully. "Maybe a dead blade, Kikyue-dono?"

"Like the one that killed Oniisama?" Kikyue's eyes darkened, and she sighed. "I don't know. I don't know what it is, only that Plus Souls do sometimes bring them here. Usually they're no kind of weapon at all. Just pieces of metal and nothing else. We should probably take it as evidence."

"Do you think that this blade cut those people down?" Takasugi asked curiously. Kikyue shrugged.

"I think that, right now, the person who's holding this weapon was burned, and probably burned alive, because he's still holding it and the grip has been melted to the blade," she said matter-of-factly, making Tenichi's stomach turn once more with her graphic description. "The others around here are also burned. We can't rule out the possibility that this weapon was used to kill people, but it could also have been used to defend them against whatever was attacking. It's not clear...the weapon is damaged by whatever caused the burning, which suggests it wasn't a blade of any real quality to begin with."

She stood back, returning her sword to its resting place at her side.

"We'll take the sword as evidence. The hand, too, since it's attached," she decided, gesturing for Takasugi to retrieve it. "It's our job to do this thoroughly, after all. But..."

"But?" As Takasugi pulled a length of spare cloth from his obi, carefully wrapping the sword for return to Inner Seireitei, Tenichi cast his patrol leader a questioning look.

"I don't know who did this," Kikyue's expression was grim. "But I will tell you something I am sure of. Aizen Katsura was here. And, unless I'm very much mistaken, Aizen Katsura is the reason these people are scorched within an inch of existence. Whatever that sword is, it's probably a dead blade - but even if Katsura didn't hold the sword himself, it does not rule him out of the slaughter by any means. Katsura is capable of manipulating weaker spirit souls - Hollows, and probably others, too, if he puts his mind to it. In that sense, he is a puppeteer, just like his father, and we shouldn't underestimate the level of his ability to cause chaos."

She frowned.

"Right now, we don't know the details," she admitted, "but we do know one thing. The only distinct spiritual presence lingering over this crime scene like a rotten stench belongs to one person and one person alone."

"Katsura?" Takasugi paused in his retrieval, glancing up in surprise, and Kikyue nodded.

"I'd never forget this reiatsu," she admitted, turning to gaze back on the scene with a sigh. "It's not like he's even trying to hide it, either. It's his reiatsu all right, which means he definitely did survive the attack from Hajime-dono's sword. The weird way in which this is burned, too - it's not like a normal fire, but a burst of raw reiryoku consuming everything in its path. We've already seen that he's unstable. And now we know one thing for sure, which seems too much to be a coincidence. Aizen Katsura has eluded shinigami attention for five years, but he was definitely here in this exact part of Rukongai on the same day these people died."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Third and Seventh Divisions** **  
**  
A refresher of the key players in Tenichi's division, at their current ranks.

 **Captain: Endou Hirata**. An old school friend of Juushirou and Shunsui and the Head of the Endou Clan. Famed for his sword, the "Wind Hawk" (Tsuumi no Fuuhi), which has the power to vaporise an individual and, as such, is widely feared. Although capable of killing without compunction, Hirata likes to regulate his behaviour along the lines of his friends, and they, for their part, keep him in line in this respect.  
 **Vice Captain: Kitabata Hajime:** Introduced as Fourth Seat in Sukuse, Hajime is a lower ranking member of the Endou Clan who, nonetheless, won Hirata's trust enough to become Vice Captain after the death of Hirata's son Souja. Hajime's backstory as a rebel against Seimaru's regime can be found in a oneshot.  
 **Third Seat: Endou Kikyue -** Hirata's older daughter, and something of a spitfire. The loss of her brother was a huge blow, but she is determined to grow into the shinigami he believed she would one day be. Due to her spirit power developing very early, Kikyue never went to the Academy. She is a rare example of a female Endou shinigami, as the Clan normally do not encourage women to train with swords.  
 **Fourth Seat: Ohara Masayuki** \- a higher blooded son of the Endou Clan, Ohara was introduced in Sukuse as a slightly aristocratic and stuck up member of the Seventh. His experiences in Sukuse, however, have humbled him somewhat. He is still in love with Kikyue, although knows the chances of marrying her are slim.  
 **Fifth Seat: Nakata Yusuke:** Tenichi's friend and Seventh Seat in Sukuse, Nakata is a down-to-earth and likeable Endou shinigami.  
 **Sixth Seat: Hashimori Raizen:** A new character for this story; in Sukuse, was dispatched to guard the Endou at the Main House, but is now returned to barracks.  
 **Seventh Seat: Takasugi Heita** : A new character for this story; in Sukuse, was dispatched to guard the Endou at the Main House, but is now returned to barracks. Formerly Ninth seat, promoted since Sukuse.  
 **Eighth Seat: Kotetsu Tenichi** \- released from prison after his offences in Sukuse.  
 **Ninth Seat: Masaoka Sadafumi** \- a bluff, middle aged, and portly member of the Endou who is surprisingly good in a crisis.

These members figure in Seventh Division's two key patrols are as follows (with Nakata having moved patrols with his promotion)  
 **  
Patrol 1**  
Kitabata Hajime (Patrol Leader/VC)  
Nakata Yusuke (Patrol second)  
Hashimori Raizen  
Masaoka Sadafumi

 **Patrol 2**  
Endou Kikyue (Patrol Leader/3rd seat)  
Ohara Masayuki (Patrol second)  
Takasugi Heita  
Kotetsu Tenichi

And also, of course, the Third:

 **Third Division**

 **Captain: Urahara Nagesu:** Head of the Urahara Clan and the cousin of the exiled and dead Keitarou. A kind man not given to wild assumptions and prone to peace, Nagesu has spent a lot of his life trying to repair the damage done by previous insurrections. He is a scientist, but not a genius, and is humble enough to know when to rely on those with greater skill. As such, he is a popular leader and figure in Inner Seireitei.  
 **Vice Captain: Urahara Shiketsu** : Nagesu's son, Shiketsu is intelligent but not as good in a crisis as his father, and lacking in some of Nagesu's leadership skills. Despite that, he works hard, and is well respected.  
 **Third Seat: Urahara Yunosuke:** Former Anideshi at the Academy when Shunsui and Juushirou first enrolled, Yunosuke is calm and responsible, and is also capable of basic healing skills.  
 **Fifth Seat: Kamitani Jun:** Former student with Juushirou and Shunsui at the Academy.

 **Mareiko (Sekime Mareiko)** is, as has been previously introduced, the **Captain of the Twelfth Division**.


	13. The Border Patrol

**Chapter Twelve: The Border Patrol**

"This is the first time that I'll be able to visit the border camp,"

Kohaku pulled his supply bag onto his shoulder more comfortably, checking that Kyouka Raigen was securely fastened at his waist with a pensive smile. "I was happy when Taichou said I would be able to come today – I hope I haven't forgotten anything. The people there are people like me, and so I want to make sure I do a good job."

It was early in the morning and, with the rise of the sun had come the instruction for those involved in the border camp patrol to assemble in the main courtyard, ready for a quick and brisk exit as soon as breakfast was done. Each individual had been given a bag of supplies - food, medicines and other basic equipment - to take with them, for Juushirou had been conscious that it was an opportunity to help the individuals in the camp as well as interrogate them, and so as a result the Thirteenth was a hive of activity as officers hurried to be ready before Kirio arrived to announce departure. For the three selected recruits, also, it was an exciting new challenge, but for Kohaku, who had long since wanted to be able to reach out and help the people of the Rukon, it was a chance he had waited for and an opportunity he looked on with a similar level of eagerness and excitement as the trio of chosen newcomers.

"You do know that it isn't a matsuri visit?" Kohaku's companion, Thirteenth's Fourteenth seat, Furuta Masao asked now, a wry smile on his distinctive features. "It's all very well being excited to go to a new patrol spot, and I realise that you still haven't lost the novelty of visiting new places, but you're not going to go off in one of your dazes, are you? Kayashima warned me, when I told him you'd been allocated to this patrol with me - he said to whack you if you dared fall asleep on us."

"He said what?" Kohaku's eyes widened in dismay and indignation at this forthright response. "I'm not falling asleep or going off in a daze! I was just making an observation! It's odd for me, that's all - and you can't whack me, anyway! As of last ranking notice, I rank higher than you do! It would be considered insubordination!"

Furuta snorted, shaking his head in amusement. A down-to-earth, stocky individual with a broad, muscular frame and a shock of ungainly black hair that fell unevenly over his shoulders in a haphazard tail, even his kindest critic could not call Furuta handsome, but there was a warmth and friendliness in his aura that attracted people to him anyway. Furuta had graduated the Academy the year before Kayashima, and had spent eighteen months as a recruit on first arriving at Thirteenth. For this reason, he had been there when Kohaku had arrived, and had quickly joined Kayashima in his efforts to integrate and educate their confused new member. Furuta was not given to fanciful imaginings, and he was often entertained by Kohaku's daydreams, but he was also genuinely fond of his eccentric companion. Like Kayashima, he had shared quarters with Kohaku since the beginning, and it had been an easy friendship for the shy Kohaku to form, for Furuta was quick to hold out a hand in greeting, and slow to pull it back in anger. Though Kohaku had ranked up more quickly, Furuta bore him no resentment, and still steadfastly considered it his duty to keep an eye on the younger shinigami, irrespective of their changing positions in the Division - a fact that Kohaku was sometimes glad of, and sometimes found annoying. Even now, though Kayashima and Furuta were two of his closest friends and allies within the Division, he still resented their occasional attempt to nanny him as though he was still the new, naive trainee he had been five years before.

"I heard from Kayashima that rank didn't stop you cuffing him when he was teasing you in front of the new kids," Furuta reminded his friend lightly now, giving him a nudge with his elbow. "Don't be a hypocrite, or I'll have to tell him you tried the same line on me! Besides, you might have the numerical edge this time, but you're still younger'n me. You've a mad sword, so it's only natural you ranked up like you did - but it doesn't mean I don't remember your first few days and how much we all had to teach you about being a shinigami. You're like a kid brother to all of us still, Koku - and in that sense, whacking is perfectly acceptable. It's almost our duty, you know, to keep you on the same planet as the rest of us."

"Hmph," Kohaku folded his arms across his chest, his expression one of annoyance, and Furuta laughed.

"You take it too seriously," he scolded, patting his companion lightly on the head. "We're just looking out for you. Just like the Taichou told us to, when you were first sent in with all of us. You should be glad. It's all done out of good intent."

"That was when I was newly recruited," Kohaku pushed his friend's hand away, casting him a glare. "I've been a shinigami five years now, and I understand much more than I did. I don't need mollycoddling. Taichou wouldn't have sent me here if he thought I wouldn't be fine coming - so thanks, but no thanks! I'm fine, and you and Kayashima and the others need to stop looking at me like a lost puppy that needs guiding everywhere!"

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact we're taking fresh blood on this trip, would it?"

Furuta turned pensively to glance across the courtyard, where the three selected recruits – Shinobu, Hiroshi and Kawakami - were self-consciously adjusting their uniforms and packs in much the same way Kohaku had, hurrying to join with their seniors before the patrol left Thirteenth for the border divide. "I know Taichou assigned you and Kayashima to mentor them when they arrived – are you sure it's the Rukon people, and not the newbies you want to impress?"

"I don't know about impressing them," Kohaku looked pensive, a faint flush touching his cheeks at this blunt, perceptive observation. "I don't want them to ask any silly questions about me, maybe that's it? They seem all right, and none of them asked about my name or my past, yet, but that was because Kayashima gave them the impression that I'm Aizen by coincidence, not by connection to Keitarou. If possible, I'd like to keep it that way – and preserve the idea that I'm just another regular member who happened to come here like the rest of you did."

"A regular member, who raised his sword without any training and didn't even know what the sun and moon looked like till five years ago, let alone how to swing a weapon," Furuta looked amused. "You don't have to be anyone else than who you are, you know. The new kids will get that, when they know you better. Taichou made it clear when you joined up here that we were to accept you as you were, and that you shouldn't feel pressured to hide, like you had to in the Rukon. They're just brats, even if they are new graduates. If they bother you, whack them. You're entitled, now. Twelfth Seat is sub-patrol rank these days."

"A lot of people keep saying that, but I don't want to whack anyone," Kohaku sighed. "I don't really want to hide, either. I just want things to be as normal. I like it when people don't point out my differences, and so I'm going to do my best not to show any of them, at least till I have a better idea of how the new recruits will react."

"You said they seemed all right," Furuta cast the huddled trio of new members a thoughtful glance. "Anything else to add to that? It'd be nice to know what we're taking with us today, given that they're green and we're going to the edge of the Rukon."

"I don't really know any of them, except their names," Kohaku admitted. "Yatsubashi, Naniwa and…I don't know the girl. Kirio-san took the female recruits to settle them, and there wasn't a lot of time for personal interviews when we were doing the tour."

"Well, Sensei sent them to us, so they must be all right, I suppose," Furuta decided. "And it's not like the Thirteenth aren't good at bedding in newcomers. I think that since we managed to convert you into a half-decent ranked officer, they're probably going to be nothing at all to deal with."

"Hey!" Kohaku glowered at his friend. "I told you, lay off! It wasn't my fault I didn't know anything, and I know plenty more now, so pipe down! Even if you are older than I am, that joke has to get old sometime, surely?"

"Are you teasing him again, Furuta?" before Furuta could come up with a response, the amused voice of Thirteenth Division's seventh seat, Kira Hideharu broke through the conversation, and both men turned to face their senior officer, a wry smile on Furuta's lips.

"I'm sorry, Kira-san," he said repentantly. "S'just so easy, that's all. I don't mean anything bad by it. It's hard not to, when we all remember how lost he was at first."

"I'm not lost now, and I wish you'd stop it," Kohaku pulled a face. "Kira-san, how long will we stay at the border camp? I've not been sent there before, so I don't really know what the procedure is."

"We don't get to patrol there very often, so it's hardly surprising you don't know," Kira rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We don't have any authority to process or place applicants, though, so it's really just to check on their condition and speak to them, if we can. Take basic supplies, find out how they're coping and what can be done to improve the situation. It's a busier camp than anyone expected, and I think the Captain probably worries about the resources running out."

"Is that everyone?"

At the front of the group, Kirio quickly counted heads, nodding her approval. "Good. Then we can leave. We're going through the internal gate by Twelfth Division, because it will get us to the right part of District Three more quickly. Yatsubashi, Kawakami and Naniwa, I'm sure you've experienced these gates at the Academy, but make sure you don't stray. This is a busy and important mission this morning, and we've been entrusted with it by the Third's Captain, so we'll be making a full and detailed report."

"Yes, ma'am!" the three recruits hastily saluted, and Kira's lips twitched into a smile.

"It's nice to be eager from the off, isn't it?" he mused. "It's sort of nostalgic. I seem to remember being a bit like that, when I first came to Inner Seireitei."

The gate was not far from the Division entrance, an old Senkaimon that had once been a firm link with the Real World but which, following Keitarou's rebellion, had been recommissioned and programmed to act as an internal passageway to the various far reaches of wider Seireitei and Rukongai. Kirio opened it with her sword, gesturing for her companions to follow her inside, and before long they were stepping out into the grasslands of lower District Three, where trees were beginning to show the first signs of spring following the early thaw.

"That gate sure saves time in walking here. We'd spend a half day, even using shunpo," Furuta stretched his hands over his head, casting the gate an approving look. "I don't mind a good brisk walk, but if there's an alternative, I'm not objecting. We're almost at the border camp, too. These must be the coordinates that Third Division use when they send their supply runs."

"This is a pretty stretch of land, though," Kohaku cast a glance around him, gesturing to indicate the landscape. "Was this once Urahara land?"

"I think so," Kira nodded his head, as the group made their way slowly down through a patch of uneven land towards the wooden posts that indicated the boundary of the border camp from the Seireitei side. "I heard that Nagesu-sama carved it out from surplus Clan land to make sure he could keep a proper eye on it, and ensure people were properly settled."

"It's a lot nicer than the part of Rukongai I grew up in," Kohaku sighed. "There's a river not far away, and springs, so water surely isn't a problem. There are trees along the outsides, as well. Are they fruit trees?"

"A couple are, but I imagine they've become barren from the pressure," it was Furuta who answered this time, a frown on his face "Look at them. They're stripped bare, and you can see from the leaves that they're struggling to cope."

"Furuta?" Kira shot the other shinigami a confused look, and Furuta grinned.

"Back home, my family farm produce like that," he explained. "Fruit is our main source of income, and Pa always said that, if you push a tree to produce too much, it will stop producing altogether. In a place like this, of course it's going to be a problem. Too many people, and not enough trees."

"I hadn't thought of that," Kohaku admitted, and Furuta shrugged.

"Taichou's right in sending us here," he reflected. "We're District Shinigami. If anyone understands how to practically make ends meet, it's people in this squad. The Clans are fine, and all, and they're trying - but they rely on their tenants to provide them with harvests and such like. Thirteenth Division people know a lot more about properly surviving...and so I bet that's why Taichou offered to send us out here, so we can make a proper report to the Urahara, and they can act on it."

"I don't know much about making ends meet," Kohaku looked sad, and Kira grinned, clapping a warm hand down on the young man's thin shoulder.

"You're fine, so don't worry," he said reassuringly. "You have an entirely different kind of experience. And, Furuta's right in one sense. You might not know about harvests and crops and providing means, but you do know what it is to survive in difficult circumstances. You're more like the people here than any of us - and I'm sure that's why the Captain included you in this patrol. You know Rukongai - we've only patrolled there, and when we have, we've taken supplies. We've never had to try and eke out a life there."

"Mm," Kohaku's expression became thoughtful. "That's true, although most of that survival was down to Father. I don't know how he did the things he did, to keep us alive, but if he hadn't, we wouldn't have made it."

Kira and Furuta exchanged looks, and Furuta frowned.

"You shouldn't talk about Keitarou," he chided gently. "I know he was your Pa and all, but Koku...weren't you the one just telling me a moment ago you didn't want people making those connections? We've recruits with us, and sooner rather than later you need to put it behind you and move on."

"It is what it is," Kohaku shrugged his shoulders matter-of-factly. "Father was there and he gave us supplies. Without him, we'd not have lived. He understood things we didn't about the world outside. That's all."

"Well, for the time being, your experiences in the Rukon might relate to the individuals we're about to go see," Kira said quickly. "We're about at the entrance, and we've stopped dead, so we ought to catch up to the others. It's setting the new recruits a bad example if we're standing talking and we let ourselves get split up."

"Yes, sir," as one, Kohaku and Furuta acknowledged Kira's instruction, quickening their pace to join up with the other members of the patrol waiting ahead.

"I wondered if you were coming or not," as they rejoined their companions, Kirio sent them an amused grin. "Well? Before we go in, I have a quick briefing to pass on. We're not to encourage them to think that we have any power or authority to settle them inside Seireitei. We're not Clan, and we should be open with them about that. We've all brought supplies, and we'll distribute them where we can. Otherwise, Taichou wants a full report on conditions, so talk to people and find out what they think. Make sure they know that they won't get in trouble for speaking the truth. We're not interested in taking names and punishing those who complain - we only want to know what we can do - and, particularly, what Taichou can do - to push things forward in Inner Seireitei."

"Koku, you haven't been here before, have you?" Kirio's companion, the skinny figure of the division's Sixth Seat, Tsukabishi Tsunemori cast the younger officer a quizzical look, and Kohaku shook his head.

"No, it's my first time," he agreed. "Taichou said that because Ketsui-san was still in the Real World, it would be a nice experience for me to see the border camp, and he sent me to make up numbers. I'll do my best, Tsunemori-san. I promise."

"No doubt about that," Tsunemori offered him a faint smile, "but it's crowded, and there are some sad cases among the rest. You should be prepared for that, okay? We can't save them all today, but we're here to try and save them in the long run. Okay?"

"What Tsunemori-san is saying is, don't take their tragedy to heart too much," Kirio added gently. "I know you believe in saving Rukongai, and honestly, I do too - but it's a slow process. Can you stay detached?"

"I'll try," Kohaku's expression became serious. "I understand, Kirio-san. Tsunemori-san. I'm all right. I do want to help them - and I do identify a bit with them. It makes me realise I fell on my feet, coming here how I did - but part of that is realising that everything has to be done the proper way, or it doesn't mean anything. I'll be fine. Really. I'm glad I've been able to come here at last. It proves that Taichou isn't protecting me from it any more, and so I won't let you down."

"Then I guess we're going in?" Tsunemori cast Kirio a glance, and Kirio inclined her head.

"Try to keep within reiatsu reach of each other, and speak to as many people as possible," she agreed, raising her voice to include the three recruits, who Kira had been briefing during their exchange. "Weapons are forbidden; that includes kidou. We aren't here to enforce our authority on them. We want them to see us as friends, not foes. Understand? If a violent incident occurs, we withdraw. Clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," the other shinigami acknowledged her instruction with brisk nods, and, as a group, they headed down towards the gateway that led into the Border Camp.

Sealed on the outside by barrier kidou, the divide served two purposes. On the one hand, it kept out the threats and dangers of the outside, for there was no way for Hollows to enter the camp while the barrier was still in place. However, for the untrained souls within, there was also no way of leaving the camp to fend for themselves in the wider Seireitei area. Some had tried, but none had ever been able to penetrate the seal.

Because of the kidou seal, only shinigami with a reasonable level of kidou ability were deployed in this area. It was largely this reason that had led to Kirio being in charge of this patrol, for, although the Thirteenth's Vice Captain, Houjou Enishi, was also on patrol duty that afternoon, his dislike of kidou was legendary among his subordinate officers. Kohaku had heard many exaggerated rumours about Enishi's destructive prowess with the skill, and, while he did not know how true any of the stories were, he had quickly realised that there was a good reason for him not choosing to lead this particular mission.

The kidou barrier was also a part of why Tsunemori had been included, for, as the most proficient seated officer in the art among the Thirteenth's personnel, the responsibility fell to him to ensure that both Kohaku and Furuta, as well as the new recruits passed through the divide in safety. As a result of this pre-planning, all the shinigami entered the camp without a problem, and, as they did so, they realised that the residents had anticipated their coming. A large gathering of individuals in the middle of the camp's open area had massed to await them, and, as he scanned their expressions, Kohaku felt a pang of regret in his heart. They were hopeful, he realised - looking to the black and white _shihakushou_ for their salvation, and yet, for now, the Thirteenth were powerless to intervene in their futures.

Still, there was no sense of animosity or aggression in their demeanour. Some of them were skinny, Kohaku noticed, their clothes ragged and their feet bare, but their eyes were not dull or lacking in life spirit. They were managing, he realised with relief, and, even if supplies were stretched, they were somehow making do.

 _But the Urahara normally come here. I suppose that they're diligent in making sure there's food._

The camp residents had surged forward at the Shinigami's arrival, but a few quick words from Kirio had dispersed them. Again, Kohaku had been amazed at the understanding of the refugees. He had assumed that they saw all shinigami as the same but, as Kirio had told them that this patrol had been sent by the Thirteenth, they had realised that there would be no processing of souls or resettlement today.

"They know that we're not Urahara," he murmured, and Furuta, to his left, nodded his head.

"They know that much, at least," he agreed. "I'm not sure they know one Clan from the other, but, while the Thirteenth doesn't come here as often as it could, it's known here that our Captain, while he cares about this place, has no land or power to resettle. We've brought supplies, before, and we're usually fine, because we're not unkind to them...but they know not to expect anything else. They know Taichou is District, and, therefore, not in a position to grant them places to live."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"They're not hostile to us, but we're not the shinigami they really want," he added reflectively. "Still, we've a job to do, so we'll do it. I'll go get the checklist from Tsukabishi-san. Try not to get too carried away by their stories, Koku. We don't want to forget you and leave you behind by mistake."

With which parting comment he disappeared into the bustling crowd, leaving his friend bristling once more with indignation.

 _Furuta always teases me like that. He's worse than Kayashima, I swear. They might just be looking out for me, but I'm not a kid, and I'm not as bad as I was when I first came to join the Thirteenth. I didn't come to the Division for people to constantly fuss over me. I came to do something useful with my spirit power, and even though I know they're my friends, I wish they'd understand that sometimes. I'm not stupid and when Taichou made me Twelfth Seat, I was really proud. At least he takes me seriously...at least he understands that I'm trying to push forward and be as good a shinigami as any of them. Just because I came from the Rukon, and didn't go to the Academy. It's not like that even matters, now. The Council passed me as fit to patrol as a proper shinigami before I had my first formal ranking, and it's not as though I was the only one. Izumi-chan went through the same test process, and they don't tease her like they tease me._

"Kohaku-san, this place isn't really Rukongai, is it?"

Hiroshi's question jerked him out of his reverie, and he turned, casting the quizzical recruit a guilty smile, shaking his head.

"It isn't. It's Seireitei land," he agreed. "It borders the Rukon, though, and the barrier on the Rukon side is not as strict. It's set to allow in Plus Souls and Shinigami, but to keep out Hollows, so that the residents here are kept safe while they wait for processing."

"There are a lot of people here," Shinobu commented, gazing around him. "I don't know what I imagined when Taichou said we were going to visit Rukon migrants. I suppose I didn't think about people in the Rukon with enough spirit power to need to live in Seireitei."

"But you were one, weren't you, Kohaku-san?" Hiroshi remembered, and Kohaku reddened, nodding.

"My situation was a little different," he said vaguely. "I was born there. I wasn't a Plus, and didn't come from the Real World originally. But Yatsubashi-kun is right – there are a lot of people with reiryoku on the other side of the Rukon divide."

"How does that happen, though?" Hiroshi frowned. "I remember when we did Soul Burial, we had it well drummed into us how to do it without letting any of our reiryoku leak. Sensei went over and over it until we could do it in our sleep. Why would Plus souls have reiryoku in the first place?"

"Lots of reasons," Furuta strode up to rejoin the conversation at that moment with the supply checklist poking out of his obi, and he grinned, resting a friendly hand on each of the two recruits' shoulders. "One is exposure to Hollows. Another is just that some Real World people have reiryoku from the start. Nobody really knows why."

"Plus, there were periods of violent fighting in the Rukon in the past," Kohaku said sadly. "Shinigami releasing reiryoku into the ether can pollute Pluses. I think a lot of these Pluses might be like that."

"Was that fighting because of Aizen Keitarou's experiments?" Shinobu asked thoughtfully, and Kohaku flinched, sending his junior a look of distress.

"Keitarou died five years ago," Furuta said matter-of-factly. "Whatever he did or didn't do, he hasn't been contributing to the problem since then. I think there are wider causes…Yatsubashi, did Koku say your name was?"

"Yes, sir. Yatsubashi Shinobu," Shinobu offered a faint smile. "I'm sorry. I come from District Seven, and, well, a lot of stuff happened there."

"A lot of stuff happened everywhere," Kohaku said bitterly. "Not just in Seventh District, and not just in Rukongai. Talking about Keitarou isn't appropriate in a place like this, anyway. We're here to help these people, not worry about rebels long since in their grave."

He cast Furuta a glance.

"I'm going to follow orders, and talk to some of the residents," he said evenly, sliding his supply bag off his shoulder and holding it out to his companion. "I'll leave you to make sure Naniwa-kun and Yatsubashi-kun know what they should do with supplies, since you've been here before. You have the checklist, and you know the procedure better than I do."

"Pulling rank on me now?" Furuta arched an eyebrow, but Kohaku sent him a bleak look, and his friend sighed, taking the proffered bag and adding it to his own.

"Fine. I don't mind," he relented. "You go make friends. I know you want to, and we won't hold you back. Naniwa and Yatsubashi, was it?" This last to the two recruits, who nodded. "I guess I should introduce myself properly, if I'm going to oversee you. I'm Furuta, and I'm Fourteenth Seat. Come with me and we'll go distribute what we have to the locals."

"Yes, sir!" the two recruits saluted, hurrying to follow their superior officer across the grass, and Kohaku let out his breath in a rush, forcing his heart to calm down.

 _There was nothing in the question, but I didn't like it, anyway. I needed to calm down and focus for a bit…thank you, Furuta, for understanding without too much explanation._

He wandered further into the camp, gazing around him as he did so at the makeshift shelters that, in some places were divided with sheets of faded cloth rather than proper wooden divides. He frowned, realising that this was a symptom of the overcrowding.

 _I hope our coming here can help these people move on. It feels wrong that I have so much, now, when people like this are still forced to struggle to make ends meet.  
_  
"Oniichan?"

A tug at the sleeve of his _shihakushou_ pulled him out of his daydream, and he glanced down, meeting the apprehensive dark eyes of a young girl of maybe seven or eight. Like the others, she was roughly dressed, her dark hair messy and tousled over her shoulders, but her grip was tight and determined, and, at the look in her eyes, Kohaku hurriedly pushed away his own personal grievances, reminding himself that he was here for a reason, and this girl was a part of that reason.

He crouched down at the youngster's level, casting her a questioning look.

"What's up? Something wrong?" he asked, and the girl bit her lip, looking troubled. She shrugged her shoulders.

"You're from the Thirteenth," she said with a sigh. "I don't know anything 'bout shinigami, not really, but the Ojiisan said that the Thirteenth can't do anything about us being here. Is that true?"

"Mm," Kohaku felt another pang of sadness at the child's innocent question, and he slowly nodded. "In a sense, yes. We're not a Clan squad, and therefore our Captain doesn't have land to settle you. He worries about you, though - we all do. That's why we came. We brought supplies, and we want to try and help the people with land to understand what you all need."

"I see," the girl digested this, a serious expression on her young features. "In that case, Oniichan..." she faltered, then tugged slightly on his _shihakushou_ again, casting a glance back towards a ramshackle shelter that lay just across the dusty pathway.

"I don't have a family," she said at length, "but here, I have an Oniichan who I love very much. He always looks after me, and is kind to me, and makes sure I have food. He's like my real Nii-chan now, and I love him. I want to stay with him, like a proper family, but he doesn't think we can. Will it be okay, do you think, to stay with him when we go to Seireitei?"

"I should think so," Kohaku nodded his head, surprised at the question. "I don't think anyone would try to split you up, not if you were a family."

"Good," the young girl let her breath out in a heavy sigh of relief. "My Nii-chan, he's nice to me, but he's not very good at looking after himself. He always helps everyone else, but he doesn't remember to help himself too. Sometimes he makes me worry about him, and he says sad things, like we won't be able to stay together, or that I'd be happier without him. I want to stay with him, though. I don't want him to be on his own..but he thinks that the shinigami wouldn't allow it, for us to stay together."

"Ah. It's like that, is it?" a smile touched Kohaku's lips, and he nodded. "I expect he's worried, because nobody really knows what will happen when you're settled. I think that nobody would try to split up people if they felt like family, though. Can I speak to him, too? I might be able to pass on a particular message about it, if I did."

"Mm," the girl's gaze flitted back towards the hut, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"He's...I think he's...asleep," she admitted, though there was a moment of hesitation in her answer, and Kohaku thought he heard a faint note of doubt in her voice. "He does a lot to help all of us – especially me, because we were both on our own, but sometimes he gives his food to other people. There's not a lot of food, Oniichan, though we try to share it and, well, Gorou-nii is...I don't think it's good for him, not having much food. He seems tired lately, and worried about stuff. I don't know what, but I know he's upset about something. I wondered if maybe it was about us being split up, so I wanted to ask...but living in Rukongai is hard, and so we have to go to Seireitei, and...well..."

She trailed off, and Kohaku sighed.

"I understand," he said softly. "Believe me, I do."

"Do you?" the girl eyed him doubtfully. "You're a shinigami. You already live in Seireitei. It's not the same there as Rukongai. Even here is better than Rukongai."

"I know," Kohaku assured her. "I grew up in Rukongai, too, you know. My parents were from Seireitei, but they were...working there, and so I grew up there too. I know what it's like, and why you wanted to leave. I wanted to leave, too. But here...at least here, you have your Nii-chan. And the Clans are working on land settlement. I know they are. We're here for that reason - so we can report to the Clan leaders about how you all are."

"You came from Rukongai?" the girl was startled, then, "Oniichan, what's your name?"

"Kohaku. And yours?"

"Homare," the girl dimpled, and she loosed her hold on the _shihakushou_ , grasping his fingers in her tiny ones and squeezing them tightly. "I'm glad to meet you, Kohaku-oniichan. Please, will you tell your Captain that Gorou-nii isn't very happy, living here, and I'm worried about him? I'm always afraid that he's going to go away somehow and leave me behind. It's so hard, and...and...I worry, if something happened to him..."

She trailed off, and Kohaku nodded his head.

"I'll report on it to my patrol officer. I won't forget," he promised. "In the meantime, Gorou-san has you to take care of him, Homare-chan. Do your best, all right? He's a lucky person, having such an attentive little sister to look after him."

He glanced around him.

"Despite how many people there are, though, you're mostly managing for food?"

"We manage..." Homare seemed hesitant, loosing her hold on Kohaku's fingers and twisting her hands together absently. "I can't really talk about that. I promised Oniichan. It might be bad, if I did."

She cast Kohaku another grin, and then, before he could ask any more questions, she had skipped off in the direction of the shelter.

Kohaku got to his feet, gazing after her in confusion. For a moment, he realised, she had begun to trust him - but then, at the last minute, she had pulled away.

 _Something she didn't feel she could tell a shinigami in uniform. Not even one from Rukongai._

He let out a heavy sigh, glancing around him for any sign of his companions. He could not see them, but he knew that Kirio had instructed them to stay within easy reiatsu reach of one another. When he had first come to Seireitei, Kohaku had been easily swamped by all the spiritual signatures of his new companions, and it had taken some time for him to be able to shut off these extraneous signals, allowing him to interact normally with his peers without becoming overloaded. He had worked at at being able to pick up only the reiatsu signatures that he directly sought out, and the effort had paid off. It remained one of his most refined skills, and his proficiency in locating other shinigami far outstripped even some of his superior officers, and so he raised his senses, sending cautious spiritual feelers out into the morass of energy in search of the familiar presences of his fellows. As he did so, however, something else assailed his senses, and he opened his eyes wide in surprise and confusion.

 _It can't be..._

Throwing his caution to the wind, he raised his barriers a little more, desperately trying to get a firm lock on the familiar yet impossible threads of reiatsu that had just accosted his senses. Too late he realised that he had relaxed his control too far, for a ghoulish apparition of gaunt, dead features began to take form within his head, opaque and sunken eyes boring deep into his subconscious. He swallowed hard, forcing the images away with some effort, and taking a deep breath into his lungs as he fought to regain his composure. He had learned long ago that it was harder to shut the flood gates once they were opened, and inwardly he berated himself for his moment of impulsive carelessness.

It was gone, now, but for a moment, it had been entirely real - a ghost haunting his senses, with a judgemental look in those empty dead eyes.  
 _  
Otousama._

He took another deep breath, leaning up against the wall of a nearby shelter to gather his wits.

It's not possible. Otousama has been dead five years, but...for that moment...just a brief moment, I thought...

He swallowed again, aware of the bitter bile surging up towards his throat at the sensation.

 _For a moment, I thought he was here, watching me, with hate in his eyes._

"Koku?" Furuta's voice came through the haze of fear and confusion, and he turned, his earlier irritation with his friend forgotten in the relief of having someone real and tangible to reach out to. He grabbed Furuta by the arm, and his companion let out an exclamation of surprise, grasping him by the shoulders and giving him a little shake.

Hey! Koku! You said you weren't going off in a dreamworld, so snap out of it! Your eyes are huge and they don't look right - don't you dare space out on me!"

"I'm...I'm not. I'm okay," Kohaku forced words through his vocal chords, focusing all his attention on his friend's presence. With some relief, he realised that the two recruits were not with him, and he sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"What happened?" Furuta had clearly realised that something major had occurred, for there was no sense of teasing in his tones now, consternation flooding his features instead. "Yatsubashi and Naniwa are busy helping Kira-san distributing supplies to the settlement elder, but I felt your reiatsu spike and came to see what was going on. Looks like I was right. Spit it out. Something or someone upset you?"

"I don't know," Kohaku was fast coming back to himself now, and he shot his companion a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. It's crazy. It's not possible. I don't know what happened, but I'm...I'm okay now. Thank you. I'm really okay."

"Maybe you are, but you weren't, and you don't do that for no reason, not these days," Furuta was not to be dissuaded. "Come on. Out with it. What happened? You can tell me or you can tell Kirio-san - but if I were you, I'd start with me."

"You won't believe me. I don't believe me. It doesn't make sense."

"I've roomed with you for enough years. I'm well used to you not making sense." came Furuta's uncompromising response. "Me, Kayashima and the rest, we know you better'n anyone, so spit it out. I'm serious. You're worrying me, and it's not like you. Not these days."

Kohaku was silent for a moment, then he let out a heavy sigh.

"It's crazy," he said softly, "but for a moment, Furuta...just for a moment, I was sure...that Father was here. Here in the Border Camp, watching me."

* * *

"This time tomorrow, we'll be back in Inner Seireitei, and I can't pretend that I won't be glad."

Ketsui flopped back on the grass with a sigh, gazing up at the branches of the sakura tree that spread out in a green-specked arc above him, mottling the sky into a patchwork of blue and white. "Since we came down from the mountain, I haven't been able to relax. I keep remembering how it felt when that thing - whatever it was - grabbed at my leg. I know we can't just turn tail and flee at the first sight of whatever it is we're here to find, but even so..."

He shivered.

"I can't forget how it felt. Like something cold went right up through my bones."

"There's been a lot of cold going around," Naoko poked a stick at the small campfire she had been building, casting her companion a look of resignation. "I know you said that, and I'm not disbelieving you. I know what happened on the mountain and that we were both there. We didn't imagine it. But whatever it was doesn't seem interested in us at all. We've retreated back to the river bank, but nothing has happened here since then. Moreover, I don't feel like something is watching us any more. It's like we scared it off, not the other way around."

"The temperature isn't so chilly, either," Ketsui acknowledged. "We definitely didn't imagine anything, Naoko-san. I have the bruises to prove it, and I'm sure you do too. But explaining to the Taichou what happened on that mountain is going to take some creative vocabulary...and that's never been my strongest suit."

"That's one reason I said we shouldn't try and make an emergency return to Seireitei," Naoko flicked a finger at the fire, and a delicately controlled lick of red flame danced across the gathered pieces of dry wood, igniting them immediately. "We came here to investigate spiritual anomalies, and that was definitely in that category. Unfortunately, though, there wasn't much left of the mountain shrine to examine. Maybe we should've stayed up there longer - but I didn't know if it was still dangerous, and there are only two of us."

"I've been thinking about this, though," Ketsui hauled himself up into a sitting position, eying the fire with a look of envy. "Oh, I wish I could do that. I have no idea how you people make it so effortless. Magic is a weapon to me, and I've never been able to use it any other way."

"Like I said, extra training when we get back," Naoko teased lightly. "Come help me gut the fish, and I'll call us even."

"All right," Ketsui shuffled over to join her, pulling his utility blade from his belt and making to prepare the nearest of the two fish that they had caught in fast-flowing water not long before. "It was much easier to catch them this time, you know. We're not imagining that things are getting warmer. There's definitely been a thaw in the atmosphere."

"Mountains that explode tend to have hot bases, like I told you," Naoko said thoughtfully. "Whatever was inside was staying that natural warmth, but I guess it's going back to how it should be."

"Do you think it will flood?" Ketsui asked apprehensively, and Naoko sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's possible, but it hasn't so far," she said cautiously. "I suppose it depends whether this river has its source in that same mountain, and whether the snow was all caused by what was in the ice, or whether it was just because the mountain was dormant and so formed naturally as a result of the altitude. The mountain shook, but the rocks didn't melt, so I'm not sure. I know you're thinking of the local people, Ketsui, but there's no immediate sign of danger here, and the villages are much further away, over that rise."

She indicated.

"If the river floods, its our campsite that will be flooded. Not their homes. Chances are that they originally chose settlement points based on old land layouts, and that kind of knowledge gets passed down through the generations."

"I suppose so," Ketsui grimaced. "I wouldn't like it, though, if we caused a natural disaster here. And Taichou would like it even less."

"True enough, but there's no sign of one yet," Naoko said pragmatically. "Anyhow, you were saying? You were thinking about what? Not my Kidou, I assume, nor the fish or villages. Something else?"

"About what was in that ice," Ketsui nodded. "Or rather, what wasn't in the ice."

"What wasn't...?" Naoko shot him a confused glance. "What do you mean?"

"Well, this is me piggybacking Izumi's logic," Ketsui scratched his head sheepishly, "but if you don't know what something is, it's sometimes easier to figure out what it isn't. Process of elimination often leaves you with a better answer."

"Sounds logical," Naoko finished gutting her fish, stabbing a stick through the middle of the unfortunate creature and dangling it over the fire. Ketsui winced at the brutal thrust, shaking his head.

"You really aren't an Unohana, are you?" he murmured, and Naoko shot him a wry smile.

"Pretty far from it now, but it's nicer not having to pretend to care about every living entity," she admitted. "Well? You were saying? Or do you need my help cooking fish, too?"

"No, I've got it," Ketsui assured her, impaling his own fish more carefully and following her example. "I'm hungry, and the fish is food, so I don't really think about it in that light."

He shrugged.

"In any case, thinking about Izumi's logic," he continued pensively, "we're talking about something that was sealed in ice. It's unlikely to be human, as people from the Real World can't survive in water and would freeze to death in ice. So we can rule out a local - even a faith healer or a shaman - can't we?"

"I would think so, since those are nothing more than human superstitions," Naoko said pragmatically. "Ghosts, spirits and all of that are our business, and the Real World just comes up with their own ways to explain it. I agree that no Real World human would be able to stand being encased in ice like that."

"Well, it was definitely alive, and it definitely moved," Ketsui reflected grimly. "I'm certain. While it's possible that the thawing or the earthquake gave that impression of movement, something definitely grabbed my shihakushou. And tore it," he brushed his free hand against the ripped fabric. "That's not something I imagined, so we can rule out it being some kind of corpse or human sacrifice."

"All right, providing you didn't just snag your clothing on a rock," Naoko pointed out. Ketsui shook his head.

"I'm sure," he said emphatically. "Something grabbed it. I'm certain."

"I know you are," Naoko said simply. "But you were the one who said we were going to process this with Ichimaru-san's logic. That means all possibilities, doesn't it? Even though I believe you, that's still a possibility."

"I suppose it is," Ketsui said reluctantly. "All right. But I am sure, Naoko-san."

"And you're not given to imagining things that aren't there, so I believe you," Naoko assured him. "Whatever it was, I didn't see it clearly, but it had the ability to escape us while we were out cold. If it were a corpse, it couldn't have escaped, so that adds credibility to your case. And escaping seems to have been its intent, since as I said, nothing has come here. Whether it grabbed you knowing you were there or whether it was an instinctive movement on waking isn't clear right now. It might be irrelevant that it grabbed you at all."

"But, as you just said, the fact it did proved it was alive," Ketsui reasoned. "Moreover, I saw its hands. They were fleshy. Like this," he held up his own free hand, "only paler. Probably from the cold. That means it probably wasn't some kind of Hollow. Hollows usually mutate, and hands aren't normally like our hands."

"Plus, a Hollow would've attacked unconscious shinigami. Especially if it had been dormant, and needed food," Naoko agreed. "The size of the shape in the ice didn't look right for a Hollow, either."

"Well, we're left with a few possibilities," Ketsui pulled his fish from the fire, examining it and then taking a bite. "Ah, I'm hungry. Thinking is hard work."

"Ichimaru-san would scold you for putting your stomach first," Naoko teased, and Ketsui nodded, swallowing his mouthful with a grin of acknowledgement.

"She would, but even if I'm rediscovering my Urahara roots, I'm still a man with an empty stomach and I still have reiryoku to feed," he said evenly. "And Real World food isn't ideal, but it'll do."

"You said possibilities," Naoko pursed her lips, checking her own fish and removing it from the fire, shaking it slightly to allow it to cool in the evening air. "One, I suppose, is some kind of Plus Soul. Maybe a person drowned and the body rotted and the soul remained?"

"Number two," Ketsui nodded, taking another mouthful of fish. "Some kind of experiment gone wrong. Like the creatures that attacked people here in the Real World five years ago."

"Swallow before you talk. That's revolting," Naoko scolded. "I don't need to see the fish being digested, too!"

"Sorry," Ketsui did as he was bidden. "In any case, Nagesu-sama investigated a mountain, didn't he, when Keitarou was still active? Keitarou had allies here who fought against members of the Fifth, Sixth and Third...if I remember right?"

"You're right," Naoko agreed. "One of them ripped the arm right off the Fifth's then Vice Captain, and ate it. That kind of thing lingers in the mind. And I think they did come out of a mountain. So it's not impossible this could be another of those kinds of creatures."

She frowned.

"If so, someone needs to find it and destroy it, as soon as they can," she added. "Whatever those experiments were, they appeared humanoid until shinigami antagonised them. That would be in keeping with the behaviour of this one - it fled, so far, but that doesn't mean it couldn't do harm if it was challenged."

"There is a third possibility, though," Ketsui finished his fish, tossing the greasy stick into the fire and watching it spit and hiss as it burned. "I don't really know how it would happen, but we are going through everything, so I'll mention it as well."

"A third possibility?" Naoko cast him a quizzical look, and Ketsui nodded.

"It could be a shinigami," he said simply. "A shinigami with spirit power, trapped in the Real World ice."

* * *

"I can't believe I'm actually here complaining about having nothing to do, but I'm afraid, Juu, it's reached the point where even I've had enough of rearranging my sake collection and teasing my recruits."

Shunsui let out a sigh of discontentment, settling himself more comfortably on Ugendou's office floor and leaning up against the panel wall.

"It really can't go on like this. If it does, Tetsuya's threatening to make me organise my paperwork properly. I swear he's been talking to Sora about how to best bully me - so I came here in search of sanctuary."

It was growing dark outside, the night moon glittering in the clear sky over Inner Seireitei. As the sun had set, so Shunsui had appeared at his friend's Division, sake in hand and a hopeful smile on his face. An old friend of Juushirou's Vice Captain as well, it had taken little persuasion for him to be admitted into the Captain's chamber and now they sat there, discussing Seireitei with a half-finished game of shougi covering Juushirou's work table, accompanied by empty _sakazuki_ that glittered with the trace evidence of expensive Kyouraku alcohol.

"Shindou's taken well to the Vice Captain job, then," Juushirou's eyes twinkled with amusement at this plaintive remark, reaching across the table to nudge a shougi piece forward a few spaces. "I'm glad. I know that being your adjutant is a tough job - Sora was worried, when she was promoted to Ninth's Captaincy, that she was leaving him with a big headache."

"She said that?" Shunsui looked wounded, then, as Juushirou nodded, he smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe she's right. It's been an adjustment for both of us, if I'm truthful. Tetsuya's a good shinigami, and people back home in District Eight are very happy that Eighth Division now has a Kyouraku born Vice Captain - although if they could hear the gutter variety of his general yard vocabulary, they might be less impressed. Sora and I worked together seamlessly for a long time, though. Letting her go...that was a hard call on my part. But, I promised her I wouldn't hold her back in terms of her career. Ninth has recovered, slowly but surely, thanks to her influence. In the meantime, Tetsuya and I manage just fine. Eighth is quiet, and reasonably tidy, and I know that I can leave it in his care and run away here for a night tipple and a quiet game with an old friend."

"I'll drink to that," Juushirou lifted the almost empty sake bottle, tipping the contents carefully into Shunsui's _sakazuki_ , before draining the remaining drops into his own. "I'm glad to see you happier, as well. I know it's been quiet, but it's not really a bad thing. There are factors still to settle, I know - but..."

He trailed off, eying Shunsui pensively, and Shunsui nodded.

"I haven't forgotten," he agreed simply. "I won't - it's not something that you forget. It's a bad thing, Juu, but taking life seems to do something to both me and my sword, something I can't really explain. After that fight we had in the snow, all those years ago, I summoned Katen Kyoukotsu for the first time. And this time...since Keitarou died...I don't know how to put my finger on it, but I know Katen Kyoukotsu has grown again. It's proof, I suppose, of the warrior blood I like to deny...but I'm all right. We've had peace, and so Keitarou's death is something I've put aside as the necessary cost of that peace."

"And, this term, you're the Captain Commander," Juushirou tipped his _sakazuki_ in his friend's direction in a mock toast, before putting the vessel to his lips and draining it dry, setting it down on the sill beside them. "It's very impressive, really. Your kinsfolk must be proud."

"Don't," Shunsui grimaced, rolling his eyes. "I don't relish it. Don't tease me. Wait till it rolls around to your turn. It's no picnic. And, with things being quiet, it means mostly paperwork and that's all. Paperwork is my nemesis, so I'm not enjoying the duty. I wish Seireitei would appoint a permanent Captain Commander to take care of all of these things. Hard work isn't really my bag."

"I don't know. It might be fun," Juushirou reflected. "I don't mind work. It doesn't scare me the way it does you."

"You're not allergic. You just don't understand my suffering," Shunsui pouted, pretending to be put out, but then he laughed, emptying his own _sakazuki_ of sake. "Well, maybe you're right. Either way, such is life and I can't do much about it."

"And it's not totally peaceful." Juushirou reminded him. "Rukongai has had some alarming reports, recently. There's the problem of settling the border camp's people, and I have Ketsui and Naoko still in the Real World, canvassing the unmapped area for spiritual anomalies. They might seem like run of the mill shinigami problems, but they still need to be addressed."

"True enough," Shunsui agreed, gazing at the shougi board with a critical eye. "I can't do a lot about Rukongai - it's not Eighth's rotation there. In terms of the border camp, I sent a message to my brother this morning asking about potential settlement sites within District Eight. I know that the old refugee camp around my Uncle's former land is empty, and, while it's still fairly wild and abandoned since the people left it, there's potential there to set up simple housing. The stream has recovered in the time it's been left empty, and none of the Kyouraku want the manor, on account of it's association with my Uncle's insurrection. I suggested to Nii-sama that the old abandoned village nearby could be rebuilt, and, maybe, extra provision could be put in place to take some of these people in. I hope he'll write back as soon as he can to tell me his thoughts...but he has said, in the past, that he supports what the border camp is there to do, so I think he'll consider it seriously."

"That would be a help," Juushirou looked pleased. "I sent a patrol there this morning, and I'm waiting on their report of conditions. If Eighth has an area of land in which some of them could be settled, it will take pressure off the border camp and, maybe, create room for more potential settlers. Thank you, Shunsui. I'm glad."

"For a project that belongs to the Urahara, you seem very personally involved in this," Shunsui remarked astutely, and Juushirou smiled sheepishly.

"It's not my project, and there's a lot I can't do, as I have no land to give," he admitted. "I have Koku, though, and so it's always there, in my mind. Keitarou could hide there because we, as shinigami, were not thorough enough in caring for people we are here to protect. Koku is a constant reminder of that duty and that failure - and so, whatever little I can do...and encourage others to do..."

He trailed off, and Shunsui's eyes twinkled in amusement.

"I suppose this sudden urgency for work has nothing to do with the fact a certain healing Shinigami is currently stationed deep in District Four and therefore out of your immediate fly zone?" he teased, and Juushirou reddened, a look of irritation entering his gaze. "Ah, you're reacting to it, which means that's part of the truth. You and Mitsuki are really star-crossed sometimes, you know. You just get a good hold on her and she's off again. I'd almost think Dai-senpai did it on purpose, to keep the both of you from any indiscreet little accidents of nature."

"Sometimes I worry about your brain," Juushirou sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Not everything is a scandal waiting to be read."

"No, but you and she are a lot more official in your relationship now, even if it is still, officially, unofficial," Shunsui said blithely, reaching across to move a shougi piece into place. "There. Your move. Which it probably is with her, too, if I'm honest. I understand that you can't easily marry her because it would tie the both of you down, but if she's always somewhere else..."

"I know, but it's her work, and I wouldn't change it," Juushirou recomposed himself, glancing at Shunsui's move with a grimace. "I hate sneaky moves like that. Talking to me about Mitsuki and using it to try and distract me won't work, you know. I know how you play this game."

"I wasn't, really," Shunsui sat back with a shrug. "I genuinely worry for the pair of you."

"Well, time is quality, not quantity," Juushirou said reflectively. "Whether Unohana-taichou is or isn't doing it on purpose, the fact is that Mitsuki is an officer she trusts. This hospital in Fourth may seem like a low-key way of getting her out of my vicinity, but it's really on the cutting edge of healing medicine. They're trying new techniques and working on incurable diseases. Mitsuki has an interest in such things, so when she was asked, of course she wanted to go. She's only been there six months and," he swept a shougi piece across the board, "unlike when she was in the Spiritless Zone, we can write."

"Incurable diseases, huh?" Shunsui's eyes took on a look of comprehension. "I see. That's almost romantic."

"Well, haibyou isn't on the roster, not yet," Juushirou offered a wry smile. "But who knows? Maybe one day."

"So I suppose then that I should put your interest in the border camp down to your other chronic ailment - idealism?" Shunsui asked. Juushirou looked amused.

"Perhaps," he owned. "I don't suppose that's going to be cured any time soon, but the potential of it excites me. I can't pretend otherwise."

"You see a longer term future in this, don't you?" Shunsui realised, and Juushirou nodded.

"Patches of Rukongai are unstable," he said pensively. "That's a sign, according to the research I've been doing, of an imbalance somewhere in the spiritual sphere. A gap, somewhere...I don't know where, but I remember that Sensei first began the Academy to try and combat that fact. You and I, we are products of that decision. Sora, Enishi, Naoko...and many others of us here are also Academy graduates, doing what we learned to do - but even that is not always going to be enough. The Clans weren't enough on their own, and even though the Districts now provide more shinigami than ever before, it's still..."

"Too little, too late?" Shunsui offered. Juushirou shrugged.

"Not too late, I hope," he said cautiously, "but meeting Koku did make me think, for the first time, that Rukongai might be a source that's as yet untapped. These people in the border camp, they are waiting for Seireitei registration. If they get that, then they will be legitimately citizens of the Districts. That means...well, it should mean..."

"Rukongai students attending the Academy," Shunsui let out a low whistle. "And you're right, of course. If that happens, then the Clans will be forced to consider whether any spiritually gifted individual from the Rukon should be admitted direct to the Academy, even without Seireitei citizenship. It's a whole new can of worms waiting to be opened."

"It is, but a good one, I think," Juushirou grimaced. "The trouble is, that might also be the reason some Clans are stalling on this settlement business. As soon as these people are registered citizens of a District, they become eligible to work, to marry, and, more importantly for our sake, to train to hold a _zanpakutou_ at the Academy. Koku was allowed to stay here because of the fact that he was born in Rukongai, and no Plus soul is born in Rukongai. But, by the same token, no Plus Soul in Rukongai ought to have spirit power. If they do, it means they either had it in life, or they were contaminated in death, through careless soul burial. Some of that responsibility would fall on us as shinigami...in which case..."

"Mm, I see where you're going, and that this is obviously going to be your next long term crusade," Shunsui's eyes glittered with amusement. "It's all right, though. I don't disagree. The more shinigami, the bigger the squads, and the better that is for everyone. I wouldn't mind recruiting students from that background, if they had what it took - but I don't suppose it's me you're thinking you need to convince."

"No, you're fine," Juushirou agreed. "It's not really a crusade, Shunsui, but I believe in it. At least, as a very first step, I believe in these people getting settled and becoming citizens. Then, well, let's see where it goes from there. They're not obliged to join the Gotei, or to want to train - but if they did, and they showed promise, I'd like to think we would be ready to welcome them as recruits, since it sounds as though Rukongai needs the additional personnel."

"What about the Real World? When do Ketsui and Naoko come back?"

"Tomorrow, I hope," Juushirou said thoughtfully. "That's an entirely different kind of investigation, but I'm expecting them to have some insight into the spiritual anomalies. Thirteenth has a formal deployment to the Real World soon, and so it made sense to send them to scout. Plus, it got rid of Ketsui from Seireitei for a while. His brother's parole and everything...I didn't want him being distracted. Especially since Hirata told me the lad isn't allowed to come here...I don't know how Ketsui will react to that, although Kirio was most unhappy about it."

"Punishment beyond the sentence, huh," Shunsui observed, and Juushirou nodded. "Well, at least he's been granted it. It's a step forward, since I remember you saying he'd fallen to pieces, after his arrest."

"He was a complete stranger to me, then," Juushirou admitted sadly. "I still can't quite get my head around it, to be truthful. I'm grateful to Hirata's forebearance, though. He has no obligation to forgive the boy, but he seems willing to put it in the past and move on. Tenichi's unstable behaviour five years ago needed a firm hand to manage it, and, maybe, Kai's prison has done that. Seventh Division, probably, is the place to build on that framework, much as it pains me. I have reservations of course - he was my recruit and I was fond of him - but he's not my subordinate now. He won't come here, and I won't see him very often. I just have to impress on my Division members that those rules are also for Tenichi's sake."

"Well, if he redeems himself through loyal service to Hirata, his future isn't over," Shunsui said wisely. "He didn't kill anyone, even if he did do stupid things. It's up to him, now, and I'm glad you feel that way about it, too."

"I don't really have any other option," Juushirou said wryly. "It's a decision out of my hands."

"Taichou?"

Before Shunsui could respond to this, there was a light knock at the door, followed by a voice.

"Taichou, it's Kirio. I'm here to report on the border camp. Fukutaichou said you were in a meeting - is it inconvenient to come in?"

"A meeting, huh?" Shunsui gazed at the shougi board in amusement. "Enishi really is getting creative with his explanations, isn't he?"

"I'm sure it's my bad influence," Juushirou agreed with a grin. "Do you mind? I did ask her to come as soon as she returned."

"I don't. It won't hurt me to hear the report, too - given that I'm putting pressure on my brother for land," Shunsui shook his head, gesturing to the door. "Be my guest. I'm not here to disturb your hard work, Ukitake-taichou."

"If you're not, it's a first," Juushirou bantered, then, as Shunsui grimaced at him, he raised his voice.

"It's all right, Kirio. Come in. It's only Kyouraku-taichou with me, and we've finished discussing business for the time being."

"I didn't think we'd really begun discussing it, actually," Shunsui murmured, as the door slid back to reveal the Fourth seated officer, impeccably dressed despite her afternoon patrol. She was not alone, however, for in her shadow was the apprehensive figure of Thirteenth Division's Twelfth Seat, and, at the sight of him, Shunsui's humour died, his brows knitting together in consternation.

"Koku, too?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. Kyouraku-taichou," Kirio bowed her head apologetically towards both Captains. "I would have waited, when Fukutaichou said you had company, but, in light of our patrol...I felt..."

She glanced at Kohaku, who lowered his own head, tension clearly coursing through his young body.

"Koku has something he wanted to report to you," Kirio concluded softly. "Please, sir. It sounds strange to me, but hear him out."

"I'd like to hear both of you report, then, if you don't mind," Juushirou gestured for them to come in, indicating for Kirio to take a couple of spare cushions from the pile on which the two officers could kneel. "Shunsui...I mean _Kyouraku-taichou_ is also curious to hear the status of the Camp, so anything you want to say to me can be said before him without hesitation."

"Yes, sir," Kirio did as she was bidden, ensuring Kohaku followed suit, and then cast her Captain a troubled look.

"First, sir, the border camp is busy and crowded, but the people are in reasonable health, considering. They have not lost their spirits, although it seems some of them struggle more for food than they should. Still, none of them are emaciated or starving. All of them are eager to leave and we have gathered statements from them. Kira is making a full written report of them for you now, sir, as he is the best at that kind of thing, and I know you want to submit our detailed findings to the Urahara."

"Yes, thank you," Juushirou nodded his head. "Kira's writing is neat and he lays things out clearly. I'll look forward to reviewing it when he's finished."

"He said he'd be done this evening, sir, and would ensure you had it before breakfast tomorrow," Kirio agreed. She glanced at Kohaku, and the younger officer twisted together his hands nervously.

"You said Koku had something to report too," Shunsui observed lightly. "Koku, would you rather I wasn't here? I realise that it might be harder to report to something in front of another Division's Captain. Especially me."

Kohaku jerked his head up, meeting Shunsui's gaze with a sad one of his own. He shook his head.

"No, sir," he said softly. "I don't mind, I just...don't know how to really explain it. It's as Kirio-san said - it makes no sense. Not even to me, and yet I'm sure I didn't make a mistake. The more I think about it, I'm sure."

"Then try and tell us what you need to," Juushirou said gently. "We're listening."

Kohaku took a deep breath.

"Yes, sir," he agreed hesitantly. "I was in the border camp. I spoke to a young girl. It was all...very normal. I liked being there, talking to people. She was worried about being separated from her brother, and I said that it would be okay, for them to stay together when they were settled. She said that she was worried he didn't have enough food, and then she went back to their shelter. We were ordered to stay in spiritual contact with each other, so I raised my senses to find Furuta, who had been with me just before...and when I did...I..."

He paused, swallowing hard, and Kirio reached across to reassuringly squeeze his arm.

"Take your time," she suggested, but Kohaku shook his head.

"It's important," he said firmly. "I'm sorry. Especially to you, Kyouraku-taichou. I know that...talking about this...might upset you, like it upset me. Even so, I'm sure, and you need to know. I sensed something in the border camp that shouldn't have been there. Something familiar. Some _one_ familiar. My...my father."

"Keitarou?" Shunsui's eyes widened, and Juushirou's brows locked together in a confused frown.

"Koku, I don't understand. What do you mean, your father?"

"Otousama is dead," Kohaku spoke levelly, although there was a slight tremor in his voice. "I know that. He died five years ago. I forsaw it, and I've never doubted it. Nonetheless, he was in the border camp. And yet...the more I think about it, I know that he wasn't. Just...it seemed like it. That's all."

"I see," Juushirou paused, then shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I don't really. You can't explain more clearly than that? I don't doubt your word, but I don't know quite how to make sense of what you just said."

"Keitarou was in the border camp, but yet at the same time, you knew he wasn't?" Shunsui asked quietly, and Kohaku sent him a guilty look, nodding his head.

"When I felt the sensation, I tried to track it," he said sadly, "but when I did, all I could see was...was...my father. As a c...corpse. Staring at me. Like...he hated me. For betraying him."

He broke off, swallowing hard, and Juushirou sighed.

"All right," he said gently. "There's no reason for you to upset yourself - that's not what any of us want."

He glanced at Kirio.

"What do you know about this? Anything you can add?"

Kirio sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Furuta was with him when I got on the scene," she admitted. "Furuta reported that Koku had seemed not really himself, and that he'd had to shake him to snap him out of it. Koku told me, then, what he thought he'd seen. Furuta didn't think it was something he should talk about, especially with the recruits there, so I let it go until we got back and I had a chance to talk to them both about it privately. We decided then it needed to come to you. Furuta's a pragmatic officer, but he didn't think that Koku imagined it. I think he was worried about Koku - and so was I. He was very pale, Taichou. I thought he might faint."

"And how do you feel now, Koku?" Juushirou asked the young shinigami. Kohaku pulled a face.

"Unsettled," he admitted, "but I'm all right. It scared me, I admit it. After I saw that...I didn't try any more to find what it was that caused the sensation. I know that was irresponsible of me, sir. I should have done more investigating, and I'm sorry, but at the time, my mind was...distracted. I didn't really think, until we got back here."

"Nobody else sensed anything untoward in the camp, sir," Kirio added. "Just Koku."

"But Koku's spirit perception is extremely precise," Shunsui folded his arms across his chest in an appearance of nonchalance, but Juushirou knew that it was little more than a pretence. "It's more than possible he picked up something fleeting and faint - something that, normally, wouldn't be noticed, but was noticeable to him because it reminded him of his father."

"Something with similar reiatsu?" Juushirou asked, and Shunsui shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But after what happened five years ago, I learned not to doubt the things Koku says. If he sensed it, it was there. That's all."

"But Father is dead," Kohaku objected, and Shunsui nodded.

"He is," he agreed bleakly. "That's something neither of us will ever completely forget. No, it wasn't Keitarou in the camp - but something that made you think of him all the same."

He cast Kohaku a sad smile.

"Your father didn't hate you, though, when he died," he added gently. "I never told him that you led me to find him. I made him believe you were my hostage. He died without knowing your involvement with me or with anything that happened that day. Keitarou's ghost isn't haunting you, nor would he blame you. I took the responsibility for it all myself."

"It doesn't change my involvement, though," Kohaku had regained his composure now, and he bowed his head towards the older Captain apologetically. "Thank you, Kyouraku-taichou, but I know and have always known my own guilt. The image I saw wasn't Father's ghost, but my own feelings over what I did. Sensing his reiatsu made me remember, I think...what I felt that day, when he died. I thought I'd moved past it, but perhaps not. Because of that, I wasn't able to investigate, and so I didn't fully do my duty. If you want me to return there, Taichou," he added, turning to Juushirou, "I am willing to go. I asked Kirio-san, but she said that, because it was Third's jurisdiction..."

"No, we must wait, now for Nagesu-sama to return." Juushirou shook his head. "We must discuss it with him first, I'm afraid, as this is his project and his authority. More, Keitarou is buried on Urahara land, and, therefore, it becomes a matter involving his family."

He cast Kohaku a weary smile.

"I'll address it with him at the first opportunity," he promised. "In whatever way I can. For now, both of you are dismissed. Go get something to eat, and attend your evening duties."

"Yes, sir," Kirio got to her feet, and, after a moment, Kohaku followed suit, bowing his head properly towards both of the Captains. Then they were gone, and Juushirou and Shunsui exchanged looks.

"What do you think?" Juushirou asked, once the door had been closed and the two officers were out of earshot. Shunsui sighed, rubbing his brow.

"I think that Keitarou is a nightmare both Koku and I are trapped into for the rest of our natural lives," he said frankly. "That aside, I don't think he hallucinated. That's what you're asking, isn't it? Whether the stress of being there got to him...but I don't think so. It might not make sense, but we've learned before that things he says don't always. Even so, they're not things we should ignore."

"But Keitarou is dead and buried in District Three," Juushirou pointed out. Shunsui nodded.

"Yes, he is," he agreed. "I killed him myself, so there's no doubt. He's not stalking the border camp, Juu, I'm sure of that. But Koku is smart, and more importantly, perceptive. Whatever he picked up in that camp, it reminded him of Keitarou, and it created a disturbing image in his mind. He's probably right that that was his guilt, and it threw him from his purpose, preventing him from properly investigating the scene. That might have been the intention, or it might have been incidental - but when Nagesu-sama returns, I suggest you make it a priority to mention this to him. I don't think it would hurt to have the camp properly searched, just in case there's something we've overlooked."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Eighth Division**

As with other Divisions, here's a refresher rundown on the key people in the current Eighth under Shunsui's command (he seems to have been a bit story-neglected up till now, but I haven't forgotten about him at all!)

 **Eighth Division**

 **Captain: Kyouraku Shunsui**  
 **Vice Captain: Shindou Tetsuya**. Appeared in Sukuse as the Third Seat. Of high birth but very down to earth and prone to swearing when things are amiss.  
 **Fourth Seat: Nagasata Kaoru** First appeared in Fourth Maki, as Shunsui's deshi. A District shinigami with a sunny temperament  
 **Eighth Seat: Magaki Shizuka** First appeared as a small child in Fourth Maki, and is the charge of Shunsui's illegitimate half sister, Riri. Shunsui greatly suspects she may be his daughter, but this is a closely kept secret. A great friend of Kotetsu Ketsui, in the Thirteenth Division.  
 **Ninth Seat:Nakamura Hanako** A strong willed shinigami of District birth, and with nomadic roots. A former schoolmate of Shunsui and Juushirou's, she greatly respects Shunsui after he helped her during a school camp trip and, while sharp tongued to most people, is generally respectful to her Captain. She does not get along with 13th Division's Shikibu Naoko.

 **Additional - if you think I've been playing musical chapters, you'd be right. I accidentally missed this chapter out and didn't realise until later. This is the proper Chapter 12, and the Return chapter is 13, which will be reuploaded next. My apologies for the confusion. We'll blame jetlag.**


	14. Return

**Chapter Thirteen: Return**

"It's good to be back on home soil,"

Ketsui stretched his hands up over his head, letting out a sigh of contentment as he gazed up into the brilliant blue of the Seireitei sky. "I don't hate the Real World, Naoko-san, but I have to be honest. That was not one of the more fun missions we've ever been on, and that's for sure."

It was early the next morning and, as scheduled, the two shinigami had returned to Seireitei through the Senkaimon, following the drunken dance of the Hell Butterfly back towards their home quarters. Neither one had slept much the previous night for, following their campfire discussion, both had agreed that a final, late-night sweep of the area for signs of trouble would be a good idea. In spite of their weariness, there was something refreshing about being back in familiar territory and, as they made their way along the wooden walkway that led to their Captain's office, Ketsui gazed around him at the reassuring glitter of clear water beneath, broken only by the occasional splash of a koi carp's tail.

"No kidding," his companion looped a length of ribbon into her long auburn hair, tying it back from her face in a workmanlike knot. "I was actually starting to wonder what we would be reporting for a while. Then we went up the mountain, and I regretted being cross it was quiet. Still, at least we have something to go back with other than a pretty map."

"I'm still not sure what to make of it, but I hope Taichou will have an idea," Ketsui admitted. "I'm also wondering about my brother, as well, so maybe he'll know a bit about that and whether Ten-nii got paroled or not."

"I think, with things like that, it's better to know after the event," Naoko said wisely, reaching forward to knock smartly on the door of the office. "For now, though, we have a job to do. You have the notes you made, I trust? I have the map, but I don't have anything of yours."

"I have them, though I'm sure they're lacking and I wish I'd had time to run it by Izumi before submitting anything as a report," Ketsui responded, reaching into the folds of his obi and producing the slightly crumpled sheets of paper, flicking through them to make sure they were all there. "I'm not the scientist she is, and all of what we discussed is guesswork...a lot might be resting on it, so..."

"Ichimaru-san wasn't there, though, so she's no better placed than anyone else to talk about it," Naoko reminded him, as a voice came from within the office. "Anyhow, we're on. You're Eighth Seat and you did good work in the Real World. You also make a compelling argument about the possibilities of what we found. Don't run away from it - it's something to report back on. Everything else can carry on from there, and deciding what to do about it is Taichou's job. Not yours or mine."

She slid back the door, leading the way into the office and Ketsui sighed, but followed suit, closing the door softly behind him.

"You got back safely and in good time."

Juushirou was not alone in the office, for, as Ketsui turned, he saw the broad figure of the division's Vice Captain, Houjou Enishi, leaning up against the window, a mug of hot tea clasped in his thick fists. Enishi was as different from Juushirou as night was from day, for, while the white haired Captain was proficient in use of kidou as well as his zanpakutou, Enishi preferred contact fighting, and relied on his immense physical strength to power his sword. Juushirou was of a sickly constitution, and delicately built, while Enishi was sturdy and well muscled, his heavy footsteps often echoing through the division. Juushirou was given to seeing all the implications of things, whilst Enishi was bold and loyal, viewing the world through straight-forward eyes. Yet in one way at least the two men were alike - and that was in their mutual affection for the division they had both chosen to serve when still in Academy uniform.

It was the Vice Captain who had spoken now, and he raised his mug in a gesture of welcome.

"We were wondering how quickly you'd get back, since you never know with Senkaimon."

"You both seem to be in one piece, as well," Juushirou set down the brush he had been using to sign some official documents, casting the two newcomers a smile and gesturing for them to take a cushion and sit down. "Well? You're probably tired - you look tired. Was it a hard assignment? I realise we sent you in there quite blind."

Naoko and Ketsui exchanged looks, and Naoko shrugged.

"It depends on what you term hard," she said acerbically. "It was pretty quiet and dull for the most part. In fact, we started to think that all we were doing was filling in gaps on a map. We didn't see a single Hollow and we were prepared to come back empty-handed...but we had a...small change of circumstances."

She nodded towards Ketsui, who shuffled forward, placing his notes hesitantly on the desk.

"I'm not really sure what happened," he said slowly, "but Naoko-san said that I should make the notes, since I saw more than she did. We patrolled most of the ground area and the settlements around the river. It was very cold, but there was nothing abnormal and nobody seemed to register us. In spite of that, there were no Hollows in the vicinity, and the air was, to both of us, unusually pure and clear. It felt more like a Seireitei atmosphere, which was a little surreal. We've all trained in the Real World, and we expect the heavy drop on our energy levels from not being in a spiritually enriched environment, but this was like we never left home."

"Spiritually rich turf in the Real World?" Enishi looked non-plussed, and Juushirou's dark brows knitted together thoughtfully.

"That would be in keeping with the reports we received beforehand...unusual spiritual readings from this area," he remembered. "It is possible, of course, for areas of the Real World to become 'reichi' - spiritually proficient areas - and it's not always understood why that happens, but in this case, there were some anomalies in the readings. Naoko, did you use Dokusou Houshi at all to examine the atmosphere?"

"I did," Naoko agreed, "and he was as confused as we were. I had the sensation we were being watched, but there wasn't anything tangible to back it up. It was more like we were being sensed than someone was actually there." She sighed, shrugging. "We didn't find anything, as Ketsui said, so we progressed into the mountains, and found what we thought was a local shrine to some human deity. When I released Dokusou Houshi there, the mountain reacted. It shook..."

She glanced at Ketsui.

"When that happened, Ketsui experienced something unusual," she added. "I didn't see what he saw, so he'll have to explain it - although we spent a lot of last night discussing it, we didn't really come to a firm conclusion about what it meant."

"The mountains were really cold," Ketsui said frankly. "Colder than it had been by the river. We found the shrine, like Naoko-san said. Local people had carved a dragon into the ice. We thought of sheltering there, because it was cold, but...there was a frozen lake inside the shrine. Something was inside it, but we couldn't see what. When the mountain started shaking, though, the ice cracked. I definitely saw a hand, and something grabbed my leg...and that's all I know. The mountain blew open and we were thrown onto the snow. Next thing I knew, Naoko-san was shaking me awake. I guess the impact made me black out."

"Something from inside the ice tried to grab you?" Enishi and Juushirou exchanged looks of consternation, and Ketsui nodded.

"I'm sure that's what happened," he agreed. "We were talking about what it might be, but really, we don't know."

"And you didn't see the same thing, Naoko?" Juushirou asked.

"No," Naoko shook her head, "Ketsui was closer than I was. I saw the shape in the ice, but not afterwards. We were both knocked unconscious by the blast. When I woke up, Ketsui was still out cold. I checked he wasn't badly hurt, then went to examine the remains of the shrine. It was a mess, but whatever had been in the lake had gone. Moreover, the lake wasn't frozen any more. It had melted to water in the time we were unconscious."

"If you were knocked out, maybe I should send the both of you to Fourth to be checked over," Juushirou was concerned, but Naoko shook her head.

"We're fine, sir. Bruised, a little, but that's all," she assured her Captain with a smile. "I'm no healer, but I can tell a concussion and we took no broken bones. We're both all right, so there's no need to waste Fourth's busy time."

"Well, if you're sure," Juushirou frowned.

"What of this thing in the mountain?" Enishi asked quizzically. "Did you get a lock on it, after it disappeared?"

"No," Ketsui and Naoko exchanged glances, and Naoko shook her head. "We looked, but there was no sign."

"And you don't know what it was?"

"Ketsui thought it might be a left over genetic experiment, like those Keitarou used against Divisions five years ago, still dormant until we appeared," Naoko replied, and Ketsui nodded.

"Or, maybe, a shinigami?" he hazarded. "Although that would be a bit weird, since someone would surely notice if a shinigami went missing like that."

"Certainly, you'd think someone would notice a missing shinigami, especially if they ended up in a place where shinigami don't patrol and there are no Hollows to hunt anyway," Enishi rubbed his chin. "What do you make of it, Taichou? It sounds a mystery to me."

"It sounds like something that will bear further investigation, certainly," Juushirou's brows were furrowed in deep thought. "What about the layout of the site, Naoko? Is it easy to navigate?"

Naoko sighed heavily, pulling the folded map out and setting it down on the table beside Ketsui's tatty notes.

"Well, we did manage to fill in a lot of the gaps while we were there," she added. "At the very least, we now know a bit about the terrain. What we don't know is whether the earthquake on the mountain will have other consequences. And, unfortunately, we don't have a description of the creature in the ice for people to track down."

"It does seem as though the area where it was sealed was the source of the spiritual purity, though," Ketsui added. "It felt much clearer up there, on the mountain. And before we left, this morning, I noticed that it felt less like Seireitei's atmosphere. I think that whatever it was may have been the reason there were no Hollows...which means they now might come back, even if we don't manage to find whatever it was that tried to grab me."

"Either way, a deployment is necessary, and probably sooner rather than later," Juushirou rubbed his brows. "I'll get onto that as a priority, I suppose, and look at who is and isn't available."

"I'll go, if you like," Enishi suggested, stretching his broad frame more comfortably into the gap between the window and the door, and setting the empty tea mug down on the sill. "I don't mind. Shikibu looks like she's had enough of it, and she's as capable of running drill here as I am."

"You're not going yourself, Taichou?" Naoko looked surprised, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I haven't decided, yet," he said cautiously. "I have a few things I need to do here, and it depends on the kind of deployment we decide on. Besides, there are still problems with Captains potentially going to the Real World on a frequent basis, and we haven't quite worked that out yet. We know how reiatsu can have a negative impact on Rukongai, and the danger in a place like the Real World is even greater, so I want to be careful we don't do damage, especially if this is a spiritually perceptive area of space. Given the account you both just described, it doesn't sound like more spiritual instability would be a positive thing."

He sighed, reaching over to pick up the folded map, and opening it, smoothing it out against the wood.

"You have done well with this, though," he added. "It's very clear, and a big step forward. I don't think a large deployment would be sensible at this time, but I do think we ought to go, and having an idea of the area we're patrolling...although if does prove this is some kind of residue from what Keitarou did five years ago..."

He paused, looking troubled.

"What is it, Ukitake?" In his earnestness towards the conversation, Enishi's carefully preserved formality before lower ranked officers diappeared, and Ketsui shot the Vice Captain a startled look.

"This is an area generally unknown to shinigami, and only accessible to us since Nagesu-sama expanded the range of his new Senkaimon to reach it," Juushirou chewed on his lip. "If this was to do with Keitarou - or Kusakawa Shougo - it implies a reach far greater than that of current Seireitei which, in itself, is troubling. It means we might not have mopped up all the damage, and there may yet be repercussions, even though Keitarou is gone."

He sighed.

"For now, though, I guess you two have debriefed. I'll make a decision on deployment in the next two days - but thank you, both of you. Naoko, I'd like you to take the evening patrol down towards the South, if you feel up to it - until then, you're at your own devices. Ketsui..."

He paused, glancing at the Eighth Seat, and then offering him a weary smile.

"You might go and find Kirio. I think she has news of your brother," he suggested, and Ketsui's eyes widened, Enishi's informality forgotten in light of this tantalising titbit of information.

"Of Ten-nii?" he asked eagerly, and Juushirou nodded.

"Apparently she's seen him," he agreed. "He was successfully paroled to Seventh's custody following his hearing, which is, I know, the news you hoped for. He's not allowed to come to Thirteenth, Ketsui, nor is he allowed to approach Izumi - his parole forbids it. Still, Kirio seemed quite cheered by the meeting, and she's been waiting for you impatiently to share news. You're dismissed - you have no patrol today, so you may as well go and unwind."

"Yes, sir," Ketsui was immediately on his feet, bowing towards his senior officers, before withdrawing from the office. As he shut the door behind him, he could hear Naoko's voice, scolding Enishi for forgetting his manners, and a wry smile touched his lips. He did not tarry, however, hurrying across the bridge as fast as he could and almost running into the petite figure of Thirteenth Division's Thirteenth Seated officer. He skidded to a stop, nearly overbalancing in his attempt to avoid a collision, and, as he steadied himself against the railing that separated the walkway from the water, he heard the soft sound of a sigh. Glancing up, he met the derisive silver gaze of a petite young woman, robed in the same black _shihakushou_ as he was, but in such a way that it appeared both delicate and feminine. Her china doll appearance belied the razor-sharp intellect that lurked within, and Ketsui knew from experience that this fairy-like shinigami was both stubborn and resolute in pursuit of her science. Her hair, long and as silver in colour as her eyes, was tied back from her face in a workmanlike braid, the two elegantly beaded strands that hung down one side of her face in stark contrast to the ink and chalk dust smudged across her fair skin. Born in the Districts to a fallen branch of the Urahara Clan, she had the pride and bearing of a proud _hime_ who knew what things should be and how people around her ought to behave. Although she no longer believed all shinigami to be idiots, her inability to speak had never stopped her from inflicting scathing criticism on her comrades where she had felt it due. Ketsui was her official _shishou_ , and, as such, with him away there had been little opportunity for sword training, but the messy state of her hands and face indicated that she had not been wasting time. She had been working on something scientific in his absence, he surmised.

Although they were very different in many ways, Izumi's arrival at Thirteenth Division had changed Ketsui's life completely. It had been Izumi who Tenichi had tried to kill five years before, but that fact, far from severing their connection, had made their bond ever stronger. Izumi could not speak her feelings, nor did she like to make a display of them, especially not in public, but Ketsui knew and understood her well enough to know that her current pretence of derision was masking her relief and eagerness to see him returned in safety. He sent her a sheepish grin, and her eyes softened, as if acknowledging her true motives had been exposed. Delicate fingers reached out to grasp his, and she squeezed his hand tightly, her gesture conveying more meaning than any words could.

"Hi, Izumi," Ketsui covered her hand with his own, gazing at her with a sense of warmth. "Did you sense me coming back? I was going to speak to Kirio-nee about Ten-nii, but I guess you want to interrogate me too, huh?"

Izumi's expression became thoughtful, and she shrugged, linking her arm in his.

"You're coming with me, huh?" Ketsui eyed her keenly. "Taichou didn't swear me to any secrecy, so I'll try and tell you what I saw - but I definitely think you're right about the spiritual energy in that place. I'm hoping that Taichou lets you go as part of the deployment - and I think, once I know what's happening with my brother, I want to go back, too. I'm glad to be back, but there are things still bugging me - I guess there's enough of the scientist in me to want to find the answers in full."

Izumi shot him an approving look, her fingers fluttering together in a sequence of symbols that, after five years of practice, Ketsui could more or less understand.

"Later?" he asked, looking surprised. "Are you sure?"

Izumi nodded, her fingers twitching again, and, at the genuine expression on her delicate features, Ketsui grinned.

"You're going soft," he warned, "letting me go and ask Kirio about my brother, rather than demanding every scientific secret. All right, if you don't mind. I think I'd rather talk to you about it in private, anyway. You understand science more than I do, and I can't help thinking that what happened in the mountain may be a big deal. The way Taichou spoke...I really do want your opinion. But...if Ten-nii has been paroled...and apparently he has..."

Izumi let out a sigh of resignation, and, at her expression, Ketsui grinned.

"Ah. You know I'll not give you a full account until I've got this out of my system," he realised, and a tiny smile touched Izumi's lips. She nodded, and Ketsui laughed.

"Then let's go find Kirio," he suggested. "And later, I'll give you a full report, I promise."

* * *

"You really should remember not to drop the honorifics in front of the lower seats, Houjou-kun,"

Back in Juushirou's office, Naoko let out a heavy sigh, fixing the Vice Captain with a reproachful look. "We might all be friends and old classmates, but Ketsui is still a subordinate officer and he was reporting. You do realise, don't you? There's hierarchy for a reason."

"I forgot," Enishi did not seem troubled by the scolding. "I do, sometimes. I'm sorry, Shikibu. I was caught up in what was being said. Ketsui's not the kind to make a big drama out of it, anyway. I'm sure he barely even noticed."

"If it comes to it, Naoko, you shouldn't call Enishi "Houjou-kun" if you want to preserve formality," Juushirou interjected lightly, and Naoko reddened, looking sheepish.

"I know, I suppose not," she acknowledged. "You did say I was off duty, though, and there's nobody else here."

"You are," Juushirou eyed her pensively. "You're still here, though, and, while you're more than welcome, I'm sure you've things of your own to attend to before your patrol later. Is there something else you wanted to report?"

"Not report, exactly," Naoko pressed her lips together thoughtfully. "I just wanted to ask...Taichou, when you come to the deployment to the Real World, if you're not going yourself, I'd like permission to be allowed to lead it."

"You want to go back?" Enishi looked surprised. "You don't have to be polite about it, Shikibu. If you don't want to, I'll go with pleasure."

"No," Naoko shook her head. "It's not like that. I mean, I appreciate it, but I'd like to see this through myself. It wasn't the nicest mission - cold, damp and physically painful at times - and I don't relish returning, but, when we were talking last night, I remembered the sense of something watching or monitoring us. Also, I feel responsible for the escape of this creature, whatever it was. Dokusou Houshi made a connection to it, briefly, and it's sure that this is some kind of spiritual entity. Maybe even a shinigami, or something else - I'm not sure, yet, but I'd like to find out, and I think that, if it was Dokusou Houshi's release that woke it up, I should be part of tracking it down and ensuring it does no further damage. Besides, I've already been there and I'm familiar with the tracks and terrain. I'd also like to go back to the mountain, but when we were there, Ketsui and our safety had to take priority. It would be easier for my sword to do detailed analyses of the residue left behind, though. I might be able to get data for the Third or Twelfth Division to look at, because I know what's changed and what hasn't."

"Well, if you're sure. I don't mind," Enishi shrugged his shoulders. "I'll go where I'm ordered, so it's all the same to me. Uki...Taichou, what do you think?"

"I think you're both off duty, and can talk to me frankly and without any formality," Juushirou grinned. "I was teasing you, but, when it is just the three of us, I don't mind about the hierarchy. I haven't given a lot of thought to the Real World yet, but I must, now, and if you're sure, Naoko, I am happy enough to send you back. Reiatsu risks aside, I...I actually want to stay here, if I can, but I don't know, yet, whether that's possible."

"Did something happen in my absence?" Naoko looked alarmed, and Juushirou shook his head.

"No, I don't think so," he replied, "but I'd like to follow through on the border camp and the settlement of Rukon citizens. Kirio took a patrol there, and I believe Nagesu-sama is returning from Third District today. Kira wrote the report up very nicely, so with any luck Nagesu-sama will pursue it. I want to be here to see that that happens. Third are often busy, and Nagesu-sama cares more about this project than some of the other Urahara do. Shunsui said something about land in Eighth maybe being available, so if there's a chance of pushing through some of the settlement processes, I'd like to be here to see it done."

"Ukitake's latest crusade," Enishi said ruefully, reaching for his empty tea mug and glancing at it. "And this is empty. Are you thirsty, Shikibu? I'm sure there's enough left."

"I wouldn't mind, so long as you don't spill it all over me," was Naoko's acid reply, and Enishi cast her an amused smile. He made no comment, however, disappearing to complete his errand, and Juushirou shot his companion a resigned look.

"You shouldn't pick on him, you know. He is your Vice Captain, even if you are old classmates."

"I don't think he minds," Naoko cast a glance in the direction of the door. "It's not done with any malice. I suppose the last few days were strange enough that it's nice to have bantering company again."

She sighed, making herself more comfortable.

"I don't like things that can't be explained," she added. "What Ketsui saw and what I sensed are both in that category. It makes me uneasy, and then I take it out on other people. I'm sorry. It's a bad habit of mine. What happened in the mountain...I can't help thinking that Dokusou Houshi caused it."

"I think it's unlikely that a zanpakutou like yours could cause a Real World quake," Juushirou said sensibly. "Nagesu-sama's Sekizanha, maybe, but Dokusou Houshi doesn't have that kind of power."

"It depends on what Houshi-sama connected to," Naoko sighed. "I know, you're right, it just bothers me. That, and whether our being there has unleashed any other consequences on the local population."

"Do you think it will be dangerous, returning to the same area?" Enishi returned at that moment, two steaming mugs in hand, and Naoko accepted hers with a sheepish smile of thanks. "If the land is unstable, we'll have to think about that when it comes to deployment. I mean, if there's likely to be tremors or something else..."

"I don't know," Naoko frowned, taking a sip of the drink. "I know that doesn't make sense, but even if it's unsatisfactory as an answer, it's still true. Ketsui was worried about the area flooding, but I think it's more of a spiritual problem than a physical one, since the human settlements are a long way from both the mountain and the riverbank. The lack of Hollows bothered me, but Ketsui's right in that, if the purity drops, they might return. In the long run, I can see ignoring the issue would just create more work, rather than less. Hollows can attack people, if they think that person's spirit presence is great enough...and they can do serious damage to infrastructure if they so choose. We don't entirely understand everything about how they come to occur in a world so barren of spirit energy as the Real World - but it just occurred to me, when you mentioned the risks of Captain's reiatsu, Ukitake-kun, that an unexpected influx of spiritual energy in that area could...well, in the long run it could aggravate the number of Hollow occurrences. Even if in the short term it had the opposite effect, ultimately Hollows have shown they can build resistance and adapt to different environments. Otherwise we wouldn't deal with them so much here, where the spiritual atmosphere is also pure."

"A powerful entity with reiatsu significant enough to impact on the spiritual purity of the atmosphere also might well prove a magnet for Hollows strong enough to do just that," Juushirou said gravely. "You're not wrong. You probably are the correct officer to send back, too - if you're happy to go, then it might be the best option. I'd quite like to send Ketsui again, too, if he's willing. He saw what was in the ice more clearly, and therefore will probably be of some use."

"Ichimaru as well, I guess?" Enishi asked, and Juushirou nodded.

"Not much other option, since we'll need her take on the spiritual data," he agreed. "If you're going to go, though, Naoko, I'm going to keep Enishi here. We have welcomed an intake of ten new recruits in your absence who, though eager and thus far, hard-working, are still raw, and Enishi is the best placed to knock their skills into line with the rest of the Division. He's met and assessed all of them already, so I'd quite like that to continue for now,"

He glanced at Enishi, who inclined his head in confirmation.

"Fine by me," he said frankly. "They're good kids, and I don't mind."

"Then that leaves the issue of who to send to the Real World," Juushirou pursed his lips. "Who else would you want with you, Naoko? If the area is quiet, we don't want to create the impression we're sending an invasion, so I'd like to keep it to a small but capable deployment if I can. Enough to deal with trouble if you encounter it, without making a major ruckus. Maybe six, seven at most."

"I'll take Atsudane," Naoko said thoughtfully. "He's quite good in a crisis, when he gets his head straight, and his sword skills will make up for Ichimaru-san's weakness in that department. I'd also like to take Tsunemori, if I can - because his Kidou is extremely good. Otherwise, I don't mind."

"Seireitei's rules are still that Real World deployment requires you to be ranked at thirteenth seat or above," Enishi reminded her. "Ichimaru-san just makes the cut, this time, thanks to last ranking. If you're taking Atsudane and Tsukabishi, that's a good back up in terms of physical and kidou cover - and Ketsui's not bad with a blade, either. Given that, it probably doesn't matter who you take. What about the lad Koku?" this last to Juushirou. "He's never been allowed before, but his rank is eligible, now, and he's coming on solidly with his training."

"I intend to keep Koku here, at least for now," Juushirou shook his head, and Naoko frowned.

"Is there a reason why, sir?" she asked softly. "I was going to ask about him, too. Kohaku's reiatsu perception is extremely well defined for his rank and experience, and, even though I know he's still a work in progress, he's never been on a Real World deployment."

"I think he's better off, for now, in Seireitei," Juushirou replied simply.

Naoko and Enishi exchanged looks, and then Naoko sighed.

"I know you want to protect him, Taichou, but realistically, you can't," she said matter-of-factly. "He didn't come to the Gotei to hide and be shielded. We both know that he's a very powerful young shinigami in the making, and if he's going to be of any use to Seireitei in the long term..."

"I know, and I had originally planned to send him," Juushirou held up his hand, effectively stopping his companion mid-flow. "He has better control over his reiatsu now than he did before, and I don't think he'd pose a danger to the Real World citizens over a very short term deployment. I'm omitting him from the list because of another matter, not because I'm trying to protect him. I think Real World experience would be good for him, too - but I need him here, not least in case the Third Division want him, as I'm assuming they shall. I'm not sure I can delay the Real World investigation based on your testimony, so I think the two errands may well clash."

"Third Division?" Naoko looked blank, and Enishi grimaced.

"I would've thought sending him to the Real World would be a change of pace for the lad," he said regretfully. "I know what's on your mind, Ukitake, but it's just as possible he had one of his moments and imagined it. Rukogai is an issue close to his heart, but his Pa was also wrapped up in it. No doubt it would remind him. It's five years ago, but that's still pretty recent for a kid like that."

"I'm lost," Naoko held up her hands. "Imagined what? What about Third Division? I don't follow."

"Koku went to the border camp with Kirio's patrol," Juushirou explained with a sigh. "When there, he thought he sensed his father's reiatsu."

"Keitarou's..." Naoko blanched, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"That's what he said," he confirmed. "Shunsui was here when he and Kirio came to report. He was quite coherent about it, but he was pale and he looked shaken. Kirio was also obviously concerned. She said that, in the field, he had been close to passing out. You might be right, Enishi," he added, glancing at his Vice Captain. "We know Keitarou is definitely dead, so it could have been just a moment of spiritual fancy. We know his ability means he's very sensitive to changes in reishi, and it might be that one of the people in the settlement came from a similar area to the ones Keitarou used to haunt, bringing something familiar into Seireitei that triggered Koku's reflexes. Nonetheless, I don't want to ignore it. I sent a message with Kira's report to the Third, asking Nagesu-sama if I could speak to him as a matter of importance when he returned from his homeland. I'd rather know it was nothing than ignore something - but more than that, I want to get the idea of Keitarou out of Koku's head before I start sending him off on missions. He'll brood on it if we don't settle it, so I want to make sure we do. His eligibility for the Real World mission rather depends on Nagesu-sama's response. If he wants Koku's help, well...it might not be possible."

"I see," Naoko chewed on her lip. "In which case, I apologise, and retract my suggestion of overprotection. I didn't realise...but how could that really be? Keitarou is dead. Kyouraku-kun killed him. He was buried. That was five years ago - he'd be dust by now. How could he be in the border camp?"

"Maybe for that reason?" Enishi suggested. "As Ukitake said, Koku is sensitive to reishi. If Keitarou is dust now, then there's every possibility that he picked it up from the ether."

"But we need to get to the bottom of it, especially if it is something significant," Juushirou concluded. "We might not always understand the messages brought by Koku's abilities, but ignoring them is never a good idea. I'd be happier getting this straight, so that these people can be properly settled in new homes."

* * *

So, his worst fears had been realised.

Hirata gazed down at the charred remains of the sword with a heavy heart. He had been relieved when Kikyue, with Tenichi and Takasugi had returned safely from the Rukon, but their findings had brought him no pleasure whatsoever. Kikyue had reported in detail, and her conviction that the spiritual aura at the scene had been Katsura's had been without any fraction of doubt. He had sent her to the Fourth Division to alert them to the killings, and had been about to do the same with the Third when he had remembered that Nagesu had planned to be away from his squad base for a while. Knowing it wasn't a subject that should be discussed at ranked officer level, he had decided to hold back, instead dismissing Takasugi to take a recruit drill and Tenichi to compose a full report of the scene for the Division's own records. Tenichi had looked less than thrilled with the responsibility, but he had made no objection, and the three officers had withdrawn, leaving Hirata alone with the unpleasant souvenir laid on a white sheet across his desk.

"Taichou?"

A knock at the door made him glance up, seeing the fourth and final member of the party lingering hesitantly outside of the office.

"Ohara? Kikyue told me you were canvassing the area around the incident scene. I did expect you back yesterday, though. What have you to report to me on this matter?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I was a little longer than I anticipated," Ohara bowed his head apologetically. "I thought that it might be a quick errand, but it turns out that people in the surrounding villages either didn't see what happened, or have transmitted lurid and highly unlikely accounts of the event among themselves. I wasn't able to take any credible statement from anyone, I'm afraid. I went a little further afield, but of the few individuals who were actually at the scene, it seems they spent more energy on fleeing than on looking at what was going on to their neighbours."

"The instinct that something was amiss...the instinct to survive, perhaps?" Hirata rubbed his brow wearily. "It's all right. You did your best, I'm sure. Kikyue was certain that this scene involved Katsura - what were your feelings about that? I know you encountered the lad as well, so I'd like your input."

"My senses are not as sharp as Kikyue-hime's," Ohara admitted, "but I would agree with her assessment. Whatever did this unleashed a wave of raw reiryoku, and I am fairly sure it's a reiatsu imprint I've encountered before. I suspect she is correct, and it was, indeed, proof of the Aizen ingrate's presence."

"To kill the Rukon people? For what end?"

"For what purpose do any Aizen act in such a way?" Ohara grimaced. "With the exception of Ukitake-taichou's waif, Taichou, they are an entirely disgusting dynasty and they act without a shred of logic or sanity. I would not wish to guess what twisted urges drive them to slaughter innocent and unarmed individuals. Sport? Boredom? Who knows."

There was a note of bitterness in his voice, and Hirata offered him a hollow smile.

"I see I won't have to motivate you to pursue this further, then, if your hatred for the Aizen family is still as deep now as five years ago."

"That man manipulated me to attack Kikyue-hime, a deed unforgivable under any circumstances," Ohara said frankly. "It is not in an Endou's nature to forgive such things. For Kikyue-hime to pardon me and preserve my life is more than I should have expected in such a situation. Her mercy allows me to continue to serve as your officer, but I haven't forgotten. The father may be dead, but the son is still at large, and now there is a reason to hunt him down. We failed last time, and that is, it seems, in some way my fault, because Kikyue-hime decided to save me, instead of ensuring he was taken out. It is an opportunity for me to put that right, and make amends. I am ready and willing to pursue him, whenever such a lead arises."

"Good," Hirata eyed the proud young officer keenly, but made no further comment on the other's words, merely nodding his head. "I sent Kikyue to the Fourth, and I had a message in response that they would send a retrieval team out to that sector of the Rukon forthwith. It will take some time to clear up the mess, but I expect people to come here soon, since it's such a muddling scene they'll want clear statements. Also, this." He gestured to the sword. "Kikyue had Takasugi bring it back to me - with the hand attached, apparently. I have looked at it myself, with limited success, so I've decided that it should go to the Fourth, too - as it does represent soul remains of a sort, considering the hand. It seems delicate, and so I'd rather entrust it to them in person when they come here. For now, it is in my care, although it hasn't deteriorated since Takasugi brought it here."

"It is a strange kind of sword," Ohara gazed at the weapon impassively. "In poor condition and probably of weak quality. A dead blade, perhaps?"

"Possibly, but we have learned as a family that dead blades are not as harmless as they ought to be, depending on who wields them," Hirata said heavily, and Ohara's face became shadowed.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"You have no reason to apologise," Hirata assured him. "Ohara, what happened five years ago scarred all of us. Finding Katsura is one way for all of us to put closure on it and move forward. The Endou family's future is still a question unanswered. Your father is high up in my administration, so you probably understand more directly the burden of that problem than officers like Takasugi or Tenichi. I have no male heir, and neither of my daughters are in a position to marry and placate the family by producing a son to inherit from me at this point."

"Marriage, sir?" Ohara's expression became one of consternation. The change in expression did not escape Hirata's notice, but Ohara got himself under control almost immediately, letting out a sigh. "I see. No, I suppose not. Kikyue-hime has made it very clear that her ambitions are here, with the squad, and surely Sayuri-hime is still very much a child."

"Not so much a child that the nobility haven't started whispering about her future," Hirata said grimly, and Ohara frowned.

"I hadn't realised. I'm afraid that, since I am stationed here, I am not directly informed of every political drama that comes out of the main court."

"You seem almost relieved by that," Hirata commented, and Ohara laughed humourlessly.

"I have learned that I prefer to be here, under Kikyue-hime's command, than there," he said matter-of-factly. "There is nothing for me there, and I am in no hurry to inherit my father's land. I suppose I am also more shinigami than nobleman these days, sir...though I confess, maybe it's my duty to repay my debt to Kikyue-hime that makes me feel so. You have my word that, whatever the future holds, the Ohara family will stand strong behind you. That is what my father believes, and what I believe, too."

"I don't doubt it, which is why I trust you as my Fourth Seat," Hirata said pragmatically. "Katsura would not be taken seriously by the Endou court, but there is still a chance, given that the Clan will not denounce my sister as culpable in Keitarou's crimes, that he could try and launch an attack on me. While I don't suppose he'd succeed, after Souja died I learned anything can happen. I'm glad to know that, if anything did, you'd be active in supporting the family and my daughters against his rebellion."

"I would, to the death, but I am sure Katsura would never pose a challenge to the Wind Hawk, sir," Ohara spoke with certainty. "Without his father to protect him, he is merely an untrained savage and now he has broken his cover, we will find him. You need not worry. We will track him down."

"I'm going to restrict discussion of this subject among lower officers for now," Hirata reflected. "I don't want it to get out of hand, and I don't want people trying to be heroes by going off against orders to find and destroy the threat Katsura poses on their own. He's dangerous, and we don't know his thought process in this. That applies to you too, by the way," he added, sending his officer a hawkish look. "I know you feel to blame for his escape five years ago, but that's not the case. Keitarou almost certainly interfered, and he probably took control of you to engineer his son's escape. I don't want you to feel you need to put yourself at risk. This division has lost enough to the Aizen family. I won't let it happen again."

"Yes, sir," Ohara reddened, looking sheepish. "I understand, and I will obey. I won't pretend I hadn't thought of it, but I really am late back because I was trying to trace witnesses. There was no sign of Katsura himself, other than at the scene. I did return there, to see if I could pick up a trail, but I confess, I could not."

"Keitarou was able to fully suppress his reiatsu to avoid detection, when he died," Hirata reflected. "It's been five years and we haven't found a trace of Katsura. Even Kohaku doesn't know where he's been hiding, so maybe he's able to do a similar thing. It's possible, anyway. Which means that, if he did release his spirit power in Rukongai, we need to figure out why and where he's going next...it may be the only way to locate him."

"Taichou, are we sure that Kohaku is telling the truth about his brother's whereabouts?" Ohara asked quizzically. "I realise I am also indebted to his spirit power for my freedom and my life, and I harbour him no ill will...but for a young man with so much latent ability, could he really be ignorant of Katsura's location?" Hirata sighed.

"Juushirou believes in him, and I believe in Juushirou, so for now, I accept that Kohaku is being honest," he replied simply. "I have no evidence to suggest otherwise, and besides, I don't think Kohaku is betraying Soul Society. No, I think he probably has no idea where Katsura is, currently - but that situation may change, of course. Katsura may make contact with his brother, I suppose. It can't be ruled out as a possibility."

He gazed down at the severed hand once more, eying the way in which the flesh and bone had melted against the hilt.

"It took a considerable amount of heat to cause that to happen," he reflected aloud, and Ohara nodded.

"Whoever this person was, we'll probably never identify what's left of their body," he agreed, "but the fact he was clutching the weapon like this when he fell indicates he was trying to fight back. Maybe someone defending the village? It's hard to say, but if it is a dead blade, that is my hypothesis."

"Or, if Takasugi's right about some of the individuals being killed with a sword, this may have been Katsura's puppet," Hirata tapped a gloved finger pensively against the charred metal of the hilt, being careful not to damage it. "We know he is capable of doing that, reading minds and manipulating Hollows were his signature moves five years ago, I seem to recall. It isn't a stretch to imagine he could do the same to a Plus soul and if so, he burned them afterwards to destroy proof of that link."

"Releasing his spirit power puts him at the scene, so it seems a futile decision to make, if true," Ohara's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps he is not as smart as his father. Maybe we have not caught him simply because he has not tried to act until now, and that is all."

"I think that's possible. Nobody could say that his actions five years ago were all that intelligent," Hirata reflected bleakly. "In any case, I will hand it over to the Fourth for their analysis. One more thing, Ohara, before I dismiss you?"

"Yes, sir?" Ohara cast his Captain a questioning look.

"Tenichi. I've spoken to Kikyue, but I'd like your input as well. How did he behave out there?"

"Ah," Ohara's lips twisted into a derisive smile. "I thought he might faint at one point. He seemed uncomfortable with the level of gore. It was an unpleasant scene, but I had to send him to search houses instead, because he was clearly ill at ease. He claimed he was all right, but I'm not a fool. He may have developed a killer instinct, but he's no Endou, sir. On the flipside, though, he did obey orders and was not insubordinate in any regard. I believe him to be penitent for his past actions, and determined to make himself useful, which is pleasing."

"Well, perhaps it's for the best if he doesn't become too like the Endou," Hirata mused. "All right, you're dismissed. I may need you to speak to the Fourth later, but for now, we're done."

"Yes, sir," Ohara saluted, then left the office, closing the door behind him and leaving his Captain once more alone with the gruesome trinket. It was indeed an old sword, and, as Hirata looked at it more closely, he thought that something had been carved into the metal, but try as he might, he could not make it out. The heat of the reiryoku blast, coupled by the melted skin from the wielder's hand obscured most of the character from view, and, with his poor eyesight, Hirata was unable to read anything of significance into the markings. They could just be damage, he reflected grimly, but even if not, it would be difficult to make any kind of identification. If it was a dead blade, like Ohara has suggested, it would probably be a meaningless endeavour in any case.

He got to his feet, abandoning his investigation and moving to the window, gazing out at the courtyard towards where the insignia of his family hung proudly above the Division gates. The chains were new and the family _monshou_ had been repainted following damage caused by Katsura's invasion of Seventh Division five years earlier, but although he had heard many different accounts of that event, try as he might Hirata could not picture it in his mind's eye.

 _I have never met my enemy, and that makes it harder to hunt him. Kikyue and the rest are reliable, but a predator should not need to rely on others to track his prey._

He clenched his fists, remembering the conversation with his father back in Seventh District.

 _The whole family is unsettled and that has implications I don't like. I quashed the talk of Sayuri marrying this time around, telling the family that we'd stepped up the search for Katsura. At that point, though, we didn't have definite proof that he still lived. Now we do, and that he's dangerous, which increases the burden of pressure on me and my subordinates to track him down. Father is right that this is a priority...but to protect my daughter and her future, it is also my duty as a Father. Since losing Souja, Kikyue and Sayuri have become even more precious treasures...and even if Ohara is right, there is no reason to assume that Katsura would make me his target. Keitarou's daughter killed my son, but never attacked me. Katsura attacked my Division and my daughter who defended it, but never came to me face to face. Losing Souja was unbearable, but the fear of losing someone else is even worse. If Katsura is out there, this time we must find him...because he already knows exactly where to find us._


	15. Nagesu and Kohaku

**Chapter Fourteen: Nagesu and Kohaku**

"I have to confess, Ukitake, that I was somewhat relieved to get back to Third Division, and find your message,"

Nagesu settled himself within Ugendou, offering his companion a weary smile. It was early the next morning and, as Nagesu and his companions had returned from their trip to District Three, they had been greeted by Third Division's anxious Third Seat, Yunosuke, with an urgent message from the Thirteenth. For Nagesu, who had worried for most of the journey back about how to approach the matter with his opposite number at Ugendou, it had been the catalyst he had needed, and so he had given instructions to his subordinate officers, taking time only to review his other messages and change his Clan cloak for his Division haori before setting out for the other side of Inner Seireitei. Though it was not long past dawn, he had found Juushirou risen and ready to receive him, and, as he had stepped inside Ugendou, he realised that his colleague had probably sensed his return. The fact he had been awaiting some response from the Third told Nagesu that all was not well here, either, but nonetheless he had welcomed the opportunity to speak to the District Captain, eager to offload the burden on his shoulders and seek another opinion.

"I appreciate the efficiency of your officer, too, in compiling such a detailed report on the border camp. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but Yunosuke told me it was thorough and most helpful, and I will review it myself tonight in detail. I was not able to spend a lot of time negotiating with my kinsfolk this visit, unfortunately - but on my return, I also had a missive from District Eight. It seems that Tokutarou-dono has located a stretch of suitable land, which means that, at last, we can move forward with some of the recommendations included in your patrol report."

"Shunsui mentioned to me that he'd spoken to his brother," Juushirou nodded his head, returning the smile with a warm one of his own. "I'm glad that Tokutarou-sama saw fit to follow it up so quickly. But, then, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. He's always been perceptive to things like this, and Shunsui has a lot of influence with him, even now."

"A fact for which I am very grateful, and must remember to tell Shunsui-dono so, too, the next time I see him," Nagesu decided. "I will send my own patrol there within the week, I expect - although, I admit, that wasn't the reason I was glad of your missive. You wanted to speak to me, and I assumed it was about the settlement - but I have a quite different subject to address with you."

"I wish it were," Juushirou grimaced. "In some ways, it is related, but I'm not quite sure that it's what you expected. I had Kira leave it out of the report he penned, because it was something I felt ought to be addressed between Captains, but..."

"A problem?" Nagesu looked apprehensive, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "It may be nothing at all, or it may be something. One of my men picked up something on patrol at the Camp which he felt - and we feel - should not and could not have been there. In all frankness, Nagesu-sama - the report I received was that traces of your cousin's reiatsu were present in that place - even though he died five years ago."

"Keitarou..." Nagesu's heart clenched in his chest at his colleague's words, and Juushirou frowned, nodding his head.

"You don't seem as shocked as I'd like you to be," he owned. "I'm starting to be more worried about what it is you felt the need to come to Thirteenth to discuss, based on that response. Forgive me, Nagesu-sama, but I admit I was surprised you didn't request my coming to Third to talk to you there. I expected it - but you're here, and now I'm wondering all the more why that might be."

Nagesu's lips pressed together in a thin line as he tried to work out the best way of addressing his fears. At length, he sighed, reaching up to remove his glasses, and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I have spent the last few days pondering my cousin," he murmured. "I should not be surprised that, even after death, he continues to haunt Seireitei. You are perceptive, as usual. I did come to Thirteenth for a reason. I thought it might attract less attention if the conversation were to happen here."

He eyed Juushirou quizzically.

"May I hypothesise that the shinigami who made this connection might have been Kohaku?" he asked softly, and Juushirou's eyes narrowed. He nodded his head.

"It was, and you came here to speak to him, as well as me," he deduced. "I see."

"I'd be grateful if you'd send for him," Nagesu agreed. "I hope he's not out on patrol at present?"

"I asked Enishi to take him off the afternoon patrol and not reassign him for today, just in case you wanted to speak to him when you got back, so he should be overseeing menial duties on site somewhere, I think," Juushirou got to his feet, moving towards the door of Ugendou. He slid it back, calling to a nearby recruit to take the message, and Nagesu folded his hands in his lap. His gaze drifted around the small, yet cosy office, taking in the official volumes piled up around shelves too small to hold them all, and he took a deep breath, reminding himself that, although Ukitake was not a Clan born Captain, he was a capable individual with a sharp mind. Not only that, though, Nagesu knew that, of all of the Gotei, Juushirou had known Keitarou better than most.  
 _  
But whether he'll let me ask the questions I need to of that boy, that's the problem._

He sighed, returning the glasses to his nose.

 _Oh well. I must try, and see where we get to from there._

"I've sent a message," Juushirou returned at that moment, retaking his seat behind his desk and fixing Nagesu with a troubled look. "Before he arrives, though, Nagesu-sama, I'd like to know, please, the reason that you came here. I am Kohaku's Captain, and it is not in the interests of Thirteenth Division for me to see my seated officers distressed."

"It will probably upset him," Nagesu acknowledged. "Another good reason to hold the discussion here, I'm afraid. I won't beat about the bush, Ukitake. I intend to address it at a Captain's meeting as soon as one can be called, but in the meantime, Mareiko and I had a surprise on our return to Third District. It was by coincidence that we went to the Clan mausoleum, but it turns out that our doing so was probably a good thing. Keitarou's grave has been disturbed...and now you tell me that your officer sensed something relating to Keitarou in a place he both could not and should not have been. It makes me distinctly uneasy."

Juushirou's expression became one of dismay, and he did not speak for a moment. Then, at length, he groaned, rubbing his temples. Nagesu nodded.

"Mareiko and Shiketsu have been examining the scene on my instructions," he agreed wearily. "It seems there's no chance of it being accidental damage of any kind. The top slab is completely cracked across, and, apparently, there's some indication of it having been moved, although it was placed back in its original position. We all agree that a vandal who wanted to inflict some kind of revenge on Keitarou for his actions would probably not care about being so neat and tidy. It suggests something more sinister, which is why I want to speak to the boy."

"I hope that isn't an implication that you think him somehow involved?" Juushirou asked sharply, and, although his manner of speech was still the same deferential tone appropriate for one born of a higher social class, Nagesu was aware of the tight edge in his companion's words, as though he were mentally preparing a defence of his officer. The Clan leader sighed, shaking his head.

"That is not my reason for being here, I assure you," he said evenly. "Before you get protective over your stray, Ukitake, let me reassure you of that. Kohaku is above suspicion and really, I came because I want his advice - or even his help. I am distressed by this as well - Keitarou was my cousin, and we were once close. I wanted at least for him to be able to rest peacefully in death as he could not in life, and so this bothers me a good deal. That's why I came here - even if it's not ideal."

At this, the tension seeped out of Juushirou's body, and he offered a faintly sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry," he acknowledged. "I should know better than to think you'd jump to conclusions. I suppose Koku's own report is bothering me, too. I am prone to being protective of him - as my Third Seat and Vice Captain both often remind me."

"No, I suspect your instinct is well-founded," Nagesu looked thoughtful. "We've never done formal tests on Kohaku in any regard, not in terms of his _reiryoku_ or what it might mean for his future, but we're all aware that the potential he has is considerable, and that, one day, he will be able to fully use that power. I think it wise that he be guided and supported as much as possible while he is still learning about his sword."

"Keitarou treated him as a lab rat," Juushirou reflected, "and so, I'm afraid, I was reluctant to let Soul Society follow suit. Whatever Kohaku is going to become in the long run, I'd like it if he felt it was something of his choosing. I trust him, and I believe he will make the right choices as he grows. For that reason, I saw no reason to inflict more trouble on him. We try to make him one of the squad, and he is treated as the others are, according to their rank, responsibility and service record. It has been surprisingly good for him, normality and structure, and so this recent blip came out of the blue."

Before Nagesu could respond, there was a light knock at the door, followed by the voice of the Twelfth Seated officer.

"Taichou? It's Kohaku. You sent for me?"

"Come in, Koku," Juushirou raised his voice, and the door slid back, revealing the younger shinigami. At the sight of Nagesu he stopped, bowing his head properly towards the other man, before stepping into the room fully and closing the door.

"I thought you might send for me, sir," he said softly, "when I knew Nagesu-sama had come here."

"Your reiatsu perception is just as sharp as ever, then," Nagesu observed, as Juushirou indicated for the newcomer to take a seat. "I have come to speak to you about a troubling matter, I'm afraid - but it seems you also have a troubling matter to relate to me, too."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku cast Juushirou a glance, and the Captain nodded his head. "Taichou said that he would report it to you, sir. Thank you for coming all the way to Thirteenth."

He settled himself very properly on the edge of the rug, inclining his head slightly once more. Gazing at him, Nagesu was struck by how unlike his rebel father this young man appeared. Thick dark waves of hair were tamed back in a tail over his shoulder, neatly groomed, and his _shihakushou_ was spotless and clean, the white obi pristine around his waist. It was clear that he had not only been expecting the summons, but had done everything he could to make himself fully presentable before the Captain of the Urahara, and, as Nagesu met the boy's brown eyes, he saw a mixture of apprehension and resolve glittering in their depths.

Kohaku did not look like Keitarou, he reflected once more, but it was the eyes which held the greatest difference between father and son. Kohaku's eyes did not reflect the same bitterness towards the world that Keitarou's had often had. Nagesu could still remember the last time he had seen his cousin, when the weight of the world had burdened those mud-slurried eyes with a fanaticism that could not be cured. In spite of his unsettled childhood, however, there was nothing in Kohaku's expression or his demeanour to suggest he was similarly scarred, and, without realising it, Nagesu let out a little sigh of relief.

This generation, then, was not completely beyond saving. Kohaku was not his father's son, and, with any luck, had been reached in time.

"I'd like to hear your report about the border camp first, if you don't mind," At length, Nagesu responded. "I've heard a little from your Captain, but I think it would be quicker to have your perspective on what happened."

"Yes, sir," Nagesu saw the resolve growing in the young man's dark eyes, and Kohaku nodded his head. "I was deployed to the border camp under the command of our fourth seated officer, Hikifune Kirio. At the camp, we divided to speak to the residents, and take down their statements. I spoke to a young girl, and I inspected the conditions they were living in. The people did not seem to be starving, but they were crowded, and the young girl was concerned for the health of her brother. She said that he had been making sure she had food, rather than taking it in himself, and so she was worried it was making him ill. After our conversation, I spread my senses to pick up the reiatsu of my companions. When I did, I..."

At this point he faltered, and, for the first time, Nagesu heard a tremble in the voice that had, up till then, so calmly reported the events of the patrol. Kohaku swallowed hard, but Nagesu did not press him, waiting patiently for the youth to continue.

"I thought I sensed Father's reiatsu," Kohaku said at length. "It was very faint and fleeting, but for a moment, I thought it was. I reached out to find it more clearly, and...I don't really know what happened next, sir. A whole lot of pictures flooded through my mind."

He swallowed again, and Nagesu knew that, although he had not yet intervened, Juushirou was also paying close attention to his officer's composure.

"It's a stupid thing, really," Kohaku said at length. "Father is dead, and I've seen so many far worse images than that one. But for a moment, I thought he was there, glaring at me, with hate in his eyes. I don't think he was, sir, but sensing that reiatsu...it brought on what I think was some kind of hallucination. It made me unwell, and I confess, I did not investigate the scene fully. I should have done, and I'm sorry I didn't. I wanted to speak to you, sir, because I thought you might want to investigate, and, well, if you did...if you wanted me to go back there, well, I'll go. If Taichou allows it, of course...I'd like to go. It's bothering me, what I sensed there - and I'd like to put it to rest."

"He has my permission, if you want to organise such a patrol," Juushirou took a hand now. "Koku feels strongly about this, and would have gone back there right away if I'd sanctioned it, but I felt it important we discussed it with you, first. The land is yours, and so is the jurisdiction. I didn't feel I had the right to supersede you in this regard."

"Are you not sending Kohaku to the Real World?" Nagesu looked surprised. "While I'm grateful for the suggestion, I realise your deployment there must be soon." Juushirou shrugged.

"It hasn't been much discussed," he admitted, "but in light of this, I may need to keep Kohaku behind. I'm sorry, Koku," this last to the Twelfth Seat, whose expression had glittered faintly with disappointment, "because I think it would be good experience for you, too - but as you said yourself, it's something we need to look into, so this has to come first, at least for now."

"It's all right, sir. If you think that's best, I'm happy to stay and help Nagesu-sama," Kohaku replied frankly. "I would have liked to have gone, it's true, but...I think, if I had, I'd be thinking about this the whole time I was there. I'd probably get in everyone's way."

"I'm quite sure you wouldn't, but I'm glad you understand," Nagesu saw Juushirou's eyes twinkle faintly at the tactful nature of the response. "If it comes to that, I'll also make sure that I remember your omission this time. You are one of the few officers I have that have no Real World experience yet, and so I will ensure your name is top of the next list, whenever there's a need to go there. You have my word."

He glanced at Nagesu.

"I'm not going to the Real World, either," he added. "I had thought about it, but I've decided against. The area we've been investigating is, as you know, spiritually sensitive, and the report I received from my Third Seated officer makes me think that a Captain going there would be a bad idea. I'll give you more details when I report at the proper meeting, but I intend to send officers back there under Naoko's command, and remain behind myself. I had hoped I might be of use as regards the border camp, but it sounds as though you have a plan of action where settling the residents is concerned."

"That may depend on what Kohaku just reported to me," Nagesu adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. "Although, Kohaku, you spoke to the residents, correct? You and your fellows? Until you picked up whatever it was in the atmosphere, there was nothing amiss that you can recall?"

"No, sir, but I was focused on the task at hand," Kohaku shook his head. "I am sensitive to reiatsu, it's true, but when I go into a new situation with lots of spiritual presences, I tend to shut off my senses as much as possible, so I can't be overloaded. It's something that I've worked on since I came to the Thirteenth, because otherwise I wouldn't be much use for anything, being surrounded by other shinigami reiatsu day in and day out." He grimaced, running his fingers through his thick dark hair. "I didn't notice anything amiss when we entered the camp because of that. It was only when I lifted that block to find Furuta that whatever it was overwhelmed me. I didn't raise my spiritual barriers much, because the place was so full of souls I knew it would be a problem if I let all those reiatsu footprints wash over me. I only caught a hint of it to begin with, and I was so thrown by it that I relaxed my restrictions just a little more than I normally would. That's when I started seeing pictures...and I confess, I panicked, and just shut everything off until they went away, rather than investigating what I thought I'd found. It was an irresponsible reaction, sir, and I'm sorry for it. I thought I was better trained than that, but I guess Father is still a problematic subject for me and I can't yet deal with it as objectively as I'd like."

He frowned.

"The girl I spoke to was a little hesitant to talk about how much food they had in the settlement," he remembered, "but there was nothing odd in how she behaved and she wasn't at all scared by me. I was the only one who picked up anything strange, so I suppose I might have imagined it, but..."

"No, I don't think you did," Nagesu said gravely. "I said I had some troubling news for you as well, and unfortunately, I do. My trip to Third District took me to your father's final resting place. I sought to pay my respects, along with Sekime-taichou. We found that someone else had been there before us. There was definite damage to Keitarou's tomb. Recent damage, we think."

"Someone broke into Father's grave?" Kohaku's eyes widened with shock and disbelief, and Nagesu nodded his head, feeling guilty at the pallor that now flooded the young shinigami's features.

"We don't think it was an act of random vandalism," he added. "It wasn't destructive. It was as though we were not supposed to notice it. Fortunately, Sekime-taichou is a very perceptive shinigami, more so than myself, and she detected the shifts in the atmosphere. The top slab was broken, and half of it removed, before being put back again in its original place. I'm sorry, I realise this is probably distressing to you - but although I intend to keep this subject to a Captain's level of discussion, I didn't think I could keep it from you. I know you weren't involved, but it might be that what you've just told me is connected, and therefore coming to speak to you was, I think, the right decision."

"It's all right," Kohaku pulled himself together with an almighty effort, facing Nagesu bravely. "If I can help, I will. As I said before, Father died five years ago. People should let him rest - and if they're not, then whoever it is needs to be stopped."

"Thank you," Nagesu shot Kohaku a grateful smile. "I realise this is emotionally difficult for you, and I'm afraid I may make it worse - but our investigation indicates that Keitarou's tomb was opened by someone who lacked any kind of weapon but bare _reiryoku_. We know that..."

"Katsu-nii?" Before Nagesu could finish his sentence, Kohaku let out an exclamation, horror flooding his dark eyes. "You think...you think that Nii-chan...but that's just...he wouldn't! Why would he want to do something like that? Why would he desecrate his own father's grave?"

"Calm down, Koku. Nagesu-sama was just raising a possibility," Juushirou chided, and Kohaku sank back on the ground, sending his Captain a troubled look.

"I know, sir. I'm sorry, but...I know Katsu-nii. Better than anyone, I know. Even if I haven't seen him since I've been here, it doesn't matter. He made the choices he did because family was the first thing to him in everything he did. I can't think of him disrespecting a final resting place like that. And why? Five years after everything, why would he start now? It makes no sense at all."

"Then I'll move on," Nagesu said heavily. "We have no firm evidence connecting it to your brother, Kohaku. We don't even know if Katsura is alive following his encounter with Seventh District's officers, so hypothesising on his involvement is a bit premature, I agree. Just, I had to ask you. We have to look at every possibility, and we don't know anything of your brother's movements since he escaped Seventh's patrols five years ago."

"I won't believe it," Kohaku said stubbornly. "Whatever else he did before, I won't believe he'd vandalise Father's grave."

Nagesu was silent for a moment, then,

"I will obviously be discussing this matter with all the Captains. I've already sent a memo to Shunsui-dono, requesting a meeting tomorrow morning, if possible," he mused. "I must, because it is so concerning. Kohaku, this matter is of the utmost secrecy, and you must not discuss it with your fellows - I am taking you into confidence on your Captain's trust and in light of your own evidence."

"Yes, sir. I understand," Kohaku said gravely, and Nagesu smiled sadly.

"I realise that, when dealing with a young man with your talents, keeping certain things secret may be more damaging than being open and honest from the start," he admitted. "If you are already uneasy, I feel I was right to come and share the information, in spite of your rank. I'm sorry if it has upset you, though. It upset me...while your father and I were not close at the end, he was once someone I cared for, and, like you, I wished to see him find peace in death that he could not find in life."

"You have been kind to me and to him, given everything that happened, sir," Kohaku said earnestly. "And...you're probably right. I probably would...find out something like that. Something involving Father. I can't always control what I see, even though Kyouka Raigen and I have a better understanding now than we had before...I'm glad that you trusted me. Thank you."

"Well, given the fact that you were able to break Keitarou's control over people here in Seireitei, I think your talents, while they may defy my science, are probably ones best involved in a mystery surrounding him," Nagesu sighed. "I confess I still don't know quite how to discern your abilities that way, but I do believe that, more than anyone else, you knew Keitarou and understood him."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku looked sad. "Both the bad and the good. I did."

"Koku explained breaking Keitarou's spell to me as sparking a fear response in an individual under control," Juushirou's eyes narrowed. "I'm unsure why that particular subject has come up, given the death of the subject in question, but that's my unscientific understanding of what happened. Is that right?"

He glanced at Kohaku for confirmation, and the young man nodded.

"Survival instinct is triggered best by fear of dying," he said softly. "I discovered that if you overload someone's fear sensors with the image of something they don't want to see, it can override other impulses, like Father's hold over their free will. I don't know how, but once I knew that making someone hallucinate something that frightened them had the potential to break Chudokuga's power over people, I decided to use it to that end. And besides, people's fears often revolve around death." He sighed, gazing at his hands. "I was...maybe still am...very attuned to violent death in places."

"You're just reminding me all the more of the many reasons I wish I'd been able to examine your abilities in closer detail when you first came here to stay," Nagesu said regretfully. "Although now it may become important for me to do some tests - with your and your Captain's permission - to settle another issue that Keitarou's disturbance has brought to light."

"I thought that it was generally agreed five years ago that Koku isn't a science project or a guinea pig for experimentation," Juushirou's voice was quiet, but it held a particular note in it that warned Nagesu not to cross the line, and Nagesu offered him a wry smile in return.

"You mistake me. I am not my cousin, and I don't seek to use Kohaku as a test subject," he assured the suspicious Captain quickly. "You've already made very clear to me how you feel about that, and I am inclined to agree with your judgement. No, it isn't that. It's just that I think...it would be a good idea, from a medical perspective at least. It might have long term implications for him, bearing in mind...all that we've discovered from Keitarou's tomb."

"I don't understand," Kohaku glanced in confusion from one Captain to the other, and Nagesu chewed on his lip.

"It's not an easy subject to broach with you, being that Keitarou was someone dearer and closer to you than to anyone else here," he said evenly, "but the fact of the matter is, your father's grave-site is proving unusual. Five years is a long time...especially with a soul that has spirit power, and there are certain processes that a body with significant reiryoku goes through following death. Keitarou's reiryoku was very high, so I would've expected the same to apply to him."

"Meaning that father's grave ought to have been a certain way, but somehow wasn't?" Kohaku's eyes narrowed, and Nagesu nodded.

"Your father's remains are quite well preserved. Almost perfectly, in fact, despite the length of time he's been interred," he said reluctantly. "I'm sorry - it's not the kind of thing I wanted to share with you - but Sekime-taichou is sure that the reason is reidoku, and, since you told Ukitake that your spirit power was...shall we say, enhanced? by his having used this before you were conceived...I was concerned that it might have implications for you, too. Your genetic structure might have been altered by your father's chemical experimentation."

"It probably was," Kohaku said darkly. "I see what you're saying, Nagesu-sama, and if you want to take blood from me or something, then that's fine. But...if you don't mind, I...would rather not think about my father's corpse, not now or in any context. I'm starting to see pictures in my mind, again, and I...I'd rather not."

"I'm sorry," Nagesu rested his hand lightly on the young man's shoulder, offering him an apologetic look. "I knew it would be hard for you, and I understand. That subject can be broached another time, in a medical context, without the other connotations hanging over you. In the meantime, though, your offer of help for the border camp and with my investigation is appreciated. If you say you don't believe your brother was involved, then part of what we need to do is to eliminate him as a suspect, in order to explore other avenues. You see that too, don't you? Katsura is your kin, but he is also a wanted felon in Soul Society. I'm sure I'm not the only Captain with reservations about the lack of information we have regarding his whereabouts."

"I don't know where Katsu-nii is, and I haven't, since the day he raided Seventh Division," Kohaku murmured. "I don't want to look for him, but I also know he wouldn't be scheming like that. I'll help to clear his name, Nagesu-sama. I'm certain I'm right, so I'll help do that."

"There is one other thing," Nagesu glanced at Juushirou, then back at the young shinigami at his side, chewing pensively on his lip until he could taste blood. "The raid on the grave site seems to have had a purpose. Something was taken. The small black casket in which the Urahara traditionally place the remains of _zanpakutou_ was stolen. We investigated other more recent high ranking shinigami deaths, both by natural causes and violent intercession, but in those cases, all tombs were intact and the sword cases were present. Only Keitarou's was missing. We aren't in a position to speculate about what state the sword may or may not be in - but the casket would not have disintegrated, and so its absence seems to be the reason for this sudden foul play."

"Chudokuga..." Kohaku whitened, and Nagesu nodded.

"Yes." he agreed. "It's even more disturbing, considering that dead swords of former shinigami ought not to be of value to anyone except sentimentally. They have no functional purpose, after all."

"Someone clearly thinks that they do," Juushirou said darkly. "I see. That's why you were talking about Koku's ability to break Keitarou's control."

"I'm afraid so," Nagesu acknowledged. "I can't think that anyone would be able to wield the blade except Keitarou, but in the circumstances..."

"It makes sense," Juushirou sighed heavily, then glanced at his apprehensive officer. "Koku, I'm sorry to return to this subject, but tell me. Could the reiatsu you sensed in the border camp have been Chudokuga?"

"Ukitake?" Nagesu's eyes widened with alarm, horror flooding his expression, but the white haired Captain ignored him, his gaze trained on Keitarou's son. Kohaku was trembling, he realised with a jolt, and he knew that, before his colleague had even made the suggestion, the idea had crossed Kohaku's mind.

"I don't know," the young man wet his lips, his voice uneven. "I don't know, but sir, when Nagesu-sama said it, I had...I had a sudden image of a spider, watching...with red eyes, not blinking. Just staring at me..no, staring _through_ me."

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as though to compose himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm being silly. He's not here at all. I don't sense anything. It's just the thought of it...I guess I'm just seeing things."

"I think this has been more than enough for you for now, and much of this is more than you need to worry about," Juushirou said gently. "Koku, you're dismissed. If you're sure about going back to the border camp, then I'll make the arrangements with Nagesu-sama and inform you as soon as I know. Don't discuss this conversation with your fellows - I suggest you go back to whatever duty I called you from, and try to get your mind away from this. Chudokuga is a dead sword, and nothing is going to happen to you because of it being missing. We are simply going to find whoever took it, as a trinket or whatever reason, and return it to where it belongs so that Keitarou can rest in peace."

Kohaku opened his eyes, and Nagesu stifled a little gasp at the sudden hollowness he saw there. Gone was the resolve and determination of a few minutes before, and Nagesu had the impression he was looking deep into the soul of a young man still haunted by the ghosts of his past.

"Kohaku? That was an order," Juushirou's words remained gentle, but there was a firmness in them which seemed to break through Kohaku's daze. He stumbled to his feet, bowing his head towards the two Captains in turn.

"Yes, sir. Please excuse me. I'll return now."

The words stumbled out, one over the other, but somehow he managed to keep his composure, withdrawing from the office and sliding the door shut behind him. There was the sound of footsteps, hurrying away from Ugendou at some speed, and Juushirou let out a heavy sigh.

"I wish you'd told me everything before I sent for him," he said sadly.

"You think I'm an insensitive monster, don't you, bringing details of his father's corpse in front of him like that?" Nagesu asked.

"No," Juushirou shook his head, "but, as I said before, Kohaku is one of my subordinates and I don't like him being unsettled by macabre stories of grave invasion and whatever else. He's come so far since the events of five years ago. I don't want to take him back there, and I'm sure you don't either, do you?"

"No, but it might be necessary, since someone is taking me back there and I don't appreciate it," Nagesu said frankly. "I know that the boy is important to you, Ukitake. We all do - whether you say it or not, everyone in Seireitei knows that you see him like a son, and maybe that makes talk of Keitarou difficult for you, too. That being the case..."

"Keitarou locked him in a hut, in the dark, and murdered people around him for the whole of his childhood!" Juushirou snapped, banging his hand down suddenly on Ugendou's small table and making Nagesu jump at the suddenness and uncharacteristic nature of the other man's outburst. "He spent more of his life in that hut than he did free, and he's only really been given the chance to live, make friends and appreciate the world in the last five years. What's difficult for me is that this spectre is never really out of his mind, and it takes very little to revive it. I accept the reason you came here, and that you needed to tell him the things you did, but did you need to start talking about reidoku, too? Koku already knows his power is different. He worries about it - and about it flaring out of his control. He's inordinately powerful and probably we don't yet understand how much he can do - but reminding him of it doesn't do anyone any good. He stabilised because he was able to be part of normality, here. Everyone accepted him, rather than singling him out as different. We know he is, but he doesn't need to be made to feel that he is every second of every day."

"You really are fond of the boy, aren't you?"

"He's hardly a boy now, at twenty six."

"I think he's still very much a child, though. Maybe because of the past you want him to forget," Nagesu drummed his fingers absently on the tatami mat floor, then, "but this is a problem for me, Ukitake. I have a raided grave, a missing sword of considerable provenance, and the only one I can rely on to help me figure this through is probably Kohaku. Even if it upsets him, I need his help and his ability to sense reiatsu. He is the only one here who might clearly be able to identify or eliminate his brother's reiatsu, for a start."

"One of the terms of the truce between him and Seireitei was that we were not going to ask him to find his brother," Juushirou reminded his companion, and Nagesu nodded.

"So long as Katsura wasn't actively causing us trouble, yes," he agreed. "I understand Kohaku's reaction, it's natural, but I also don't know who else would be remotely interested in Keitarou's sword. Kohaku loves his brother, but we are talking about a man we know murdered shinigami. We've never been able to interrogate him, so his reasons for doing so are not clear. Maybe it was on the orders of his father, and maybe he was threatened or coerced into doing it, as Kohaku seems to believe - but we simply don't know. I'm not willing to rule out the possibility that Kohaku is wrong, because family bonds, as I have learned, can lead one to make such errors of judgement."

"I don't think Kohaku is wrong about Katsura's motives, but I do take your point that we don't know," Juushirou sighed, looking weary. "I don't like how this is panning out. I will let Kohaku go back to the camp, because he needs the finality - but I really hope it will be a finality. All this makes me more glad I've decided to stay here. I'm not going to shelter the lad from everything as he develops, but nor am I going to let him take on too much, either. He doesn't talk about it, but he blames himself still for Keitarou's death, and he won't be talked out of it. He stopped discussing it with us because he knew we'd tell him he was wrong, and he doesn't believe that. Although he mixes well and has made friends, he spent so much time alone that, when he's upset, he tends to draw back into himself and not share. He doesn't blame Shunsui, or anyone else for what happened that day. In his mind, he killed his father. He said himself that what he saw at the camp was probably his own guilt, rearing up inside of him. I think the only way he made peace with it was in the idea that Keitarou would be able to be reborn, in a life where he wasn't trapped by all the problems of the previous one - but what you said about the reidoku implies that Keitarou hasn't been reborn, and likely may not be, not for some time. Perhaps not ever. Kohaku is powerful spiritually, and that is to his detriment at times, psychologically. I am trying to create a shinigami that will make a difference in Seireitei's future. Not a gibbering wreck torn up by the shadows of his past."

"I understand, and I will deploy him carefully when the time comes. Not until after the meeting of Captains, but I'll want to do it soon," Nagesu grimaced. "I don't understand why Keitarou's sword was taken. I find it more worrying that Mareiko doesn't know, either. She's a lot smarter than I am, and if she's foxed, it's a big problem."

He glanced at his companion.

"Do you really think that Chudokuga is in the border camp? That that's what the lad sensed?"

"I think it's a logical hypothesis, at least in explaining what Kohaku picked up. You said yourself that Keitarou is dead and in his grave. If the sword is missing, and the sword was recently in close proximity to Keitarou's decaying reiatsu, then it seems the obvious answer."

"But _inside_ the Border Camp?" Nagesu was troubled. "How would it get there, Ukitake? There is a kidou barrier around the place. True, Pluses can get in easily on the Rukon side, but this was taken from Seireitei, and it is much harder to cross that divide. Only someone of proper shinigami training could get past the gates and barriers to manage something like that. The camp has been well protected since it was first opened. You know that, as you've sent men there yourself. Plus, are you suggesting that one of the residents there is smuggling dead contraband?"

"I'm not sure what I'm suggesting," Juushirou admitted. "You're right, about the kidou, but it's not necessarily the border camp people that are responsible. Most likely none of them know anything about it, even if it was there...and probably wouldn't care either way, since none of them are shinigami. Even if the item in question ended up there, it doesn't mean they brought it. Someone else might have done. Someone else with access there."

"A shinigami? An _Urahara_ shinigami?" Nagesu groaned. "Oh, that would just be the icing on the cake for my family, wouldn't it?"

"I'm not making any allegations," Juushirou said cautiously. "I'm sure that there are others in Seireitei capable of hijacking gates and getting through divides in the way Keitarou did. We haven't found or shut down all of his passages yet, I don't think, so it doesn't necessarily follow that this is someone in uniform."

"Your reasoning doesn't rule out Katsura, if that's the case," Nagesu pointed out. Juushirou nodded.

"Nor anyone else with a little knowledge and a bit of malicious intent," he replied. "I don't know what really happened, or who did it. I just think that, if Kohaku sensed something there, and the sword is missing, it would be a good idea to search for the sword in the border camp, as soon as possible. We can figure out how it got there, later. The most important thing is to get it back, since, even if we see no value in it, someone else obviously does, and we should move to regain it before it is moved on somewhere else. Most probably the border camp is being used to smuggle it because of the number of transient people there - they might even become victims of this, if we don't shut it down quickly. It could even be a bigger deal than we think. Urahara swords aren't missing, other than Keitarou's, but I imagine no other Clan has thought to check its gravesites lately."

He grimaced.

"Besides, if it's going to upset Kohaku and create other problems, the sooner we put a stop to it, the better."

"I can't fault your logic on any count," Nagesu got to his feet, smoothing down the folds of his white haori. "If we can organise a Captain's meeting for the morrow, I may try and push for us to patrol there in the afternoon. Thank you for indulging me, Ukitake. I've brought neither of us any comfort, but at least now I see a path on which to proceed. And, while I would like to involve Kohaku in that quest, I suggest you don't rule him out completely of going to the Real World. It might be a good change of pace for him, given that the duty we're imposing on him may not be a nice one."

"That's maybe true, but the Real World is probably not something I can delay, either. I received a report from my two officers, and I'll detail the results of that at the meeting, but suffice it to say that I think a deployment there should probably happen sooner rather than later."

"I see," Nagesu looked troubled. "Something amiss came of that data, then?"

"It's unclear," Juushirou sighed. "But it's enough for me to think we should look into it. I suppose it depends on timing. Right now, for Koku, this is the priority."

He glanced at his companion. "What do you intend to do about the matter of the reidoku and his genetics?"

"Given everything else, it can wait for now, but the fact that Keitarou's corpse hasn't decayed is a problem," Nagesu responded. "It might mean nothing or it might mean everything. But what it suggests is that reidoku is more permanent in what it does to the body than we thought. And if Kohaku's power was affected, other things might have been. For his sake, Ukitake - its something we probably need to look into in the long run."

"And then what?" Juushirou arched an eyebrow. "We're not planning on burying him any time soon, so it hardly seems important."

"No...but it might help us understand how it affected Keitarou, and therefore plan for Kohaku's evolution, too," Nagesu responded. "Whoever it is breaking into tombs and stealing swords, it might not end with this incident. And I wanted Kohaku to know before it became a general rumour, about his father - but the reason you got upset with me is clearly that you know he's not entirely stable yet. He seemed it, when I arrived, but you know him better, and it's clear how you see the situation. We don't know how much reidoku influences that, but, at some point, I think we should find out."

He cast his colleague a sad smile.

"For now, though, finding the stolen sword is more important," he added. "I'll see you at the Captain's meeting, Ukitake - when I hope to have a clearer idea in mind about what I want to do next."

* * *

Kohaku sank down against the wall of the bath-house, burying his head in his hands as he tried to force away the images that lurked there, at the corner of his senses, waiting to seep in and swallow him up. Although he had tried to maintain his composure in front of the two Captains, the image of his father's corpse, looming and grey in his mind's eye made him sick to his stomach, and he swallowed hard, hoping that he wasn't going to humiliate himself on squad grounds by vomiting.

Was it his imagination, or had the entire atmosphere suddenly become very thick and cloying, making it harder and harder for him to draw air into his lungs?

In the past five years, he reflected bitterly, he had done everything he could to learn the ways of shinigami, listening, reading and following the instructions he was given. He liked his life here, and, sometimes, it was all too easy to forget the shadows of the past he had left behind but, in that moment of conversation within Ugendou, the darkness had all come flooding back. Keitarou's death, Keitarou's body, the act of betrayal that had led to Kyouraku Shunsui cutting down the man who had raised and mentored him within the shabby confines of his hut prison. And, if that wasn't bad enough, there was the spectre of the spider, the looming red eyes that bored into him, watching him from every crevasse and stretch of black against the ground. It had been like that before, he remembered dully. In the hut, as a child, those eyes had often followed him, making his nightmares all the more potent. Keitarou had never tried to use his _zanpakutou_ on his second son; he had never had to. Kohaku's spiritual senses were sharp enough that even being around it had been enough for him to sense the malevolent spirit that lurked within, and, although common sense told him both were dead, Kohaku was genuinely frightened by the theft of his father's sword.  
 _  
Chudokuga was a bad influence on his soul. Chudokuga was born of his hate and resentment, and it kept it alive inside my father, even when it wasn't the right thing. Father might have let go, might have moved on if not for that spider, wrapping its web around every one of his thoughts and poisoning him with its spiritual fangs. Maybe now it's why I can't blame Father for everything he did. Maybe it's that sword I really hate...the thing that stopped him being a proper father, and the thing that almost destroyed me too, before I found a way to sweep the cobwebs out of Kyouka Raigen's inner world._

He glanced down at his side, realising that, in his hurry to attend the Captain's summons in a neat and precise way, he had left his _zanpakutou_ in his chamber. Kyouka Raigen had once frightened him too, he remembered, but these days they had a different working relationship, and now, when the ghost of a dead sword was digging away at his senses, it was the comfort and support of his own fearsome weapon that he sought to drive it away.  
 **  
Calm down, Kohaku. You have no reason to be so upset.**

Although the blade was not at his side, the sound of the mirror spirit's voice settled his nerves a little, and he opened his eyes, raising his gaze to the sky overhead.  
 _  
I'm sorry, Kyouka. I panicked a little. I think I ran away - please don't be cross with me for that._

 **We've moved beyond that stage of our acquaintance. Still, you need to pull yourself together. Your father is nothing more than a memory, and you suffer none for the lack of his presence in your life.**

 _Kyouka..._

Kohaku closed his eyes, and from the sweeping darkness he could make out the faint outline of a castle chamber, and the glittering sheen of the mirror that reflected back his soul.

 _I know you hated Father, but my feelings aren't as simple as that. He was still that person to me, and I still cared about him. I thought at least he'd be reborn, but he hasn't been, has he? And if Chudokuga is taken from him...surely...if that happens, even if it's useless now, Father will never be able to start over in a new life. Not if such a large part of his reiryoku is missing._

 **It is no loss to him, that kind of reiryoku. You should be less sentimental, and look forwards, instead of back.**

For a moment, Kohaku saw his own features, reflected in the mirror's surface, then, just as quickly, they were once more gone.

 **You can still be more than you are, but you are, at last, on the right path. The Ukitake shinigami allows you to grow under his auspices. You should not shun that, with pining for the past.  
**  
 _I'm not pining for anything._

Kohaku opened his eyes.

 _I don't miss Rukongai, and I like Seireitei. I like being part of the Thirteenth Division, and I am grateful to Juushirou-dono for everything he's done for me.  
_  
His fingers closed around the fabric of his _shihakushou_ with a sad smile.  
 _  
Even the clothes I wear, now, are things that the Gotei gave me. And I don't intend on backing away from what I promised you, either. I will master your power, and move forward, and help make a difference. I want to keep this world peaceful, and help Rukongai...I haven't forgotten. I'm just not as clinical about it all as you can be. You see Father just as an obstacle to you - but to me he was still family. Whatever kind of family, he was still my kin and I still..._

 **You did not kill him. The Kyouraku killed him.  
**  
 _On my information, and with my encouragement.  
_  
Kohaku rubbed his temples.  
 _  
You're giving me a headache. Please, can we not talk about this, now? We have to go back to the camp, anyway. I promised and there's no choice. Whoever broke into Father's grave needs to be found and the sword returned before he can rest in peace again. Let's leave this subject for then, please? I don't want to see pictures like that in my head again tonight._  
 **  
It's not me making the pictures this time; it's your own misplaced sense of guilt. Running from me doesn't resolve anything...as well you know.**

Kyouka was reproachful, but Kohaku felt the tendrils of its presence withdraw obediently from his mind, leaving him once more alone. He glanced down at the ground, running his fingers tentatively over the thin blades of grass that surrounded him.

"Seireitei is such a beautiful place," he murmured out loud.

"It is, but why you're sitting there like an idiot stroking the grass is anyone's guess."

So engrossed had he been in his own thoughts, Kohaku had not sensed the coming of another and, at the sound of the voice he visibly jumped, staring up in fear and apprehension to meet the amused gaze of the speaker.

"Kayashima!"

"Yes, and who did you think it was?" Kayashima dropped down on the grass beside him. "I've been looking all over for you. I knew you must be here, since your sword's still in our chamber. I just got back from patrol, and I'm bushed..."

He trailed off, eyeing his friend more closely, and, with a frown of consternation, he grasped the other man by the shoulders, giving him a searching look.

"You are the same colour as the _sekkiseki_ stone wall we walked past," he said critically. "Have you been skipping off into that world of yours again? I thought I told you that its far better in this one, with the rest of us."

"Stop it," Kohaku detached himself from his friend's grasp, shooting him a dark look. "I'm fine, I just came out here for some air. That's all."

"Like hell are you fine," Kayashima sat back on his hands, and from his expression, Kohaku knew that he was not at all fooled by the feeble attempt at bravado. "According to Furuta, you almost passed out on a patrol the other day. I don't know what that was about, but you damn well look like you're going to heave all over me now, too. Furuta said you'd been summonsed, and that Urahara Taichou was here. Are you in trouble or something?"

"I'm not in trouble, and even if I was, it wouldn't be anything to do with you," the words were out before Kohaku could stop them, sharp and impatient and, at this uncharacteristic snap, Kayashima arched an eyebrow, letting out a snort of derision.

"You do know that you're just making yourself sound less and less fine as the conversation goes on," he reflected, not noticeably put out by his friend's prickly demeanour. "You don't look well, you're snapping at me, and your reiatsu's flickering all over the place. Spit it out, huh? Then we'll go grab some space in the bath house and chill for a while."

"The bath house is hot. You can't chill there," Kohaku muttered, and Kayashima groaned.

"You know what I mean. Yeesh, cut me at least one break, will you?" he demanded. "I came this way to find you because your reiatsu is dancing a full scale jig and it's not like you. If you're not in trouble, what is it? Did you fight with your sword? You might as well tell me; I'm not going to just walk away when you look like that."

Kohaku opened his mouth to retort, then, at the sight of the genuine concern in his friend's eyes, he paused, swallowing the sharp words and instead, letting out a sigh.

"I'm not allowed to talk about it," he admitted at length. "I promised Taichou. It's something we're not allowed to discuss and I shouldn't know about, only they wanted to talk to me, so they asked me to keep it a secret."

"I see," Kayashima digested this thoughtfully, then got to his feet, holding out a friend to haul his friend up. "Well, if it's like that, then I guess it can't be helped. All right. I'll stop asking you questions - but I am serious about the bath. You look like you saw a ghost, and I don't like it. You don't have episodes very often any more - not ones that make you look like you're going to heave - and even if you can't tell me what it is bothering you, I'm not dumb enough not to know that what they said was something that made you upset."

"I suppose it did," Kohaku accepted the help, dusting down the grass and leaf litter from the black of his _hakama_ with a sigh. "I am all right, though. I think. I mean, I'm not going to pass out, or throw up, or anything embarassing like that. I suppose I just needed to get some air...and, I thought, be on my own."

"You being on your own when you're upset leads to you mooning about stuff and making it worse," Kayashima said frankly. "You know it and I know it."

"Well, there's no hut to hide in in Seireitei," Kohaku said cryptically.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd want one," Kayashima shivered at the thought, shaking his head. "If I were you, I'd want to burn it down and run free through the grass for the next ten years. How you even manage to stop in a normal room with a door that closes sometimes mystifies me. You're well off out of that place now, and you know it."

"I know, but I suppose, sometimes, old habits - even bad ones - die hard," Kohaku grimaced. "You are right, though. Being on my own doesn't help as much as it used to. I forget that, back then, I had Katsu-nii to come help me sort my head out from the inside. I miss him all the more when I'm unsettled like this - but there's nothing that can be done about that. He's where he is, and it's better that way. I don't want him in trouble, so it's better if I don't know where to find him."

"Your brother was important to you, wasn't he?" as the two shinigami made their way inside the bath house, Kayashima shot his friend a keen look. "You don't talk about him much, but I guess you miss him. I forget, sometimes, because he's a felon in Seireitei's eyes - but I guess he's not that to you, is he?"

"He killed people, and we both know that can't be undone," Kohaku said simply. "I don't like it, because it means that I'll never see him again. I know what he did is not easily forgiven, and I don't expect Soul Society to forgive him. But...with the background I have, those things are murky. He's my brother, and we grew up together. He was the one real friend I ever had, back then - so yes, I miss him. I miss him a whole lot, sometimes."

"Well, we'll have to do," Kayashima clapped him on the back, and, despite his unsettled state, Kohaku felt faintly comforted by this forthright gesture of friendship. "I can't see into your head - and don't really want to - but I can drag you out of your dream world if need be. Snap out of it good and proper, all right? Otherwise I'll shove you in the bath and see how big a splash you make - you have been warned."

"We're not recruits any more," Kohaku protested, a faint smile touching his lips despite himself. "What if the new intake are there? This is an open time-slot, you know, and we're meant to set them an example."

"And you're meant to stay in the land of the living, so you keep your side and I'll think about propriety," was Kayashima's smart rejoinder. "Now come on and stop dawdling!"

* * *

"So what was it like, then, this patrol to the border camp?"

Takahashi dropped down on his bed, casting an expectant glance at his two companions. "It's been two days and you've neither of you said a word about it. Don't tell me you were sworn to secrecy about being chosen for it, because I'll get angry...just because you were the select people this time doesn't mean it will be the same next time out."

"I suspect that's the spirit they want to inject into you guys by doing it this way," Hiroshi raised his head from where he had been sprawled out on the covers of his bed, lazily flicking through a bound paper document. "I don't think it's especially any kind of a secret, though. We've just all been busy - I think this is the first time since we got back that we've had a moment to ourselves, except for when we're in the mess hall."

"Mess hall doesn't count. It involves eating as fast as you can so that nobody else pinches your food, so there's no time to discuss anything." Morata cast Takahashi an accusing glance, and Takahashi chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.

"You snooze, you lose," he said unrepentantly. "There's no Kazoe-sensei to criticise my table manners here, you know. It's every shinigami for themselves when it comes to the best picks, and we're recruits, so we're already down the pecking order. Do you expect me to pinch food from my superior officers? Not a chance."

"No, but you might pick on someone else sometimes," Morata looked disgruntled, glancing down at his slim body and then sending his bigger built companion an accusing glance. "I'm a lot skinnier than you, and I'm starting to realise that's probably because you're always interfering with my nutrition."

"Division life is interesting," Hiroshi flipped the booklet shut, setting it on one side. "I've been reading the recruit handbook, but if I'm honest, there doesn't seem to be a lot of resemblance between what it says and what actually happens. Senior officers are to be always treated with respect - well, yes, that's fine, but some of them chat to you like you're old friends and it's hard to remember to call them 'sir' or that if they give an order, we're to obey it on the spot. Getting to know names is a nightmare, since some people you literally see once and then that's it. Patrol lists have been posted, but staring at lists of kanji is unhelpful when figuring out who is who without making their acquaintance. And, according to what Fukutaichou said at the start of the week, they're not firmly assigning us to a set patrol until they know better what we can do, so we're liable to be poked and prodded into patrols here there and everywhere until they are satisfied they know all about us."

"You haven't been on a run of the mill ordinary Seireitei patrol yet, have you?" Takahashi asked, and Hiroshi shook his head.

"Because we were sent to the border camp with...with...Hikifune-san, Shinobu and I were excused," he agreed. "His first was today, but not mine. That's probably why I feel a little disorientated. That patrol wasn't our official one, and I only just looked at the lists since apparently I'm up for dawn patrol tomorrow morning with Atsudane-san. Who I may have seen across the mess hall, but am not totally sure if I've actually met him."

"Atsudane-san is the fifth seat," Morata explained helpfully. "I was running some errands for him this afternoon, with Yamaguchi and Katou. He seems fine. He explains things clearly and he's pretty laid back."

"Mine was an evening patrol last night," Takahashi looked pensive. "It was led by that third seat Kayashima-san was telling us about...Shikibu Naoko? I thought that since she came back from the Real World, she'd probably take a break from leading patrols but apparently the word 'break' isn't really in an active shinigami's vocabulary."

"Was she as strict as we heard?" Hiroshi was apprehensive, and Takahashi shrugged.

"She was firm, but no big deal," he decided. "Maybe she was tired - she didn't seem ready to scold anyone, but then everyone did as they were told, so maybe that's why."

"Clearly better to avoid trouble by obeying instructions to the letter the first time," Hiroshi chuckled. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Where is Yatsubashi, anyway?" Morata looked curious. "I know he was assigned to afternoon patrol with Fukutaichou and Kawakami today, but I saw Kawakami a short while ago, so I know they're back. If he didn't come back here, you don't think he's in trouble, do you?"

"Yatsubashi, in trouble?" Takahashi looked startled. "Why would he be? He's probably best suited to this life of all of us."

"Well, he's stubborn, and when he gets an idea, he doesn't shift from it easily," Morata pointed out. "He's also used to giving orders more than taking them, considering his role as Anideshi. You don't think he might have been insubordinate to someone, do you? We're all still adjusting to being under the thumb rather than controlling the hand, but him especially. We've been under _his_ thumb for the last year, but he's got to get to grips with that all over again."

"I don't think he's that stupid," Hiroshi reflected. "Yeah, he's stubborn, but this is also his big dream and he idolises the Captain, so he wouldn't want to cause any trouble. I expect he went to the bath-house. It was raining earlier, and we're talking about Fukutaichou's patrol, right? We might only have been here a few days, but already I've learned that Fukutaichou isn't fazed by little things like rainstorms, thunderstorms, hailstorms or anything else along those lines. Probably Shinobu came back looking like a mud-monster, and so went to clean up."

"That's possible, too," Takahashi laughed. "That first afternoon when we were doing drill in the yard, it chucked it down and it was freezing cold, doing manoeuvres in wet _shihakushou_. Fukutaichou didn't even blink. It was like he didn't even notice, and I swear he didn't shiver even once."

"I guess that's why he's the Vice Captain," Morata suggested. "I can imagine him being the kind of guy who goes the extra mile for people, but I get the feeling he expects you to give everything, all of the time, and if you don't, you're gonna fall behind."

"We're real shinigami, now. I suppose that's the point of drill at that level," Hiroshi mused. "Hollow hunting isn't going to be cancelled by a little rain."

"You still didn't tell us about the special patrol, though," Takahashi objected. "If it's not a secret, we want to know. Patrolling around the normal areas of Seireitei is fine, but dull when there's no action. I didn't see a single Hollow, and we spent most of the time talking to people about local matters, rather than doing any kind of fighting or rescuing. One of the other officers with us said that it had been very quiet on patrols lately, but it was kind of an anti-climax."

"No Hollows is a good sign, surely?" Morata objected. Takahashi shrugged.

"Not when you're trained up and your job is to take them out," he replied matter-of-factly. "Of course, I don't like Hollows. Nor do I want them hurting people, so from that point of view, it's good. But if they stop appearing, then what point are shinigami in this equation? I heard stories about rescuing children from trees or doing house repairs...is that what we're going to be left doing from now on?"

"There's an impressive list of recruit chores in there already," Hiroshi tapped the recruit handbook with a wry smile. "I'll just add those two to the list."

"It's not a joke," Takahashi grimaced. "I'm serious. If there are no Hollows, we're going to find ourselves wasting a lot of time."

"I'm sure there will be Hollows, but they probably don't choose to come out for shinigami to kill them," Morata said sensibly.

"Well, there weren't any on the border patrol, either," Hiroshi admitted. "Though I got the impression that the barriers that have been set there would keep them out. I don't suppose it was all that amazing. We mostly distributed supplies to the people there. We didn't go to Rukongai...the camp is on the edge of Urahara land, and borders the Rukon, but it's officially Seireitei. That makes it this side of the Sekkiseki divide, although I didn't see any Sekkiseki in that region."

"I suppose it would make life hard for the tainted Pluses, if there was a lot of Sekkiseki around the camp," Takahashi looked thoughtful, and Hiroshi nodded.

"It was very busy, though," he remembered. "I was surprised by that. I didn't expect so many Pluses to need resettlement, but it's clear that there's an urgent need to find them places to relocate to in Seireitei. A lot of tainted Pluses, which seemed strange to me. But apparently there are a lot of causes other than just bad Soul Burial. Things like Hollow contamination, or spirit power being released in the Rukon, and also sometimes people in the Real World just have spirit power anyway. So when they die, they come here already tainted. I didn't know that could happen...some of them were really young kids, too."

"Children, huh," Morata looked sympathetic. "It makes you think, doesn't it? Fifty years ago, we didn't have any rights to become shinigami or do the job we do. District kids were considered beneath everyone and nobody took any notice of them at all. Sometimes they even got killed, like in District Seven, which Yatsubashi likes to tell us about. Now we're the shinigami, and it's our job to help people from the Rukon in a similarly unenviable position. Do you realise the irony of that? Soul Society has changed hugely. Next thing we know, if those kids are living in Seireitei, well, some of them might end up at the Academy. They might become the next shinigami, and join Divisions. Don't you think that would be amazing?"

"It would certainly change the whole perspective of what is and isn't acceptable in uniform," Takahashi acknowledged. "Shinigami from the Rukon just don't happen. Rukon souls are Plus souls, and that's that. Even District kids were born in Seireitei. With us it's a matter of bloodline, but with them, they're totally different entities. I'm not saying I'd have a problem with it, because I'm not Clan, but for all we were accepted by our Clan classmates at the Academy, do you really think some of them would overlook someone having come from Rukongai when recruiting to a squad? Or even, training? Dead souls from the other world? I think not."

"Well, there's already a precedent, isn't there?"

Before any of the others could comment, the door slid back, revealing the missing Shinobu. As Hiroshi had surmised, he had a towel over his arm, indicating he had been to the bathhouse, and his hair was damp and tousled from having been hurriedly rubbed dry.

"Yatsubashi!" Morata exclaimed. "What took you so long? Your patrol was back ages ago."

"Yes, well, it wasn't the cleanest of patrols ever," Shinobu sank down on his bed with a sigh, tossing the towel down beside him. "It rained. A lot. And this is a fresh _shihakushou_. The last one doesn't look like a _shihakushou_ much at the moment."

"I thought you'd probably gone to wash off layers of mud," Hiroshi looked amused. "I'm sure you didn't see the last of that _shihakushou_ , though. You know that division laundry is on the recruit chore list?" He tapped the handbook. "I swear, if it's not on this list, it doesn't exist."

"Right now, I don't care, since I'm not assigned anything else between now and bedtime, and I'm beat," Shinobu flopped back on his bed. "Fukutaichou is thorough. And demanding. He might be nice and friendly and helpful to recruits, but he takes it seriously, the idea of inducting us into everything wholesale."

"That's squad life," Morata reflected.

"What did you mean, anyway?" Takahashi asked. "You said something about a precedent - what did you mean?"

"I caught the end of your conversation as I came in," Shinobu turned to glance at his companion. "You were talking about Rukongai shinigami, right? I just said there's already a precedent for it."

"Kohaku-san?" Hiroshi asked, and Shinobu nodded.

"He told us himself, that first day, remember?" he pointed out. "He said it again the other day. I dunno what his exceptional circumstances were, but if he came from the Rukon, and he's a shinigami now, that means that others could become shinigami too, surely?"

"But Kohaku-san isn't a Plus soul. He said he was born in the Rukon, which means he's not from the Real World," Takahashi objected. "He's really District, like us. He was just born on the other side of the divide."

"I wonder how that happens," Morata looked thoughtful. "He said his parents were working in the Rukon. I wonder what kind of work that was?"

"I heard that the Fourth Division used to be stationed there, on a long-term basis, back when the Spiritless Zone was a thing," Takahashi suggested. "Maybe that's how."

"I'm pretty sure that getting cosy and producing spawn wasn't on the Spiritless Zone list of commands," Hiroshi said dryly, and Takahashi laughed.

"No, but you know, things happen," he said with a shrug. "I'd call that an exceptional circumstance, wouldn't you? What if two healers got it on together illicitly, and Kohaku-san was the result? The project ran there a really long time, and Kohaku-san is probably not hugely older than we are, so it fits. Of course, that would mean he was born in the Rukon, but legitimately would count as a District kid and therefore a shinigami candidate. I'd understand if he didn't want to discuss that with people like us. I mean, come on. Would you want to admit you were the product of a furtive affair on an important shinigami mission?"

"Your imagination is sometimes really lurid," Morata scolded, although there was humour in his eyes, too. "Nobody ever said it was an affair. It might have been perfectly legitimate. You never know."

"Either way, I bet his parents got their knuckles rapped," Takahashi said thoughtfully. "I'm sure there's a list of dos and don'ts for active service. Remember what Kayashima-san said? Male and female members don't share quarters. Ever. I'm pretty sure that nobody would have been impressed, if that is how it came about."

"What happened to the Spiritless Zone, anyway?" Hiroshi wondered. "I hear the name a lot, but it doesn't seem to be explained much."

"Shinigami were murdered, and so it got closed down, five years back." Shinobu dragged his heavy body into a sitting position, shuffling back against the wall with a sigh. "I can see I'm going to get no rest while you guys are here, so I suppose I'll join in with the chat. It was something to do with the outlaw, Aizen Keitarou. He had people sent to kill healers and a lot of people died. There was a bunch of chaos, which ended in Keitarou being killed, here in Inner Seireitei, by the Captain of the Eighth."

"Trust you to know the details," Morata remarked, and Shinobu shrugged.

"It has to do with Aizen Keitarou," he said simply. "I hate that man, and so I know."

"If you hate him, why remember him? He's dead and better off forgotten," Takahashi said bluntly, and Shinobu frowned, nodding his head.

"He is, but he left scars," he replied grimly. "I don't want to forget, because what he did is unforgivable. As a shinigami, now, I want to make sure nothing like that can ever happen again. It's important to remember bad things from before, otherwise you could let something slip your notice."

"But if he's dead, it's not going to happen again," Hiroshi said sensibly. "I get that what he did to your people and your District was horrible, and it's like Kohaku-san said the other day - he did bad things all over the place, not just there. But it takes a mad genius to do the kind of things he did. The chances of anyone else like that emerging are slim. I understand your point of view, Shinobu, but I think that sometimes you have to let go and move forwards."

"I'm pretty sure that Keitarou left deep scars and that I'm not the only one who hasn't let it go," Shinobu objected. "It might have been five years, but people here still don't like to talk about him. Like that conversation at the border camp, for example."

"You rather dumped his name into the discussion, though," Hiroshi pointed out. "I agree that Furuta-san and Kohaku-san didn't look happy at the mention, but I guess Seireitei as a whole hasn't totally got over it yet. He apparently manipulated a Captain to kill officers within Inner Seireitei, among other things. That kind of memory is probably unwelcome, especially when Divisions are built on trust."

"It's even harder on Kohaku-san, being that he has the same surname as that creep," Morata pointed out. "He must get a lot of hassle over that, so I'm sure for him, the sooner people forget about Keitarou, the better his life would be."

"That's true, too," Hiroshi agreed. "He really did look unhappy that you brought the subject up, Shinobu. He couldn't be away from us fast enough after that, you know. He passed us over to Furuta-san and disappeared to talk to the residents."

"See, offending seated officers already," Morata rolled his eyes. "Yatsubashi, seriously? Kohaku-san and Kayashima-san helped us and showed us around, and you're already out to annoy one of them?"

"It's not that," Shinobu frowned, shaking his head. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was seriously asking whether Keitarou's actions had an impact on the number of tainted Pluses. I didn't realise it would be taken like that, but he _was_ upset. He said something about everyone being hurt by Keitarou, then that was it. He went off to do something else."

"Someone with the name Aizen probably gets a lot of hurt for what Keitarou did," Takahashi shrugged. "That's probably all it is."

"Hrm," Shinobu shrugged, nodding. "Perhaps, but I dunno. He seemed pretty odd after that, at the camp. Something happened, but I don't know what. One moment we were doing supplies, and the next Furuta-san had hared off to find Kohaku-san for some reason. Hikifune-san got involved and after that we didn't get to speak to Kohaku-san at all. In fact, I haven't spoken to him since. It's almost as though he's avoiding us."

"He is Twelfth Seat, you know. He's not our babysitter," Hiroshi grimaced. "I didn't read anything into it, and I dunno why you did. He was doing his job, and probably had something important to report back."

"I dunno. There's something off about him to me," Shinobu stuck to his guns. "I don't know what it is, but I get this feeling that the rules we all have to follow aren't as strict when it comes to him, like he's somehow…special? Important? Like everyone is looking out for him or looking _after_ him or…? It's hard to explain, but I definitely get that feeling."

"That is one of the most crazy things you've said in a while, and you say a lot of crazy things," Morata said bluntly, and Hiroshi snorted, shaking his head.

"Morata is right. When did Kohaku-san not follow rules?" he demanded. "Some of that mud got into your ears, clearly, or you were on a different border patrol from me, because we were instructed to talk to the locals and he definitely did that!"

"Yes, I know," Shinobu looked impatient, "but that isn't what I mean. Aside from the fact he pretty much ditched us and his share of the supplies on Furuta-san, something else happened today, too. He was meant to be on the patrol this afternoon with us – his name was on the list, but when we assembled, he never showed up, and Fukutaichou didn't say anything about it. Can you imagine what would happen if any of us did that? But it was like it never even happened. Later, when we got back, I saw that his name had been crossed off, but I didn't see anyone of rank do it, and Fukutaichou was with us, so it wasn't him. _Then_ when I came out of the bath-house just now, I saw Kohaku-san outside with Kayashima-san, and I swear they were having some kind of argument. Kohaku-san looked like death warmed over, and Kayashima-san dragged him off towards the changing rooms. I don't know what they were talking about, but Kohaku-san was definitely...not right. I don't know how to explain it, but he was really not right. Plus, now I think about it, he was summoned to the Captain's office this morning, because I took the errand to fetch him when the Taichou asked me. So instead of going on patrol with the rest of us in Seireitei's elements, he was hanging out in the Captain's office in the dry."

"None of our business," Takahashi said frankly. "We're recruits, not seniors. It's probably above our rank to know, and if Taichou wanted him, then probably Taichou took him off the patrol. Fukutaichou wouldn't question that, if it was an order. Sounds to me that Kohaku-san was making a report, and that took priority over wading through mud-fields. Maybe to do with something he found at the border camp, given the other stuff you said. If your patrol today was as productive as mine last night, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."

"Maybe," Shinobu sighed. "It just puts me on edge. I don't know why. It just does."

"And I'll say what I said before - are you sure you're not complaining just because Kohaku-san is close to the Captain?" Hiroshi sent his friend a piercing look. "I know you said not," as Shinobu looked indignant, "but Kohaku-san has done absolutely nothing to you, and nothing to deserve suspicion or scrutiny. On the contrary, he's helped us and answered questions and been fine. And being summoned by the Captain is a duty too, you know. Whatever the reason, he was sent for, and if you took the message, you know that. If he had refused to go, you'd be criticising him for that, so you know that it probably was nothing to do with him, his missing the patrol. And if he looked upset when you saw him just, it suggests that whatever duty he had was less pleasant than mud-wading. You have absolutely no reason to twitch about him, so unless you're jealous of the fact he and Taichou are close, you really need to get a grip on your paranoia."

"I thought that conversation was between the two of us," Shinobu snapped, and Hiroshi pulled a graphic face, picking up his pillow and tossing it at his friend, who caught it.

"That was before you decided to start badmouthing seated officers without just cause in front of everyone else," he said firmly. "You're not Anideshi now, and I'm your friend, so I'll say it bluntly. Let it go. We are new here. We don't know anything about anyone, yet, nor what their jobs are within the squad. Everyone else ranks up on us, and their work is not our business unless we're told otherwise."

"I know that!" Shinobu reacted indignantly, shoving the pillow down beside him, but Takahashi held up his hands, shaking his head.

"Naniwa's right," he said frankly. "This isn't the kind of chat we ought to have. It's disrespectful and we're not at school any more. We can't expect to be in every loop, and it's none of our business why ranked officers are not on patrol with us or why they are summoned to the Captain. We follow orders and prove our worth, then we get ranked, and maybe then we can comment – but for now, we have plenty to do without this."

"Fine," Shinobu's eyes darkened, but he accepted he was beaten, dropping back once more against his bedcovers with a sigh. "Whatever you say. If you don't think it's odd, then I guess it isn't. And I'm not jealous, so stop saying it, all right? It's got nothing to do with that at all!"

"Then I vote we discuss something else," Morata suggested. "It's almost time for dinner, anyway, and Katou and Tanemura might be stuck on the late patrol tonight, but the rest of us are cut loose for the evening, right?"

"Meaning?" Takahashi cast his companion a quizzical look, and Morata grinned.

"We could get permission to go out into Inner Seireitei for a bit, take a look around," he suggested.

"Oh, sightseeing?" Hiroshi looked amused. "I didn't see that in the recruit guide to jobs, so I suspect it's not part of our syllabus."

"But none of us four are assigned tonight. So we're free. And we are allowed to spend free time outside of the Division, with permission," Morata pointed out. "I'm not suggesting we go into Seireitei proper, find a bar, break rules and get into a mess. I'm just saying we could take a look at our new home properly. See some of the other Divisions – from the outside of course! – and so on. It can't hurt, surely? And Fukutaichou is here, and he's pretty easy going, so we could ask him?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Shinobu shook his head. "I'm starving and I'm exhausted. I'm going to eat and then sleep, so count me out."

"I guess we can ask," Takahashi looked doubtful. "It can't hurt to know our way around better, and we are off duty. If we have permission…"

"We'll ask, then," Hiroshi got to his feet, retrieving his pillow and dumping it back down on his bed. "This is our home now, as Morata said, and it makes sense to know it better. But I'm on dawn patrol, people, so don't forget that. I haven't met Atsudane-san yet, but we're still all very much on trial, so I don't want to get into trouble on my first regular patrol!"  
 **  
**

* * *

"The Shinigami that came this time weren't the same ones as usually come here,"

As Katsura ducked beneath the divide that separated the bulk of Rukongai from the border camp, he saw the old man watching him, an amused smile on his features. "Ah yes, my boy, I expected you would return sooner rather than later. They brought good supplies, and so I made sure Homare took a share aside for you. You shared yours with us at your own loss, so that seemed to be appropriate recompense."

"You don't need to share your rations with me, Ojiisan," Katsura dusted himself down, offering the old man a rueful glance. "And, if my movements are so easy to predict, I should probably work on changing them. Routine encourages danger, and I don't really fancy courting that any time soon."

"The shinigami work to a routine, normally, but this last week it's been all off," the old man fell into step with him, and the two of them headed into the centre of the settlement, where Homare's shelter was located. "This was the Thirteenth Division, not the Third. I don't know what to make of that, to be honest. The Thirteenth come but rarely, though when they do they are kind and always bring generous supplies which help to feed even the hungriest of children. I welcome their coming, even though they have no land to settle us. They have good intentions - rather like yours."

"The Thirteenth, huh?" Katsura's eyes became thoughtful. "I didn't know they patrolled here too. You've never talked to me about different squads...I assumed that it was always the Urahara who came to see you."

"Usually, that's the case, but I've been here a long time," the old man's wizened features twitched into a wry grimace. "I'm an old man, Gorou. I could leave here and be resettled, but there are usually those who need it more than I. I am content with being here, and it allows me to help a little when newcomers arrive. I've been here longer than most, and I've seen many patrols come and go. The Urahara consider us their people, so they do what they can - but the Thirteenth are different. They're not Clan, I think. They see us in a different way."

"I am familiar with them, a little," Katsura admitted, and the old man looked surprised.

"Really? I thought you avoided shinigami, my boy."

"I do," Katsura agreed, skipping neatly over a dip in the muddy track with a smile. "I didn't mean on those terms. I believe I once met their Captain, however. I don't suppose he'd be glad to meet me again, but I'm of the opinion that I maybe owe him a debt. It's hard to know for sure...but that's the way I feel. I think I might be alive now, in part, because he decided not to kill me when he had the chance."

"I don't know who the Captain of the Thirteenth is. Captains don't come here, not ever," the old man mused, "but when the officers of the Thirteenth come, they are always kind. I think whoever leads them must be kind, too. Sympathetic to us without looking down on us. It's something that the Urahara don't always manage. They look after us, but we are still just Rukongai vagrants to them."

"Well, I think that the Thirteenth know a bit more about Rukon vagrants than most divisions," Katsura paused, his brows knitting together as he picked up the faint, fleeting traces of a familiar reiatsu on the wind. "Ojiisan, tell me something. The officers that came - did you meet and speak with them? I'm curious to know what kind of thing they said."

"I spoke to one young man, a stocky chap with no nonsense about him," the old man rubbed his whispy beard pensively. "He had two striplings with him - new blood, I think, as they looked at this place like they never saw a Rukon village before. There was another man, too - a tall, blond lad as gangly as they come, who listened to everything and made a lot of notes. I know they came with others, but I didn't speak with them. I was preoccupied with the supplies they brought...and then they left."

"You didn't take any names?"

"They didn't offer any," the old man admitted, "and nor did I venture mine. It's not that kind of rapport, as I'm sure you know. They are here to do a job, and we are here to benefit from their kindness. We don't waste their time, and they don't waste ours. They are kind and polite and that is enough. What use are names? We'll all move on sooner or later, and as you well know, my lad, names are transient."

"Indeed they are," Katsura sighed, his gaze drifting across the ground towards the foundations of the shelter hut where he had hidden the _zanpakutou_. Despite his instincts about the familiar reiatsu presence in the air, he could tell that his hiding place had not been disturbed, and he let out his breath in a rush of relief.  
 _  
If even you didn't find it there, Koku, then I guess it's safe. But I didn't know your people came here, too. Nobody told me that the Thirteenth patrol the border camp. Knowing that makes things different. Probably I'll have to leave here...maybe permanently. But then, on the other hand..._

His thoughts trailed off, remembering the sombre gravesite and the violent attack on the individuals in Rukongai.

 _On the other hand, if you knew about it, what I saw, could you do something? None of your colleagues would believe me, but you...you'd listen, wouldn't you? If I asked you to, little brother, would you help? Or would it put us both into a lot more danger?_

"Niichan!" Homare' s excited cry brought him out of his pensive state, and he glanced down at her, schooling his features into a warm smile as she flung her arms around his body. "You came back quickly this time! The shinigami are all gone and they brought us food! I have some for you inside. Come on! I've kept it especially!"

"I'll leave you in Homare's gentle care, then, Gorou," the old man clapped Katsura lightly on the shoulder, sending him a grin. "I'll make a round of the village and ensure everyone has what they need - you take a chance to rest and enjoy your meal. You more than deserve it, so don't complain. Homare's been waiting for you impatiently, and you shouldn't keep a young lady waiting."

"Come on, come on," Homare nodded, tugging on Katsura's hand, and he smiled, nodding his head.

"I'm coming," he agreed, allowing himself to be led into the little shelter, where a small pile of food rations were heaped up on an old, cracked ceramic plate. Homare pulled and pushed him into position, giving his hand a little tug to get him to sit down, and, once he had, she pushed the plate towards him, offering him a wide beam of triumph at her prize.

"I got it all ready for you, just like the Ojiisan does," she said importantly. "I want you to eat it all up, Oniichan. You still look really tired, and you have to eat properly, too."

"I suppose I do," Katsura conceded. "All right, I'll do as you say. Since you've gone to so much hard work, Homare-chan, I won't insult it by letting anything go to waste."

"The shinigami that came this time weren't from the Urahara," as Katsura made short work of the small meal, Homare sat back on her heels, watching him pensively. "I didn't really know what that meant, to begin with, but the Ojiisan said that the Thirteenth Division don't have any Clan land. They were really friendly, though, and brought food for everyone."

"So I understand," Katsura cleared the plate, pushing it aside with a grin. "There, satisfied? I've eaten every grain, so you can stop worrying about me now. All right? I'm fine, just a little tired from travelling around so much."

"Well, you should stay here more," Homare scolded him. "If you aren't here when the shinigami come, how will you be settled with the rest of us?"

"I already said that that isn't really likely to be possible," Katsura warned, but Homare shook her head.

"I asked the shinigami who came here," she said importantly. "I asked if it would be okay to stay with my Niichan, and he said it would be okay, if we were family. He was nice and he wanted to speak to you too. I had to lie to him and say you were sleeping," she added reproachfully. "I didn't want to tell a nice person lies, because that's bad, but you weren't here and I didn't know how to tell him that. You shouldn't go and come so much. He was nice and if you'd spoken to him, he'd have told you we could stay together."

"You talked to a shinigami about me?" Katsura's eyes widened in consternation, and Homare tut-tutted, shaking her head.

"I didn't tell him that you do naughty stuff, like go to Seireitei and get us food," she said frankly. "I promised and I won't break my promises, don't be silly. I just asked if it would be okay for us to stay together, since you're my Niichan and you look after me. I want to look after you too, like today. I want that to be forever, Oniichan, so I asked the shinigami if we'd be split up. He said he didn't think so, so you should stop saying silly things about me going to live with the Ojiisan or somebody else!"

"Homare, it's more complicated than that," Katsura relaxed, sending her a resigned look. "I told you, didn't I? The shinigami don't like me. We don't get along."

"But they're nice to us," Homare protested. "And you're nice to us, too. Why wouldn't they like you?"

"Because I did something...something they probably won't ever forgive me for," Katsura's eyes became clouded. "It was a bad thing, and I regret it a lot, Homare-chan. I regret it, but I can't take it back."

"You could say sorry," Homare suggested, and her childish innocence tugged at Katsura's heart. "That might make it better. If they're nice people and they know you didn't mean it, then they'd understand."

"This isn't the kind of thing you can say sorry for," Katsura shook his head gently. "I'm sorry, Homare-chan. I don't want to burden you with things that aren't your problem. I wish it were different, but it isn't. I can't go back, and nor can they. This is the best I can do...and I'm sorry that it hurts you, but it would hurt you more to stay involved with me after you go to Seireitei."

"But Kohaku-niichan said..." Homare began to protest, and, at the sound of his brother's name, Katsura stiffened, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"Kohaku? Did you say Kohaku?"

"Yes," Homare looked confused. "He was the nice shinigami. The one I told you about. The one who said we could stay together."

"And he told you his name was Kohaku?" Katsura's mind drifted back to the familiar traces of reiryoku he had sensed outside in the village street, and as Homare's little head jerked into a nod, he felt his heart skip a beat. Was it adrenaline or fear that raced through him at the sound of his brother's name? It had been five years since the last time they had spoken - five years which had made Kohaku a shinigami and a stranger, on the right side of the law that Katsura spent so long ducking beneath. He had known that Kohaku had been there, but that he had spoken to Homare...

"He said his name was Kohaku," Homare was bewildered now. "What's wrong, Oniichan? I don't understand. He was very kind to me. I didn't want to tell him lies, because he was friendly. He said he came from Rukongai, like we did. I didn't know shinigami could come from Rukongai, did you?"

Katsura did not respond at first, and Homare frowned, reaching over to tug on his fingers.

"Gorou-nii? What's the matter? Did I say something bad?"

 _The Koku I knew never introduced himself as Kohaku._

Oblivious to the child's pleas, Katsura's thoughts continued to whirl.

 _He was always afraid of using his real name, because of Father and the way that people back in the village used to think of him as a monster. He hid his true self so much, but he came here and he called himself by his real name to a complete stranger...a child he knows nothing about. Is that how your life is now, Koku? Are you not afraid, any more, because Father is gone? Have you moved so far away from all of us and from that past that you're not the person I called Koku when we were just children? Or is this just a sign of you finding your feet and being yourself, without fear of judgement from peers who understand you better than anyone else could? Maybe better...even than me? Mitsuki-san promised, when she healed me and let me go, that she would do what she could for Koku. I knew she kept that promise,but hearing it...hearing him use that name without fear...I wonder what kind of person my brother is now, that he can do that without a second thought._

"Gorou-nii!" Homare was becoming insistant, and Katsura forced himself to respond to her, offering a hollow smile.

"I'm sorry," he said honestly. "I became a bit distracted. You surprised me, saying that name. I thought maybe it was a mistake, but if you say he told you that..."

"Do you know him?" Homare was all curiosity, and Katsura hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders.

"I used to, some time ago," he agreed. "He wasn't a shinigami then, though. I haven't spoken to him in maybe five years. He and I knew each other as children...children in Rukongai. But I wouldn't say for sure that I know him now."

"So he really did come from Rukongai," Homare's eyes were big. "Rukongai people can be shinigami, then? Ojiisan said it wasn't possible, but Kohaku-niichan said it, and I believed him. If you say it too, Gorou-nii..."

"It's definitely true," Katsura agreed dryly. "I'm surprised, though. I didn't expect that he'd come here."

"If you had been here, you could've seen him yourself," Homare reproached him, and Katsura sighed.

"I wonder if that would have been a good idea or not," he murmured. "We were very close, once. Like...like brothers, I suppose. But...we chose different paths and we ended up at different places. I don't hate him or hold any grudges for the past...but he's a shinigami, and they don't like me. Being involved with me would cause him trouble, now. He's a kind person, and that would hurt him."

"Oniichan is stupid," Homare folded her arms, sending him a dark glare. "You keep saying silly things like this, that people would be hurt if they knew you. I'm not hurt. Nobody here is. I'm sure Kohaku-niichan isn't, either. You're a nice person, Gorou-nii. You come here and you help people. Why do you always say such bad things about yourself? That hurts me. Don't you know that? I don't like it, when you say we have to be apart."

Katsura chewed on his lip, debating how to answer. At length, he sighed.

"I wish I could explain to you," he said eventually. "I wish I could, but I don't think it would help you, if you knew. I like it here, and I would like it if that future could exist, too. It's my fault that it can't, and nobody else's. What I did five years ago is a bad thing that can't be forgotten or forgiven, probably not ever. I'm glad you don't hate me, and I don't mean to hurt you, but the only reason I'm here now is to do what I can to atone for that sin. Five years ago, I should've died. The person who saved me told me to use my life to make amends for the bad things I'd done, and that's what I do. I'm not a kind person, not really. I'm trying to find a way to erase a sin that can't be erased. In a way, I suppose that's selfish...something I'm really doing to settle my own heart, rather than appease someone else's."

"I don't really understand," Homare admitted. "I think you're kind, so to me you're kind. If you do nice things and they make you happy, then I think that makes you kind."

She sighed, sitting back on her hands.

"Kohaku-niichan was a nice shinigami, though," she reflected. "I wonder if he'll come again. I think it would be nice, if he did."

"You think he might come back?" Katsura eyed the young girl sharply, and Homare shrugged.

"I don't know what shinigami do," she said honestly, "but after he talked to me, I heard him talking with some of the others. He said something about coming back here. I don't really know why, but he looked worried, and so did his friends. I didn't want to ask them questions,because that would be rude, so I tried not to hear them, but I did hear them say one thing."

She frowned, her eyes narrowing as she tried to remember.

"It was a funny word. A name, I think," she added. "I thought maybe it was another shinigami who they were going to bring with them, next time."

"Another shinigami? They're coming back that quickly?" Katsura's mind was racing now. Homare nodded.

"I remember it, too," she exclaimed triumphantly. "The man's name they said...it was a long name, but I remember it!"

"I don't suppose it matters. All shinigami are much the same to me," Katsura grinned at her, but Homare shrugged.

"Maybe, but they don't usually tell people their names that much," she reflected. "When I told Ojiisan that Kohaku-niichan told me his name, he said that was unusual and that Kohaku-niichan must have wanted to make friends. So when he looked worried, I wondered what was wrong. That's why I listened. They talked about this other person, but then it was like they didn't want to any more. You don't think Kohaku-niichan will get into trouble because he told me his name, do you?"

"I don't suppose so. I don't think their Captain is that kind of person," Katsura was only half paying attention now, his mind already working on strategies to avoid a second imminent patrol, when something Homare said cut through his attention like a knife, the words closing around his soul in a cold, insistant embrace.

"The name they said was Keitarou. Do you think that's their captain? Is he called Keitarou-san?"

"Kei...tarou?" Katsura's features paled, and he swallowed hard. "No. No, Homare. He's not their Captain. Keitarou...is definitely not their Captain."

"Oniichan, are you ill? You look scared," Homare was worried, and Katsura buried his head in his hands.

"Keitarou is dead," he said softly. "It's better for everyone that he is, now. Promise me not to talk about that name again, Homare. You shouldn't have listened. Promise me? It's a bad name. He was a bad person."  
 _  
And a person I loved. A person I still love...and, if Koku reacted like that, a person he probably still loves, too. But that means I have a problem. I thought that Chudokuga not being disturbed meant Koku didn't sense the sword...but if Father's name came up so easily, then he must've picked up something. That means I have to decide what I do now. Do I take the weapon and run again, or do I try and find a chance to speak to my brother about what really happened in Rukongai?_


	16. An Array of Captains

**Chapter Fifteen: An Array of Captains**

It was too early, but in a sense, maybe it wasn't early enough.

Shunsui squinted up at the sky with a dark grimace, plotting the position of the sun as it began its steady climb towards its zenith. He hated being up and about this early, but, if he was honest with himself, that morning he had been glad of the excuse to don robes and leave the confines of his quarters at the Eighth Division. Since the conversation in Ugendou, he had been uneasy. Had it still been the days when Sora had been his trusted adjutant, he might have confided his uncertainty in her, but the situation was different now, and, while he trusted his Vice Captain with both his life and his squad, he knew that he did not have the same relationship of confidences with Shindou Tetsuya as he had had with the man's predecessor. Shunsui and Sora had more or less grown up together, sharing the same academy education with Juushirou, Hirata, Enishi and Naoko, among others, and, in many ways, Shunsui knew Sora would have picked up on his unsettled mood in a way that Tetsuya, for all his stellar qualities, could and did not. He had not commented on the early meeting, nor Shunsui's eagerness to be ready to attend it, and, while answering awkward questions would have been problematic, it had reminded him that, since Sora's promotion to the Ninth Division, his position as Captain had become much more defined - a leader who concealed things from his subordinates, rather than a partnership of near equals where secrets were easily shared.

 _But I suppose that is how a Captain is meant to be. We bear the burdens and make the decisions, giving the orders and making sure everyone beneath our command stays safe._

Shunsui sighed heavily.

 _Or maybe it's just that, since Keitarou died, I haven't really wanted to talk about things with anyone at Eighth. I dealt with it, and I moved on...but it's just as raw inside of me as it clearly is inside of Kohaku._

Such a sudden summons was unusual in peacetime, and deep down, Shunsui half hoped that the unexpected assembly would inspire a good attendance. No matter how much he reminded himself that Keitarou was dead and buried, Kohaku's earnest description of the incident had unnerved him.

 _It's the one ghost that still lurks, and probably always will. So much damage was done to so many people by that one man...and even now he's dead, we can't forget his name._

As he reached the plank walkway that led to the impressive hall that had been given over for Captains' meetings at the time of Inner Seireitei's military inauguration, he caught sight of a familiar shock of white hair and a haori bearing the number thirteen, and he quickened his pace, hurrying to join his old friend. Juushirou turned, casting him a resigned smile and, as Shunsui reached him, he returned it with one of his own.

"An early morning where you're concerned is always a worrying sign," Juushirou observed pensively. "You look like you didn't sleep a lot. Are you all right?"

"I probably slept as much as you did, judging by the bags under your eyes," Shunsui retorted neatly, shifting his pink decorative haori more comfortably over his shoulders. "It's all right. What the boy said confused me, and I can tell it confused you, too. When I got Nagesu-sama's request for the meeting, though, I had a suspicion it meant that this is something more than just Kohaku's fancy. I heard he'd come to see you, yesterday...which sparked my consternation, if you get my drift."

"You have impressive information channels," Juushirou observed. "You're right, he did. It surprised me too, but he also wanted to talk to Kohaku. I don't know about any of this, Shunsui, but I do know that Kohaku's senses are sharp and not easily fooled. Whether he makes sense or not with what he says, I really think that it's for us to untangle it, rather than for it not to be true. Nagesu-sama's coming was more of a confirmation of that faith, if I'm honest. I don't really know what is going on...but I don't like seeing Kohaku upset, and I don't want to drag the spectre of Keitarou back through any of our hearts after he's been dead and buried for so long."

"It's not something I want to do, either," Shunsui admitted. "When, I wonder, is he going to stop casting a shadow over us? It's not that I thought it was really over with what happened five years ago - scars don't heal that quickly. But I did think there was a chance we might, one day, not care about hearing his name."

"Mm," Juushirou sent Shunsui a searching look, and Shunsui returned it with a wry smile.

"It's easier not to remember," he said matter-of-factly. "But I'm a Captain, and its our job to not run away from the bad stuff."

"True enough," Juushirou sighed. "I'm actually glad of this meeting on a number of counts...hopefully by the end of it I'll have a clearer idea of what is at stake."

As they entered the hall, it was clear that the meeting's hurried summons had, indeed, sparked the attention of several squads. While recent meetings had been poorly attended, Shunsui soon realised that the entire quota of haori-clad leaders were milling in the chamber, moving to take their positions as he entered. With a little sigh he cast a wistful glance at the Eighth Division's vacant slot, before moving past it towards the head of the room. He disliked being Captain Commander, however temporarily, and especially when the subject of conversation was likely to be one he did not want to hear.

"Why are we here at such short notice, Shunsui?" As he passed, Sora cast her old friend a curious glance, and Shunsui grimaced.

"I had a request from the Third," he said simply, gesturing to Nagesu, who nodded his head, offering Sora an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry it's so sudden," he admitted. "I felt it better not to waste time. After talking to Ukitake, I think he felt the same, and so I sent the missive to Shunsui-dono as soon as I was able."

"You're part of this too, Juushirou?" Kyouki raised an eyebrow, and Juushirou sighed.

"I'm not sure that I'm part of it," he admitted. "I do have some information to share about the Real World mission, though, and I do agree that Nagesu-sama is right in bringing the other matter to public attention."

"I also have a matter to raise in this meeting," Hirata interjected at that juncture. "I was debating sending a message of my own to you, Shunsui, but then I received the summons, so thought it as well I just attended today and raised it then."

"We're in for a busy meeting, by the sounds," Hakubei let out a sigh. "And we have a full house of Captains to discuss it, too. Is this something serious, then, Nagesu-sama? I mean, an urgent meeting during peace time..."

"It's worrying enough that it needs to be mentioned," it was Mareiko who answered the question, shooting her Clan leader a troubled glance. "I have been actively involved in an investigation on Nagesu-sama's behalf since our arrival in Third District, and I really feel it's not something that should be handled by Urahara alone."

"Well, I know Juushirou's part in it, but I don't know how the Third fit into the business," Shunsui said wearily. "Nagesu-sama, since you asked to call the meeting, maybe you can explain why we're here? As Hakubei said, it's clearly going to be a busy meeting, so instead of wondering, let's get down to the core of it and see what we can do about whatever problem it is you've encountered."

"Very well," Nagesu inclined his head in his colleague's direction. "Then I shall begin. At the last meeting, I believe I mentioned that Mareiko and I were going back to Third to do some general checking and work relating to the border camp. However, our original intentions were rather distracted by a complete coincidence. We went to visit the mausoleum my uncle had built. I wanted to pay my respects to my cousin, and so we took a detour there."

"Not many people would take time to pay respects to the corpse of a kinsman who betrayed him and wanted him and his allies dead," Yamamoto Yuuichi said cuttingly. "Nagesu-dono, Keitarou was a criminal of the highest level, who caused massive suffering to pretty much everyone he ever interacted with. Why would you want to go pay respects to the grave of someone like that?"

"Keitarou was still Nagesu-sama's cousin, Yuuichi-sama," Retsu chided the outspoken Yamamoto with a tiny shake of her head. "Forgiveness is a valuable quality, and Keitarou is dead. Besides, Keitarou's son is among us, here in Seireitei, and to heal that breach, it makes sense to treat the past in a respectful way. Keitarou made many errors and his actions were often misguided. But he is gone now, and I am not a fan of holding grievances against the dead."

"I'm afraid there are a lot of people who aren't as forgiving as you are, Retsu-sama," Hirata said frankly. "I know you lost officers, and kinsfolk at Keitarou's hands, just as I did. I haven't forgiven him, and I won't, not ever. I agree with Yuuichi-dono. Keitarou is dead. He should be left to rot where he lies, and we should not remember him, let alone honour him."

"If we hadn't gone there, Hirata-dono, we wouldn't have made the discovery that the tomb had been interfered with," it was Mareiko who came to Nagesu's defence, for the Urahara Clan leader looked decidedly uncomfortable at this direct level of criticism. "The fact Nagesu-sama is willing to forgive is a big reason why I'm still here, too. As a Captain who acted in an unacceptable way against Seiretei during Keitarou's invasion, I could easily have lost my life, and my position...but thanks to Nagesu-sama's kindness, I'm still able to work hard and do my duty here. I think that, sometimes, forgiveness is important. Even if that forgiveness comes to someone as steeped in sin as that."

"Sekime-taichou, you were controlled by Keitarou's blade, and your actions were not of your design," Yuuichi shook his head. "You were his victim, just as many of us were. What has to be forgiven in your case is quite another matter than the man holding the puppet strings."

"This dispute is irrelevant," Kuchiki Guren held up his hand, his gaze flitting to Nagesu in consternation. "We all lost people in that conflict, but that conflict is now over. More important than arguing over Keitarou's level of guilt, I think we should be focusing on what Mareiko-dono just said. Keitarou's tomb had been interfered with - is that not the case?"

"It is," Nagesu had recovered his wits by this time, nodding his head gravely. "I wouldn't have noticed it, myself." He touched his spectacles ruefully. "My eyesight isn't as sharp as other people's, and it was Mareiko who picked up on the spiritual leak and the abnormalities in the atmosphere. On close inspection we discovered that the lid of Keitarou's tomb had been broken and moved away, though it had been pushed back to try and conceal the vandalism. We don't think that someone who hated Keitarou would've been so careful."

"A tomb invasion?" Shunsui's heart stilled in his chest. "Nagesu-sama, please tell me that someone in your District hasn't decided to start collecting dead criminal corpses as souvenirs?"

"Keitarou is still in his grave," Mareiko shook her head. "Shiketsu-sama and I have done copious tests on the corpse. While there are significant abnormalities in his rate of decay, we theorise this is due to his ingestion of reidoku, and nothing else. What it has allowed us to do is identify positively that the corpse in the tomb is Keitarou, and he is without any doubt a dead man. Whoever opened the tomb didn't disturb his body, so it wasn't an attempt to make it look as though Keitarou was still alive."

"Then why do it?" Sora looked mystified. "Why would you break into the tomb of someone who is hated by pretty much everyone, just to look at his corpse and then leave? It doesn't make any sense."

"Whoever broke into the tomb didn't just do it to sight-see," Nagesu shook his head grimly. "The casket in which Chudokuga was placed at burial was missing. The sword's current condition is unknown, but it may be as complete as Keitarou's own corpse, given their connection. It seems unlikely it would have disintegrated completely if Keitarou himself was still barely decayed...but more importantly, the casket it was buried in is also gone. That would have remained, regardless of decomposition. The only answer is that someone took it, and that was the reason for the grave invasion."

"Okay, now that is creepy," Hakubei shivered. "What kind of person would do that?"

"I can think of one," Hirata intoned darkly. "Juushirou, how does this affect you? Shunsui said he knew your part in it, so you must have something to add to Nagesu-sama's account."

"Yes..." Juushirou looked troubled, but he nodded his head. "I suppose I do. As I think you all remember, I agreed to send a patrol to the border camp in Nagesu-sama's absence. That patrol was completed successfully, however two of my officers came to me afterwards to report that one of them had detected something unusual in the camp vicinity."

"Something unusual," Hirata's eyes became slits as he digested this. Juushirou inclined his head again.

"Keitarou's reiatsu was present in the border camp settlement," he said reluctantly, "and my officers thought that I should be made aware of it immediately."

"The border camp has restricted access," Midori objected. "I remember, when we decided on setting it up, that there were strict rules about kidou barriers and such like. Keitarou is buried in Seireitei. How could his reiatsu turn up in such a secured zone? The only people with proper access to that area are Rukon citizens, entering from the Rukon side. There is no way to get out into Seireitei and go grave hopping...is there?"

She cast Mareiko a questioning look, and Mareiko shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't think the Pluses in the Rukon could break the barrier one way, let alone both," she confirmed. "We were very careful about that, and there have been no reported problems or lapses with that level of security."

"But the sword is missing from the grave, and Keitarou's reiatsu showed up in this place, so it's not rocket science to draw a line between the two incidents," Kyouki pressed her lips together thoughtfully. "Nagesu, do you think that's what happened? That someone took Chudokuga and stashed it in the border camp village for whatever reason of his or her own?"

"It's hypothesis at the moment, because I literally only heard this report from Ukitake yesterday, and I wanted to address a meeting before I took action on it," Nagesu admitted. "I hope to send a patrol there this afternoon. Yunosuke is making preparations right now, and will hopefully be ready to leave when I return to brief him."

"And the officer who sensed this?" Hirata fixed hawkish eyes on Juushirou. "Let me guess. That was Kohaku?"

"It was," Juushirou agreed.

"Well, that's a nice coincidence," Minaichi Atsushi observed acidly. "He just happened to go there and happened to pick up his father's reiatsu?"

"Kohaku isn't guilty of anything except doing his job, Atsushi-dono," Juushirou glared at his opposite number darkly. "He's a good officer and he works hard. As for this incident, with his level of reiatsu perception, it doesn't take a genius to realise that he would pick up something like that. We don't know if the sword is in the village, but its a dead sword. It's also sealed in a casket, which is meant to prevent spiritual pollution. If it came from Keitarou's grave, it would have trace reiatsu from the corpse on it, but it would take someone very sensitive to pick that up. Someone familiar enough with Keitarou's reiatsu to pinpoint it in that way."

"You're saying it's something only Kohaku could pick up on?" Guren looked surprised, and Juushirou shook his head.

"No, but he's probably the most susceptible to doing so," he replied. "I don't know if it was Chudokuga he sensed, but it is the only hypothesis we have at present. Kohaku will go with Nagesu-sama's patrol this afternoon, and hopefully, put an end to the speculation. How it got in the village is another matter - but investigating if it is there is the first point of call."

"I suppose that we don't know how long it might have been there?" Midori asked quizzically. "Keitarou's been dead a while. I still have a missing Onmitsukidou who I'd like to put a trace on, and he's definitely someone who could slip boundaries. I don't know where he is, and it annoys me, but just because Nagesu-sama only just noticed the damage to the tomb, does it follow that it happened recently?"

"Has Kohaku been to the border camp before?" Sora asked, and Juushirou shook his head.

"It's the first time," he responded. "Midori-sama makes a good point, too. Is it definitely recent damage?"

"I think it's quite recent," Mareiko looked thoughtful. "It's proving difficult to discern a spiritual footprint from the scene, because it's contaminated with Keitarou's decaying reiryoku -but there is not enough of that in the chamber to indicate the seal has been broken for a long time. Moreover, the fact there is definitely evidence of another's spiritual presence there, even if it is so far unidentifiable, suggests it hasn't had time to disperse in any way. I think this probably happened within the last year, but I would guess within the last few months."

"And the border camp population is transient, so that doesn't help us narrow down a cause or a source," Shunsui rubbed his chin pensively. "I understand why the meeting had to happen now. I don't like how these bits and pieces tie together in such a coincidentally neat way. It reminds me of a certain person's spider webs...and even if he's dead and buried, it doesn't sound like he's resting in peace."

"But Keitarou _is_ dead, Shunsui-dono," Nagesu assured him. Shunsui offered the Third Division Captain a haunted smile.

"I know," he said bleakly. "I killed him. I won't ever forget that moment, Nagesu-sama, so you needn't worry about my having doubts on that count. Keitarou isn't doing this, but someone else is acting in a way that wouldn't shame him."

"Midori-sama's missing Onmitsukidou can't be ruled out," Guren said thoughtfully. "Although the rationale for such an act is unclear to me. Why steal Keitarou's sword, and try and conceal the theft? What purpose can such a zanpakutou have?"

"Is Keitarou's sword one of the Royal Swords?" Retsu asked softly, and Nagesu sent her a startled look.

"Retsu-sama?"

"Royal Swords?" Yuuichi's brow furrowed in consternation. "You mean, a reincarnated sword? One like Genryuusai-dono's weapon?"

"That was what I meant, yes," Retsu looked grave. "Such swords are very rare and seldom spoken about in this day and age, but the fact is that they do exist. It's said that in the Ancient Age, the original Soul King shattered his own sword to bequeath ten blades to Soul Society in order to guide and protect it. These blades are the only swords in Soul Society that have the power to be reincarnated in a similar form to their original selves, bearing similar characteristics and high levels of spirit power. One theory says they are at their most powerful when they connect to the original soul bestowed with their power, but nobody has ever found a way to prove whether all the stories surrounding them are true or not. Some old records I am aware of intimate that they only ever reincarnate to the same soul when it is reborn, and that that can take several centuries, but to be truthful, the whole process is still mysterious. The Unohana have long since been involved with inspecting the death scenes of powerful people, and in our records it is taught that the corpse and sword of one who bears such a blade doesn't decay in the same way as a normal soul. The sword drives the reincarnation and the spirit matter is reborn in its entirety. Whether it forces the reincarnation of the same spirit matter or locates a separate soul that it deems suitable is really still an unknown factor. What is known is that until the sword reincarnates, the wielder's body does not decay in the manner of normal corpse decay. It can take centuries for a sword to be reborn, as it is waiting for its soul to be ready to receive it - though I confess my experience does not stretch to examining the corpse of a Royal Sword wielder, either at death or over subsequent time so I do not know which elements of these theories might be true."

"So Keitarou's decay, or lack thereof, may not be because of reidoku?" Hakubei pursed his lips. Nagesu shook his head.

"Chudokuga isn't one such sword," he said heavily. "I do know the legend of which Retsu-sama speaks, although, I confess, I have never had a chance in my lifetime to examine whether or not that tale holds any truth. They are rarely reincarnated, and if they are, they are known to be swords of significant power. Those who hold them are not generally the kinds of individuals whose tombs scientists are allowed to delve into. They are principally great leaders, or great villains - lauded and thus needing respect, or hated and thus shunned."

"The latter category does seem to fit Keitarou nicely," Atsushi said bluntly, and Nagesu sighed.

"Yes, but these swords are governed by particular rules of reincarnation," he said patiently. "They have specific characteristics - and Chudokuga was a sword raised through Keitarou's hate and resentment. It may have been a powerful weapon, and it did much harm. But it is Keitarou's creation, and it came from within his soul. It's just a dead sword, now. There's nothing in it but dead spirit matter, waiting to decay and return to the ether."

"That means Keitarou, if he were to be reborn, wouldn't hold the same sword again?" Guren asked. Nagesu shook his head.

"Not possible," he agreed. "Chudokuga isn't a weapon that can be reborn. It died with him. Nobody can manipulate a zanpakutou belonging to a dead man."

"Maybe that's why the sword was discarded at the border camp," Juushirou mused. "Assuming it is there. Maybe someone wanted to use it, but realised there was nothing to use, and so ditched it somewhere out of the way."

"Either way, I don't think that this was something done by the Pluses that live there," Hirata said grimly. "All of this discussion seems nicely convenient to me too, but for a different reason. I mentioned that I had something to raise as well, and now seems to be a good time, as it relates to Seventh's Rukon rotation."

"Hirata?" Juushirou cast his friend a startled look, and Hirata returned it with a grim smile.

"We were sent a report of spiritual activity in a particular area of the Rukon," he said softly. "An area which is known to my family, extremely well. It was the area where Keitarou made his base, originally...the stretch of land near where my son was murdered."

"I'm sorry," Nagesu looked stricken. "My sensors are set up to send reports back and in my absence I imagine someone sent the data straight to you. I don't want you to think that it was our intention to make you revisit such a place. If I had been there..."

"Thank you, Nagesu-sama, but as it happens, Seventh understand that duty sometimes surpasses individual regret," Hirata shook his head. "Kikyue took some officers there to investigate. She reported back to me that the scene was very badly damaged. It was a scene of violent carnage which had been scorched by spiritual energy. We sent a message to the Fourth for forensic retrieval," he added, glancing at Retsu, who nodded her confirmation. "Many of the corpses were scattering to dust on the wind, that's how badly they were burned - but we think there were eight. We took custody of a sword, which I entrusted to the Fourth for proper investigation, as well as spiritual samples, though I should emphasise before anyone asks that this sword was definitely _not_ Chudokuga. It was a much older sword, and quite possibly a dead blade. In examining the scene, Kikyue was quite certain that she recognised the reiatsu that was all over the area like a bad smell. Ohara also backed up her assessment when I asked him."

"Recognised it?" Shunsui looked grave. "Which means...?"

"It was Aizen Katsura," Hirata said evenly, and Juushirou's eyes widened with dismay. "Yes, Juushirou, I'm sorry, but it's beyond doubt. Kohaku's brother has re-emerged, and so we can't ignore him any more. I thought it was a bad coincidence that he appeared the moment we see slaughter in the Rukon, but now, hearing about Keitarou's tomb and the theft of the sword, I'm more certain this is connected. Whatever Kohaku might be, Katsura is a wanted criminal and, apparently, he's still engaging in dubious activities."

"Keitarou's chief tactic was employing patience, and waiting it out before striking," Shunsui said heavily. "You're essentially saying, like father, like son, aren't you?"

"I don't have a better explanation," Hirata shook his head. "But the samples are all at Fourth. Nagesu-sama, now we've had this opportunity to raise it, I trust that Third will also be part of investigating what happened to those people. It was apparently a vicious scene, and though my Fourth Seat spent considerable time questioning people in the surrounding villages, he had limited success in tracking down witnesses. Most accounts of what happened are garbled and confused by the terror of trying to escape. We don't have any reliable witness accounts of what really happened, but the scene sort of speaks for itself. It was clearly unprovoked murder, of the kind we shouldn't see in peacetime."

"Koku is so sure his brother had nothing to do with Keitarou's grave being tampered with," Juushirou said sadly. "I want to believe in that faith, but...Kikyue faced Katsura at the Seventh, when he attacked it, five years ago. I imagine she'd remember, and I don't think she'd lie or make a mistake about it, while Ohara's corroborative testimony makes it even more likely."

"But we're sure Kohaku isn't involved in any of this?" Yuuichi asked.

"Kohaku is upset," before Juushirou could fly to his waif's defence, Nagesu took a hand, shaking his head. "I spoke to the boy myself, and I saw the shock and horror on his face. No, Ukitake is right. He believes his brother innocent, and he has no connection to what has happened. On the contrary, he reported what he sensed in the border camp to his superior officers immediately, and he volunteered to come back and help track down whatever caused it. I have faith in his integrity and his honour in this business...which I'd like to close down as soon as possible."

"That can't happen unless we trace Katsura," Hirata said firmly. "My family have reasons to track him down; I won't pretend otherwise. But, based on the scene in the Rukon, it seems to be Seireitei's problem. Not just mine."

"The Kill on Sight order for Aizen Katsura has not been repealed," Midori interjected, "although it's true no real action has been taken to find him since Keitarou died."

"We didn't know he was definitely alive till now," Hirata replied grimly. "My Vice Captain has a very potent sword blade, but it seems that he managed to keep his life somehow in spite of that. Well, the report I received is a thorough one, and I'm willing to pass the data over to anyone who wants it...though I will admit that I still see Katsura very much as Endou prey, and I will be going to whatever lengths necessary to deal with that fact."

"I think that killing him should be avoided if possible," Retsu cautioned, and Hirata sent the Fourth Captain a frustrated look.

"This man killed some of your officers five years ago, Retsu-sama. Are you sure?"

"I know his guilt," Retsu said evenly, "and finding him may be important. But I think that taking him alive is ever more vital, now. We need to understand why these things happened, and he might be the one who can tell us. We need to realise the thought processes, else we might be in the same situation, five years on, where the loose ends are still not fully tied up."

"You mean, killing Keitarou was necessary but left questions we couldn't answer?" Kyouki asked, and Retsu nodded.

"There was no way to confine Aizen Keitarou," she agreed regretfully. "As a healer, I dislike that it was necessary, but I understand that it was. I still think, though, that he took secrets with him to his grave. Katsura's whereabouts may have been one such detail. If Kohaku didn't know where his brother was, on account of being with the shinigami, Keitarou must have done."

"Koku doesn't know where Katsura is. Katsura cut off all communication with him after the attack on Seventh," Juushirou confirmed. "I know, because I know Koku worries about his brother a lot."

He sighed.

"I really hoped it wouldn't come to this, though. I hoped Katsura was the person Koku believed he was, rather than his father's son."

"Sometimes love can blind you to reality," Kyouki said pragmatically. "Kohaku isn't to blame for believing in his brother. But we need to find out the truth, and personal investments can't be allowed to take precedence."

"I know," Juushirou agreed heavily. "I just don't know how I'll explain that to him, that the Gotei are hunting Katsura once more."

"It's below his rank to know," Yuuichi pointed out.

"But Nagesu-sama has spoken to him, so he knows more than his rank merits," Juushirou shook his head. "And in any case, if I don't tell him, he'll find out for himself. His spirit power is like that. He's very sensitive to detail."

"And yet he doesn't know where his brother is? Convenient, that," Atsushi said waspishly, and Juushirou glowered at his colleague.

"Kohaku is not an enemy, nor is he doing anything he shouldn't be," he snapped. "I'd appreciate it if you'd stop making insinuations that he is."

"Juushirou, calm down. Kohaku isn't under suspicion, and won't be," Shunsui held up a hand. "I'll vouch for the boy too, he's not Seireitei's enemy and I trust what he says. Our focus is getting distracted."

"Well, the first step seems to be for Third to run their patrol to the camp and search for the stolen sword," Guren said frankly. "I'm willing to offer any help from the Sixth that might be necessary in tracking down a missing felon, but I think, first, it would help to have a full analysis of the remains from the Rukon scene. We've picked up problems in Rukongai lately. It might not be an isolated incident, so I wonder whether we should be looking at protecting the people there in a more active way."

"You mean, sending reinforcements to help Seventh's rotation?" Hirata asked, and Guren nodded.

"I realise the Seventh are capable," he said with a wry smile. "But you and I, Hirata-dono, we share a similar grievance with Keitarou's family over the loss of our sons and heirs. I agree with you that _Keitarou's_ son and heir should be stopped and brought to justice, and I'd like it if you understood that my offer stems from a mutual desire for justice, not a doubt of your capabilities."

At this, Hirata's lips twitched into a rueful smile of his own, and he nodded.

"I don't think it would hurt to have more shinigami in the Rukon," he admitted. "The trouble is that Katsura, like his father, seems able to move fluidly. If we think that he attacked the Rukon but he was also in Seireitei, robbing his father's tomb...he's not static. I think it would help to have all squads on alert that he is active and dangerous and could be anywhere. Flooding the Rukon with shinigami may play into his hands, but if we all canvas as much land as possible, the chances of rooting him out are higher. He can't evade us forever."

"Then I suggest that I send my Vice Captain to consult with yours on the best way to proceed with such coordination," Guren offered. "I think it would be helpful to have as much data as possible going forward in this hunt. Very few of us have met Katsura, and so finding him will be more difficult without the help of those who have."

"Even I've never met him," Hirata admitted. "Many members of my squad have, though, so I won't turn your offer away."

"Juushirou's met him, too," Sora pointed out, and Juushirou nodded his head.

"I did," he said regretfully. "On that same day at Seventh. I will brief my officers with the same information, Hirata, don't worry. I won't protect Kohaku from it, even if it upsets him. But I will not give my people the Kill on Sight order. I agree with Retsu-sama - he needs to be interrogated, else we'll lose information that we need to fully close this situation."

"Such as data on any allies he has, or maybe the whereabouts of a certain missing Onmitsukidou," Midori said blackly. "I'm usually for the kill, but in this case, I agree. We can kill him after we catch him, but we need to make him talk first, so that should be our priority."

"Fine," Hirata sighed. "I'll tell my officers the same. But the Endou Clan want Katsura strung up and no longer a threat to my inheritance, so I'd like everyone to keep that in mind."

"All squads will therefore mobilise to search for Katsura alongside their usual patrols," Shunsui said heavily. "To bring him in for questioning, and we'll take any further justice from that point."

"Thank you," Retsu offered Shunsui a smile. "I think that it is better to learn why people commit crimes, rather than just punishing them without understanding the causes."

"I just want to find Suzuki," Midori admitted, "but I suppose in the end the result is the same."

"With that business settled, at least for now, Juushirou, you mentioned something about the Real World?" Shunsui cast his friend a glance, and Juushirou groaned.

"After that discussion, I hardly feel like embarking on another, but I suppose I must," he said wearily. "Yes, my officers have returned safely and made a full report to me on their findings in this uncharted area of Real World territory. I confess, I don't know what to make of their report, but I don't think that it has any connection to what we've been talking about here today."

"Keitarou did go to the Real World. Katsura might be able to reach there too," Hakubei pointed out. Juushirou nodded.

"Yes, but..." he frowned, then slowly outlined the details of the report Naoko and Ketsui had made about the shrine in the mountain and the entity in the ice.

"Ketsui raised the possibility of it being another of the experimental cases of the type Keitarou utilised in the battle against the Gotei in the Real World," he concluded. "Since they were also sealed within a mountain, and Naoko thought that this mountain was also like that one - capable of spitting fire and lava out at a moment's notice. But, for some reason, it was all frozen. She said that when the...whatever it was was gone, the ice began to melt. The other possibility that was raised with me was that it was a shinigami, frozen in the ice, but...I don't know. I mean, how likely is that?"

"I think we'd notice a missing shinigami," Sora reflected. "Also, this is an area we haven't ever patrolled, correct?"

"Certainly there's no record of anyone ever having patrolled there," Nagesu agreed. "Repairing the gate at Third allowed me to expand coordinates and thus reach new areas. Gate technology has changed and evolved over the centuries, and the Senkaimon we have now are far more stable and superior than those of the past. That means our reach of patrol now is certainly wider and more effective than it ever has been before."

"The possibility of it being Daigo-sama's science is there," Mareiko admitted reluctantly, and Shunsui saw the shadows in his colleague's eyes as she talked about her former mentor. "I don't remember, however, there being mention of any other subjects in the papers we seized from that mountain laboratory."

"No, Daigo-dono - and then Shougo-dono - mentioned many experiments, but only three that had succeeded and survived the tests," Nagesu looked tired. "Those were the three individuals that we fought and killed in the Real World during Keitarou's insurrection - Aki, Haruya and Moe."

"There was nothing about other projects stashed away in mountain ice somewhere?" Hakubei asked, and Nagesu shook his head.

"None," he confirmed. "I went over it very thoroughly. Daigo-dono sacrificed a lot of lives to his science, just as Keitarou did. But he didn't make any mention in those records of any other surviving subjects or another study location. The coordinates of the uncharted area are also a long way from the place we fought those creatures. It seems unlikely that there would be a connection."

"Besides, Ukitake, you said it was a mountain shrine," Kyouki remembered. "That makes it sound like a local folk deity, rather than something scientific."

"That's how it sounded," Juushirou agreed, "but folk deities don't exist, do they? I mean, spiritual activity in the Real World relates to us, Hollows and Pluses. In which case, I find it hard to believe that a folk deity was sleeping in that mountain until it reacted to Dokusou Houshi's sword."

"And it isn't a Hollow?" Guren asked. Juushirou shook his head.

"Ketsui said he saw its hand and arm," he confirmed, "and they were humanoid. That's all he saw, granted, but I think it's enough to say it wasn't a Hollow."

"A Real World human wouldn't survive being encased in ice, and a Plus soul, even if it had been trapped there, wouldn't respond to a zanpakutou or be able to melt ice in that way," Mareiko said pensively. "I don't believe this was one of Daigo-sama's experiments, or something Taichou did, when he was doing tests. If they had, they would've written about it."

"So, an experiment of Keitarou's?" Midori asked sharply. Mareiko shrugged.

"Keitarou understood Senkaimon better than anyone," she responded. "It can't be ruled out that he had access to a wider terrain than we knew. We have no idea what experiments, if any, he might have conducted in the Real World, away from our gazes."

"In which case, whatever it is might be hostile and dangerous," Yuuichi groaned. "Wonderful."

"No..." Juushirou hesitated, then, "I'm not sure," he admitted, "but Ketsui and Naoko both said that, although it tried to grab Ketsui when it broke free from the ice, it had a chance to attack and kill them when the shrine exploded and knocked them both out. Instead, it fled. I don't think it's hostile - or it may be confused. What we do know is that it is still there, and we probably should find it before it does damage, either deliberately or otherwise."

"So Thirteenth will be sending a patrol to investigate?" Retsu asked. Juushirou nodded.

"That is my current plan," he agreed. "Naoko will lead it, as she's encountered it before, and Ketsui will go too. I intend to send Izumi, because I think her science will be invaluable to this investigation. Whatever it is, I hope we'll get to the bottom of it."

"Especially if this also ties into Katsura, since, if it was an experiment of Keitarou's, he's bound to have known about it and will therefore want to exploit it," Hirata pointed out.

"Hrm," Shunsui looked thoughtful. "Well, if it were an experiment of Keitarou's, he didn't use it against us. And it is possible, I suppose, that Katsura would know about it - but it wasn't Katsura who set it free, it was Naoko-chan and her sword. Which suggests that Katsura hasn't been there, and maybe has no intention to go."

"What are you getting at, Shunsui?" Sora looked confused, and Shunsui shrugged his shoulders.

"Not really sure," he admitted, "but that whatever is going on here in Seireitei, what Juushirou said sounds different. I don't know what it is, but the fact that it was the Gotei who found it and woke it up makes me think that it may not be to do with Keitarou at all. He didn't use it, whatever it is, and Katsura, if he is active, doesn't seem interested, either. It might be better to go with an open mind...it could be completely unconnected."

"But whatever it is, we need to know what it is," Juushirou reflected. "And that will be our focus in sending the patrol."

"Everything happens at once," Kyouki reflected, "but perhaps that's no bad thing. Peacetime makes people complacent, and makes it more difficult to blood in new members. We've most of us got new intake recruits lurking around, and if all they do is Division chores and rebuild local houses, they won't get a taste for the real dangers of the job."

She frowned.

"Remembering that fight in the Real World with those creatures five years ago reminds me that complacency and inexperience are bad things," she added with a sigh. "I was luckier than you, Hirata-dono, in that my eldest son survived, but his shinigami career was more or less ended by that injury, and while I can trust him to run things back home in my absence, I miss his presence in the squad. We took too many sacrifices last time. I'd like it if, this time, whatever it is that's really at stake here, we overcome it with a full complement of officers reporting back at the end of the day."

"I think we all feel like that, Kyouki-dono," Guren said softly. "This week marks the anniversary of my son's murder, and though it's thirty years or more now, it is still very fresh in all our minds. The Kuchiki will be holding a formal memorial as part of the Sakura celebrations, and I will be taking Shirogane and Ryuu with me to attend, but I will bear in mind all that has been said today and I will ensure that I leave a strong force at Sixth in the case of danger. And, Hirata-dono," he added, glancing at his neighbour, "I will instruct Shirogane to speak to Kitabata before we leave, about a way in which to maximise our patrols to track down Katsura. Remembering the sacrifices is important, but so is avenging them. If it's convenient, I'll have him visit the Seventh this afternoon."

"He will be welcome," Hirata nodded his head, and Guren smiled.

"Shirogane takes seriously his position as my heir, and especially his relationship with the Clans on either side," he reflected. "Since Souja-dono left this world, he and I have both been aware that, should it come to it, the Endou may need support from neighbouring Clans if someone mounted a hostile attack. We are prepared to offer that assistance whenever it is necessary - in your name and in the name of the peaceful governance of Seireitei. Please keep that in mind. We are not formal Clan allies, but I would like to think we can be military ones who share a common goal."

"I think that my Clan would be reassured to know that, in such an event, the Kuchiki would not act against them," Hirata said gravely. "I don't intend to let anything happen to me any time soon, but Souja's death taught me that the unthinkable can happen. What the future of my family will be now is still unknown, which makes the Katsura situation even more pressing. I will allow Shirogane-dono to visit Seventh this afternoon and I'll make sure Hajime is present to meet him. A stronger bond of trust between our families would be a step towards placating my nervy kinsfolk back in Seventh, since they already know that their good relations with the Eighth rely almost entirely on my friendship with Shunsui."

"I don't intend on letting that break down either, though, Hirata, so you needn't worry about that," Shunsui said dryly. "As for my brother, so long as the Endou continue with their current policies towards trade, diplomacy and population rights, he won't raise a fuss, either. The old hostility between our families ended when Seimaru died. I don't think you need to worry - and if we all put in a shift to find Katsura, then hopefully your kin can relax a little. Maybe enough to be persuaded that a daughter inheriting wouldn't be the end of the world."

"My family are not quite that open-minded," Hirata admitted. "They are still wary of allowing female shinigami at all. I have dealt with some petitions from hime wanting to train but being told they cannot by their old-fashioned fathers. Some of them are quite potent in spirit power and I would like to be able to allow them that opportunity, but it is a delicate balance between promoting their rights and not inspiring hostility and rebellion in powerful Endou landholders. Kikyue is something of a role model, and I admit, so was Shikibu-san when Thirteenth were based in Seventh District - but changing old opinions takes a lot of time."

"I think Kikyue could handle it," Juushirou observed pensively, and Hirata smiled.

"She probably could," he admitted, "but my family have already assumed she will neither marry nor be anything other than a shinigami, and have started making suits for Sayuri's hand in marriage instead. She's far too young and I won't allow her to be treated like Eiraki was...she's not a commodity. However, the Endou prefer her because they see her more as what a hime should be, even though, as you say, Kikyue is probably better suited to keeping their ambitions in check."

"They haven't recovered from Yayoi-sama's era," Kyouki said wisely. "She was a formidable woman and everyone was afraid of her. Even if she was officially just the wife of the Clan leader, we all know she had a lot of power and influence. Kikyue is in that mould, and probably, that's why they want to overlook her."

"Well, Kikyue herself prefers the Gotei, and when I appointed Hajime as my Vice Captain, she made it clear it was a job she didn't want and wasn't ready for," Hirata replied. "Perhaps she thinks there isn't a place for her at home, either. I don't know...Souja's death has created all these questions that, once upon a time, nobody thought we'd ever have to answer. I won't have more children - Ai is not up to it, even if I wanted to do it - so whatever happens, the future of the Endou relies on one or other of my daughters in some way. Marriage seems to be the only way the Endou will accept, but while Katsura is still out there, as Eiraki's son and heir...well, if they start saying they'll accept a son of one of my daughters, then that makes children of Eiraki just as viable."

"What about Kohaku?" Nagesu asked. "I know you had him sign illegitimacy papers, back when he enrolled here, but if Katsura is legitimate, then..."

"Katsura is not legitimate," Hirata said blackly. "Kohaku is not the same kind of proposition. I know that boy has no interest in my family, or power, or anything of that nature. He's Juushirou's protege, and I know he sees himself as a Rukon shinigami. My family were jittery about him to begin with, but now, with the papers signed and with his character becoming clear, they've all but forgotten he exists. Katsura, on the other hand, already launched one assault on my Division. He is debarred the succession because he is both a bastard and a traitor - but such people don't think of those things when they have a goal in mind. He could come and fight me, and if he killed me, he might subdue the Clan by force. It is a possibility I can't ignore, because I haven't faced him, and I don't know how his power matches up to mine or to his brother's."

"Do we really think either of Keitarou's sons could challenge your Wind Hawk?" Sora looked doubtful, and Hirata frowned.

"One day, Kohaku could," he admitted. "Maybe even now - I'm not sure. With that being the case, maybe Katsura is stronger than he appeared five years ago. It's hard to know when he's been missing this long."

"Kohaku could?" Yuuichi's gaze shifted across to Juushirou, who nodded reluctantly.

"Kohaku's spirit power is very potent, but still largely untrained and developing," he owned. "I've spoken to Genryuusai-sensei about it, and he agrees. One day, Kohaku will be a very powerful shinigami. Perhaps in Sensei's league in terms of his level of reiryoku. Whether he has the same leadership skills and qualities is less clear. He is quite shy, still, and lacks confidence in taking the lead. Nonetheless, Sensei believes - and I agree with him - that Kohaku probably holds one of the Royal Swords that Retsu-sama mentioned earlier. They are very rare, but there are elements in Kohaku's weapon that Sensei has matched to stories from the past."

"Kohaku is that powerful, huh?" Midori looked thoughtful. "Well, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. It was largely Kohaku's spirit power that made a difference five years ago, in the battle for Inner Seireitei. And Kohaku's visions that exposed Keitarou's plans."

"But to hold a Royal Sword is very unusual," Retsu pointed out. "Guidance of such a shinigami is a heavy burden."

"If it's even true," Yuuichi snorted. "I'm sorry, but my impressions of that kid five years ago were of a scrawny idealist who had a lot of raw psychic power but not much else. Do we really think he's comparable to Genryuusai-sama? Even if he did hold such a blade, surely the only reason that comparison is being made is because there is only Genryuusai-sama in our era holding such a weapon?"

"That's not strictly true, Yuuichi-dono. My uncle, Kinnya, also holds one," Guren objected evenly. "As did my father, who may no longer be with us, but certainly fought for Seireitei in living memory of some here today."

"I never saw Senaya-sama's sword in action, but I understood that Kinnya-sama has retired from fighting now?" Kyouki asked, and Guren nodded.

"He has, but, as I'm sure Ukitake can testify, he's still very capable," he said, sending Juushirou a faint smile. Juushirou nodded.

"Kinnya-sama is my grandfather," he agreed, "and he takes that fact very seriously. He's trained with me, on and off, since I became a Captain. I've seen his sword in release, both shikai and bankai. Guren-sama is correct. He's still very capable, but not necessarily willing to bring his zanpakutou out unless there is a pressing need."

"Kinnya-sama's sword is the Rebel, that's why," Retsu said thoughtfully.

"The Rebel?" Hakubei looked lost. "I'm sorry, these things have names?"

"Something tells me you need to read more books about Seireitei's history, my boy," Kyouki scolded her son playfully, and Hakubei grimaced.

"I'm a man of action, not a man of words," he protested. "I didn't realise they all had cute little monikers, though. Kinnya-sama is the Rebel? What does that even mean?"

"The Rebel is a sword born of storm and rain," Guren explained. "It gets its name from the fact that it's the only sword in the ten that has no ambition to attain the top level of power or rank. The Rebel sword is often completely the opposite. Contrary to expectations and contrary to the way of the world."

"That explains why he's Juushirou's grandfather, then," Shunsui said drolly. "And, probably, also why Juushirou never takes no for an answer."

"Shunsui!" Juushirou pulled a face at his friend, who shrugged.

"It fits to me," he said unrepentantly.

"Kinnya-sama probably is the Rebel in more ways than one, given his role in the past and present of my family," Guren said thoughtfully. "I find it reassuring, though. He was able to support my father's administration because he didn't seek power himself. That is a rare thing between brothers of equal spirit power within Clan politics, as I'm sure people here can see. In any case, the Rebel sword is possessed of a defiant spirit which always manifests in the elements of rain, storm and water. Such traits can be passed on to descendants, such as Ukitake - but the nature of the sword itself and its particular level of power cannot."

He sighed.

"Though I admit that, these days, Kinnya-sama is probably not the potent force he was when my Father still lived. He rather lost the need to be that when Father died."

"So Genryuusai-sensei and Kinnya-sama both have these swords," Nagesu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And now Kohaku, too?"

"Yes. Sensei told me that Ryuujinjakka is the Phoenix sword, and that he believes Koku...Kohaku holds the Mirror sword," Juushirou confirmed. "He called it a sword of existence, though I confess that we're still trying to work out exactly how to interpret that as regards Kohaku's progress."

"Interesting," Nagesu pursed his lips. "You failed to mention that to me when we spoke yesterday."

"I didn't think it needed to be discussed, since it doesn't affect anything except Kohaku's own development," Juushirou was surprised.

"It may do, though, in the long run," Midori pointed out. "If Kohaku really does have one such sword, and really is capable of the level of potential you're all talking about, then that explains one very important piece of the puzzle where Keitarou is concerned. He probably knew this element of his son's power, even if Kohaku himself didn't know it yet. He made the custom asauchi hoping that Kohaku would summon his weapon, but Kohaku didn't do this until the day Keitarou died, so he had no opportunity to manipulate it beyond what we already know. Juushirou, however, mentioned that Kohaku has faith in his brother. Katsura is now beginning to move. Whether or not Katsura has the right level of spirit power may not matter. We know he can read minds, and we know he can manipulate. What if his target becomes Kohaku? What if he tries to use his brother the way his father wanted to, but was never able to manage?"

"It might be better if Kohaku goes to the Real World, after all," Nagesu suggested. Juushirou frowned.

"It may be, but that would mean delaying that deployment until after the border camp is searched, and the aftermath of that," he pointed out. "I can do that, but do we think that's wise?"

"I think that, right now, it's better for Kohaku to not be in Seireitei, if that's where his brother is acting," Midori said darkly. "Kohaku is innocent of any crime. I accept this. But he has a weakness, and we need to ensure that weakness is not exploited by his brother while we try to get to the bottom of all these things that are going on. Katsura is a direct threat and we have proof of his movement, whereas, from your own account, the hostility potential and location of the Real World entity - whatever it is - remains unknown."

"The experience would be good for him, anyway," Kyouki said comfortably. "A day or two won't hurt, Juushirou. Send the lad to the Real World. That way he needn't be involved in the hunt for Katsura or anything else that goes on as a result of that hunt. It's better all round, and I think Midori-dono makes a good point. Kohaku trusts his brother, and that might prove dangerous."

"If he has the level of power we're discussing, then he ought to be guided only by Thirteenth, not by any outside influence," Mareiko agreed gravely. "I think Kyouki-sama and Nagesu-sama are correct, Ukitake-dono. It would be better for everyone if Kohaku was sent to the Real World this time...at least while we work out what it is his brother wants."

"Then I'll talk to my Vice Captain and my Third Seat and we'll plan accordingly," Juushirou said heavily. "Maybe it would be best. I suppose we'll see."

"In which case, I suggest we adjourn and return to our own bases to convey orders," Shunsui suggested. "This meeting is dismissed."

* * *

It was still a little before dawn, and the first golden rays of light were beginning to create a glimmering effect beneath the fluffy layers of spring cloud that drifted across the horizon. It was still a little chilly, though there was no real dampness in the air, and Hiroshi gazed out at the horizon with a smile of satisfaction, enjoying the brief moment of peace and natural beauty as it began to spread itself out over the Shinigami settlement of Inner Seireitei.

The rest of the recruits had still been fast asleep when he had slipped out of their dorm room, and the sky had still been black. A hurried bath and change later and he had emerged to see the sky beginning its technicolour announcement of the new day, and, although it had been a bother, having to get up so early, and even more so knowing there would be no morning meal for them until they returned, he almost felt that the view alone was worth the inconvenience.

The barracks had been quiet, and, mindful of the fact that the patrol was meant to leave at dawn, Hiroshi had moved to check the big division noticeboard, where assignments, chores and duties were posted by the seated officers from Fifth and up. Hiroshi had not yet figured out whose handwriting was whose, but he guessed that the broad, clear strokes probably belonged to the Vice Captain, while the more delicate, sloping hand was probably that of one of the two female officers. Only the Division ranking list itself was written in what Hiroshi knew from his recruitment papers was Juushirou's own writing - a spidery, scrawly script that nonetheless held a kind of official elegance. The list of patrol officers for the dawn patrol had been scribbled in a messy, haphazard hand that had been tricky to make out, and Hiroshi had supposed this to be the writing of the Fifth Seat, Atsudane Makoto, who had been assigned to lead it that morning.

The board's lists had not changed overnight, and he quickly had found his name on the dawn patrol list, just as he had done the night before. With a frown, he had headed back out into the main yard, wondering whether he had mistaken the meeting point, and that they had maybe left without him.

If so, he reflected darkly, there would probably be trouble coming to him later. A school patrol might wait for stragglers, but he thought it very unlikely that a shinigami one in full uniform would bother to hang around and delay their day for an unreliable recruit.

"You're Naniwa, right?"

As he was thinking and worrying about this possibility, he heard a voice, and he turned, seeing a skinny, dark haired shinigami come hurrying across the yard towards him. The newcomer looked vaguely familiar, and as he racked his brains to find a name to go with the face, it suddenly dawned on him where he had seen this individual before.

"Atsudane-san?" he ventured, and the Fifth seat grinned, scratching his head ruefully and nodding.

"That's me," he admitted, "and you're down on the detail for my dawn patrol, but I'm glad I caught you. I managed to get word to most people last night, but Fukutaichou told me you'd signed out of barracks and gone to look around Inner Seireitei with some of the other recruits. I didn't get a chance to tell you then, so I hoped I'd find you here now. You might as well go to the mess with your fellows. Turns out the patrol's been rescheduled. Captain's orders. There's been a short notice summons for a Captain's meeting, and he wants to get full new information and see what comes of that before he sends us out."

"Rescheduled?" Hiroshi blinked, relief flooding over him. "I thought I was maybe late, and you'd gone without me."

"Doubtful, since you're bang on time," Atsudane glanced up at the sky. "I'm sorry I didn't find you yesterday. You've had an earlier start than you needed."

"I guess that's part of being a shinigami," Hiroshi reflected, then, "does that mean I can get breakfast?"

"It means that," Atsudane laughed, clapping a warm hand on the recruit's shoulders. "I bet it's welcome news, though it means being at a loss for the morning. Taichou said he'd brief me when he got back as to where he wanted us to focus the patrol, so expect to be going this afternoon. You have a chore rota for today? If so, I suggest you make a start on it."

"I'm up to date with them, and nothing new has been posted on the board yet," Hiroshi offered the fifth seat a rueful smile. "I've checked, just in case, but I'm not named there. I guess because of the patrol - and nobody's assigned me for this afternoon, either."

"Looks like you're off the hook, then," Atsudane looked impressed. "That's not bad going. You must be quick at completing the jobs you're given - I trust you're doing them properly?"

"I wouldn't dare not, not now I've read the handbook, sir," Hiroshi admitted. "I promise, I'm being careful. I don't fancy being given punishment chores. The ones we have are enough."

"Smart kid," Atsudane was appreciative. "Okay then. This afternoon, in the yard. I'll send word when I know the drill. This is your first out of barracks patrol, right? Oh wait, did you go on the border patrol?"

"I did," Hiroshi agreed, "but I haven't done a regular patrol yet. Is there much danger? Do we see many Hollows as a rule?"

"It's quite quiet at present, so maybe not so much." Atsudane considered. "Either way, it's nothing to worry about. The weather looks like it's perking up, too, so maybe the worst of the morning mud will have dried by the time we hit the ground." He winked. "If you've nothing on your schedule, I suggest you use the morning as a chance to do some warm up exercises. Find someone to train with, maybe. There's bound to be someone around who'll swing a sword with you."

"All my peers are assigned duties this morning," Hiroshi shook his head, and Atsudane looked amused.

"What do you learn from sparring with people you know?" he challenged. "Ask someone else. That's what training is about, you know. You must've trained juniors at the Academy, right? How would they have improved if they didn't push their levels and spar with you? Now it's your turn to be that junior, and find a senior to help you improve your skills."

"I suppose..." Hiroshi was taken aback, then looked sheepish. "I didn't really think about it from that point of view, sir. I'm sorry, I forget sometimes that that's part of recruit training as well. There's a lot to take in and a lot to remember...and I can't let my sword skills blunt because I'm honing my floor washing skills."

"Some recruits never hone that skill at all, believe me," Atsudane rolled his eyes. "You'd think they'd never had an inspection before, too, given the state of their uniform. You look quite smart, though," he added approvingly. "Of course, that does prove you're not doing enough physical training, so I suggest you get your breakfast and then find someone to let off some sword steam with this morning. I'll want you bright and ready for patrol this afternoon, and a good warm up on a brisk spring morning never hurt anyone. I'd volunteer to spar with you myself, but unfortunately, now you guys are here, I have a lot of extra supplies paperwork, and I can't run away from it."

"Yes, sir," Hiroshi saluted, and the Fifth seat offered a parting smile before sauntering off across the yard towards the Vice Captain's office. Thus dismissed, Hiroshi turned on his heel, hurrying across the courtyard towards the mess hall where his fellow recruits were already gathered.

"Hey, what happened to your patrol?" Shinobu demanded, as he hastened to join them, and Hiroshi grinned.

"Postponed till the afternoon due to Captain's meeting," he said laconically, slipping between Takahashi and Morata to grab a tray and help himself to food. "Atsudane-san just told me himself. Apparently the meeting was unexpected so Taichou thinks it might impact on where we go patrol. In any case, I have the morning free. I have no chores left to do, and no new ones assigned because of my being on dawn patrol, so Atsudane-san suggested I find someone to spar with after I eat."

"A spar, huh?" Takahashi looked wistful. "I have a long morning with the koi pond and a weeding net ahead of me. Want to trade?"

"Not a chance," Hiroshi laughed. "I've already made up my mind to do my chores as thoroughly as possible, and I'm not doing anyone else's."

"Yatsubashi and I have a sword drill practice with someone called Kotetsu Ketsui," Morata interjected. "Katou and Tanemura are still asleep. Late patrol got back really late, apparently."

"Well, that's why it's late patrol, I suppose," Hiroshi said philosophically, as they took seats at one of the nearby tables designated for use by the lowest ranking officers of the division. "If I'd known, I'd have taken a bit more time in bed, but at least it means I get to eat before the best of the food is taken."

"But who are you going to find to spar with?" Takahashi questioned. "I'm guessing a lot of people are also tied up with other duties and jobs, and we don't know so many people yet."

"Dunno," Hiroshi admitted. "I hadn't thought much about it. Atsudane-san said it would do me good to train with someone higher ranked than me, but he can't do it, as he has work, and if Taichou's not here, probably Shikibu-san and Fukutaichou will be busy, too."

"Hikifune-san was on the late patrol, and she's not even here," Morata observed. "So that counts out the top seats. Though I admit I don't even know who this Kotetsu person is."

"Kotetsu-san is the eighth seat, I think. He was in the Real World, but he's back now, so I guess that's why we're working with him today," Shinobu remembered. "Kayashima-san said something about it when I spoke to him on patrol yesterday."

"Asking a top ten seat seems a little optimistic, anyway," Hiroshi admitted. "They're probably all busy, too."

"What about Kayashima-san, then?" Takahashi suggested. "He's eleventh seat, and that would be a decent training spar."

"His name was on the rota board for kidou drill with Tsukabishi-san, along with Furuta-san and a couple of other officers," Hiroshi shook his head. "I guess even seated officers get training drill."

"Well, of course they do. They wouldn't get promoted to better ranks if they never trained," Shinobu snorted. "Don't be an idiot."

"How about Kohaku-san, then?" Morata neatly intercepted Takahashi's attempt to steal his last piece of fish, putting it triumphantly in his mouth and swallowing it whole. "There! He wasn't on the kidou drill list, and he wasn't on late patrol last night, because he's here," he indicated across the hall, where Kayashima and Kohaku were sitting, deep in conversation with a silver-haired girl of petite stature who seemed very animated with her hands rather than her lips. "He's twelfth seat, right?"

"Kohaku-san?" Shinobu sent a doubtful glance across the room. "I wonder what he's like with a sword?"

"Are you going to be funny about this again?" Hiroshi arched an eyebrow, and Shinobu sent him a dark look.

"I'm not being funny. It's an observation," he retorted. "He doesn't really seem the combat, conflict type. Maybe at kidou, but I don't know about swords."

"I guess you won't know unless you ask him," Takahashi finished his own meal with a sigh. "He's here, and he can only say no. He is Twelfth seat, remember. He must be decent at it to get to that rank."

"Not necessarily," Shinobu shook his head. "Yesterday, on patrol, we had the Thirteenth Seat with us. That girl with Kohaku-san and Kayashima-san - her name's Ichimaru something. She carries an asauchi and, apparently, hates using it. She also somehow managed to avoid getting near even a little bit of the mud the rest of us were wading through. Rank doesn't necessarily mean anything at all in the field."

"Ichimaru-san is some kind of science specialist, though," Morata reflected. "I've heard about it. She's an Urahara, I think. I heard she gets consulted by even the Captain of the Third about scientific stuff, so she's pretty smart. She's also rumoured to be able to lay out an enemy just by looking at them - though that is probably an exaggeration. Still, if it's even a little bit true, why would she need a sword? Nobody'd get near her."

"Just by looking at them?" Shinobu looked floored, and Morata laughed.

"That's the rumour I heard," he agreed playfully. "So I would maybe say less about her sword skills if I were you. She might decide to take offence!"

"Probably the quickest way to know if he's good with swords is to just ask Kohaku-san if he's up for a spar. Then you'll find out," Takahashi sent Hiroshi a grin, setting down his chopsticks. "Any new spar partner is a bonus, right?"

"I'll try him," something about Shinobu's reaction reminded Hiroshi of the conversation the night before, and he frowned, unsure why his friend's behaviour should irritate him so much. Pushing his tray aside he got to his feet. "Takahashi is right, and Atsudane-san did suggest I sparred this morning. If I go to patrol this afternoon and didn't take his advice, well, who knows if that'd be a black mark against me. It's difficult to know yet what is a test and what's just friendly advice, and I'm not game to take the risk if this is the former."

With that he made his way purposefully across the room, gathering his courage and reminding himself that he would be addressing seated officers and needed to show them the right level of respect.

"Naniwa!" as it turned out, though, Kayashima's greeting preempted any need for an awkward interruption, for he saw the recruit approach and waved him over with a grin. "What's up? Something we can help with?"

The petite, silver haired girl's fingers twitched together, a questioning look on her features, but, although she had not spoken a word, Kohaku nodded.

"This is Naniwa Hiroshi, one of the new recruits," he agreed, as though a question had been asked. "Naniwa-kun, this is Ichimaru Izumi, our Thirteenth Seat. You'll probably see a lot more of her around the Division as time goes on."

Izumi bowed her head in greeting, and Hiroshi followed suit, offering a hesitant smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Ichimaru-san," he said politely. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I just...I was meant to be on patrol this morning, and the patrol has been postponed, so I wondered if...well, Atsudane-san suggested I should do some sparring practice this morning instead, and I thought..." he trailed off, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Koku's free this morning," Kayashima came to the rescue, nudging his friend with a grin. "He was just complaining about it, in fact, as he has to see the Captain about a specific errand and the Captain isn't here at the moment. I have Kidou drill, and so does Izumi-chan, so we can't help you...not that Izumi-chan would be much help if it's a sword spar anyway," this last with a teasing look at the silver haired shinigami, who twisted her fairy-like features into a grotesque grimace at his words.

"You shouldn't tease her," Kohaku sounded amused. "You know which one of you will win in the end, Kayashima. It's not worth the battle."

"Fine," Kayashima let out a sigh of resignation. "In any case, Izumi-chan, you're not going to want to spend your morning sparring, are you?"

The petite girl's fingers twitched together again, in what Hiroshi realised with a jolt was some form of communication and Kohaku grinned.

"I guess that answers that question," he remarked. "Apparently she has some preparation work for the Real World mission to do."

"Which leaves you, I guess?" Kayashima looked quizzical. He cast the confused Hiroshi a grin. "Koku's not bad, though, so I'd take him as your spar buddy, if I were you."

"Spar buddy?" Kohaku's eyebrow twitched up at this, and Kayashima nodded.

"Well? Is there a reason why you can't?" he asked. "You did say you're waiting around on the Captain, and meetings tend to go on a bit, so I'll be surprised if he's back before lunch."

"I suppose not," Kohaku sent Hiroshi a sheepish look. "I'm just wondering if my sword technique is something that should be teaching other people."

"Your sword technique is fine. You just need to be selective about which sword you use, that's all." Kayashima scolded him. "In any case, it's settled. You and I were appointed as recruit mentors, remember? This is just part of that job, and I'm sure Naniwa's learned enough from Sensei not to pick up any of your bad habits."

"You just said my technique was fine," Kohaku objected, but Kayashima ignored him, sending the recruit a benign smile. Izumi rolled her eyes, her index fingers fluttering briefly together as if in despair of the antics of her companions, but she turned her attention back to her morning meal, and Hiroshi shot Kohaku a hopeful look.

"Would it be all right? I mean, if you have nothing else...I'd appreciate it. It would be good experience for me."

"Then I guess it's fine," Kohaku said with a wry smile. "I know the drill yard is in use this morning, but we can meet at the back of the division, in the rear courtyard. It's quiet there, and nobody will disturb us."

"Thank you," Hiroshi's eyes lit up with relief and he nodded. "I'll see you there, then, in a little while. Thank you, Kohaku-san. I really appreciate it!"

The rear courtyard was a stretch of land that divided the main barracks building from the Thirteenth Division garden, with the edge of the koi pond extending out to its rear and a cluster of tall willow trees to one side that, in the summer, probably provided welcome shade. Kohaku was already there when Hiroshi arrived, and, at his appearance, the Twelfth Seat offered a rueful smile, gesturing for him to approach.

"I wondered, after you'd gone, if you knew where I meant," he said, his tones apologetic. "I forget, sometimes, that it takes a while to know all the little nooks and crannies of this place."

"I asked Fukutaichou, and he told me where to go," Hiroshi grinned. "He seemed pleased when I told him why I wanted to know, and told me to make sure I gave you a good fight."

"He did, huh?" Kohaku looked amused. "Then I suppose I'm not allowed to go easy on you, either, am I? Not if Fukutaichou might hear about it."

"I wouldn't want that, anyway," Hiroshi assured his companion, gazing around him. "It's nice here, though. I didn't realise we could come spar in a place like this. It's private...I think that I prefer that, to be honest."

"Really? Me too," Kohaku drew his weapon from its sheath, tapping it pensively against the fabric of his _hakama_. "I actually really like sword drill and Ketsui-san often works with me here, because there are fewer distractions. He's been my unofficial sword _shishou_ since I came here, pretty much, although I've done a lot of general drill work with Fukutaichou and Kirio-san, too. I don't know how good a spar partner I'll be, since I don't get a lot of chances to spar like this, just one on one, and I've never sparred with a recruit before. I was a late starter with a sword, so hopefully I won't teach you bad habits."

"I used to do it a lot, at the Academy, but usually among my peer group," Hiroshi drew his own weapon, noticing as he did so that the sword Kohaku held was an _asauchi_ , not a _zanpakutou_. "Is it okay, using my _zanpakutou_ in this spar? I mean, if you think I should use an _asauchi_ , then..."

"You can use your _zanpakutou_ , so long as you don't release it on me," Kohaku grinned. "I don't think we'd be popular if something bad happened to the trees. Kidou and _zanpakutou_ release moves are not allowed with spars held here. I should warn you of that now - Taichou likes his garden."

"I see," Hiroshi gazed at his sword, then shrugged. "It's fine. I won't release it, so there won't be a problem."

Once the spar had begun, Hiroshi was able to see that, in spite of his skinny physique, Kohaku was swift on his feet and more than capable of swinging the weapon in his hand. Although he had called himself a late starter, Hiroshi found that it was difficult to meet the Twelfth seat's blade, for, at the moment when he felt certain he might land a blow, Kohaku twisted, bringing his sword up at an unexpected angle and forcing Hiroshi to take evasive action. It was as though Kohaku instinctively knew where Hiroshi's weapon would be at the moment he swung it but, dismissing this as impossible, the young recruit redoubled his concentration, pulling to the forefront of his mind all the things that he had been taught at the Academy about facing an unfamiliar opponent. He darted back a few steps, putting a metre or two of space between them as he gauged what he had seen from his companion's approach. Kohaku wasted no time in coming forward again, but, now more intent on every swing, Hiroshi could see that, despite the young man's speed and deftness, there was a rough edge to his technique at times, and gaps that, had he just had a little more speed himself, Hiroshi might have been able to exploit. Kohaku seemed aware of his own shortcomings, for, the moment Hiroshi drove his blade towards the other man's weaker side, the Twelfth Seat skipped away, reclaiming the advantage by pressing forward his own offensive. Although the morning was a brisk one, Hiroshi could feel the sweat beading on his brow from the speed of the encounter, but he paid it no attention.  
 _  
Minabe-sensei said that people learn a particular style and then they fight in that style. If you can find the key to the style, you can find its weakness. Kohaku-san is fast, but he has gaps in his defence. If I can find a pattern to them, maybe I can pre-empt him. Maybe that's what he's been doing to me all the time - not giving me a chance to see his holes because he's using his speed to challenge mine._

He frowned as Kohaku's blade came down to meet his yet again, a quick exchange of blows forcing Hiroshi to pull back to prevent his weapon from being taken from his hands. Kohaku's intensity was not slowing down, and Hiroshi realised that it wasn't all about the strength of the sword, but, rather, the slow release of reiatsu that Kohaku was using to power the speed of his attacks. Still, he was not ready to give up, and he redoubled his effort, forcing his tired body to move quicker as he strove to push back each of Kohaku's investigative probes and parries. At that instant, he saw what he thought was the break in Kohaku's pattern, a moment of hesitation that created an opening, and he drove forward to expose it. At the last minute, however, Kohaku seemed to realise the danger, and he brought the flat of his sword hurriedly back down to meet the recruit's blade, the force of the swing sending Hiroshi's weapon from his fist, and causing the young man to lose his balance, tripping and skidding across the training ground into an ungainly heap on the floor. He sat there for a moment, drawing breath heavily into his lungs. Dots danced before his eyes as he realised exactly how much physical effort he had put into the spar, and, as he glanced across the dirt towards the hilt of his lost weapon, he realised that, although he had been beaten, he had certainly not shamed himself with his morning's work.

"Are you all right?" At the sound of his opponent's concerned voice, Hiroshi raised his gaze, seeing Kohaku looking down at him in consternation. He nodded his head, accepting the hand proffered to him and allowing the older officer to pull him to his feet. He retrieved his sword, glancing at the mud splatter that now adorned the blade with a sigh before shoving it back into its sheath.

"I'm fine," he agreed. "Just a little bruised in the pride department. Nothing else."

Kohaku smiled ruefully.

"I'm sorry," he said honestly. "I didn't mean to send you flying like that. Your last attack surprised me, and I guess I used more force than I realised to counter it."

"It's all right," Hiroshi dusted himself down. "Like I said, I'm not hurt at all. In fact, I appreciate that you really didn't go easy on me. This is part of squad life, and if we don't get challenged, we'll get blunted instead."

"That sounds like something Yamamoto-dono would say," Kohaku reflected, and Hiroshi nodded.

"He probably did," he agreed. "Or Minabe-sensei. One or the other. She was pretty uncompromising with the lessons she gave us, but I apparently learned something from her. I'm comforted by the fact I managed to stay on my feet as long as I did, as you're fast, and you have a really tricky angle to your swing sometimes. It's hard to get a grasp of your particular style, since I just think I know what you're going to do and you change it up."

"I've not met Minabe-sensei," Kohaku looked thoughtful. "But I have heard stories about her, and her training regimen, mostly from Kayashima."

"You haven't?" Hiroshi looked surprised. "She's the kenjutsu teacher at the Academy, so I assumed..." he broke off, and Kohaku's lips twitched into a wry smile. He shook his head.

"I didn't go to the Academy, so I didn't get to meet her," he said matter-of-factly, sheathing his own asauchi with a sigh. "I've actually never been there at all. I'd quite like to, one day, because it's a place that so many people I'm close to have fond memories of, but there's just never been an opportunity to do it."

"You didn't?" Hiroshi frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise. I thought that it was normal practice for the Thirteenth, so I just assumed..."

"Oh, it is, and it's fine," Kohaku grinned. "I'm not the only exception, but it's fairly rare for this Division to take members from outside of the Academy. In fact, it might be only Izumi-chan and I, now I think about it. We both had extenuating circumstances that brought us here...albeit different ones...and so we ended up training on the job instead."

"I see," Hiroshi pressed his lips together. "One of my friends said this morning that Ichimaru-san is an Urahara, and that she does a lot of work with science?"

"Yes," Kohaku agreed. "She's more or less the last of her family line, though, and the connection to the main Clan is pretty archaic. She came here originally because her family were threatened, but ended up staying when it became clear she and the Gotei had a lot to offer each other," he added. "It was nice, really, because we were more or less new at the same time, and so Taichou taught us both a lot of things together. It was more fun that way...I got to know her really well because of that."

Hiroshi hesitated, glancing at his companion as though debating whether to ask a question, and Kohaku sent him a quizzical look.

"What's up? Something bothering you?"

"I'm sorry," Hiroshi coloured red, looking sheepish. "I just wondered...if she came here because she was in danger...well...I wondered...if the same was true...for you?"

"For me?" Kohaku's eyes widened, and he shook his head. "No, I don't think I was in danger necessarily. Except perhaps from myself."

He frowned.

"You noticed that I didn't train with you today with my _zanpakutou_?" he added, and Hiroshi nodded.

"I did," he agreed. "I wondered why, but I didn't like to ask. Some swords just aren't great for training - I've heard that, so I thought maybe yours was one of those."

"I'd say that's true," Kohaku said ironically. "Kayashima wasn't joking when he said it was a matter of which sword I chose to use. Kyouka Raigen - my _zanpakutou_ \- it's not really a training blade in any way whatsoever. The truth is, my sword's a bit..."

He hesitated, looking for the right adjective, and at length he sighed.

"I'm wary of what I say, since it can probably hear me, and it will scold me if it doesn't like what I tell you," he admitted ruefully. "The truth is, I came here rather than the Academy because of my _zanpakutou_. I was born in Rukongai, like I told you, so I didn't have a chance to go and train properly anywhere. You said you couldn't nail my style, but that's probably because I learned to use the sword at different times from different people and I've just mashed all the things I've learned together into something that works. With an asauchi, that's fine, but my _zanpakutou_ is a bit different and it always was. It's not something that you can make do with and hope for the best. I still have a long way to go in really mastering it, and sometimes I'm not certain I have full control over all the things it can do yet. Well, I suppose most shinigami in training are the same," he added on reflection, "but with Kyouka Raigen, I always feel it's more pressing that I try. Before it told me its name, and allowed me to really summon it, I always had this voice inside of me. It was there as long as I remember, even when I was a child, and we'd argue. A lot. It was quite frightening, and so it's something I suppose I don't ever take chances with."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I summoned my sword unexpectedly," he concluded vaguely. "Because of that, and because my sword is...demanding...it was thought that I'd be safer here. Or no, maybe they decided it would be safer for the Academy if I was here. One or the other."

"You might have been in our class, if you'd come," Hiroshi realised. Kohaku shook his head.

"You did six years of training, though, didn't you?" he pointed out. "I'd have been the year below you. In a sense, I'm less trained than you are in all of this, and probably not in a position to tell you what to do at all."

"You have squad experience, though, and you've had your _zanpakutou_ for longer," Hiroshi pointed out. "If you were that far ahead, you'd probably have skipped first year at the very least. Most of us didn't hear our _zanpakutou_ speak before we arrived at the school, so if you heard it as a kid, I'm sure some of the things we were taught you'd have been able to skip through with ease. It's kind of funny, thinking that way...but we might have been classmates."

He grinned sheepishly.

"I hope this isn't rude to say, but you and Kayashima-san don't seem like you're a lot older than us," he added. "Can I ask how old you are? I'm twenty-two now. I'll be twenty-three at the end of the summer."

"We're both twenty-six, so there's not a big age gap at all," Kohaku returned the grin with a smile of his own. "I'm not old enough, really, for it to be a rude question."

"We might have been classmates, then. Or at least, at school at the same time. It's not impossible."

"I suppose so," Kohaku considered this thoughtfully. "I admit, I never really worked with recruits like this before. I avoided it, because I felt that my education was lacking in teaching Academy graduates about being a shinigami - but my rank being what it is now, I can't avoid it any more. I never thought about it that way, though I do wish, sometimes, that I'd been at the Academy. At least for a little while. It sounds like it was fun, and I'm sad I missed out."

He sounded wistful, and Hiroshi grinned.

"I'm going to find it hard to call you 'sir' if you keep talking like that," he warned playfully. "I'm already on ropey ground with remembering honorifics to people who are friendly to me, rather than barking orders. I can see that, at this rate, I'm going to get myself whacked for insubordination somewhere along the line. I guess I should apologise up front, because I can see it happening if we keep talking like this."

"I don't really know what to do with being called 'sir' anyway," Kohaku admitted honestly. "It makes me feel awkward. Kohaku-san is one thing, but sir? I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"Did you ever have a crisis of confidence about whether you're cut out to be a shinigami?" Hiroshi asked slowly, as they made their way to one of the big willow trees and settled themselves on a dry patch of grass beneath it. "I'm sure I shouldn't be asking a superior officer that, but I feel like, if I ask you, maybe you'll tell me."

"I think everyone feels like that, sometimes," Kohaku was surprised. "I certainly won't deny it. Given my background, I worried about it a lot. I still do. Even when I first came here, and didn't know the first thing about anything. But I realised that I _want_ to be a shinigami, and that changed it for me. I am not always sure if I'm a good one, and I worry that I don't know things that you all learned with Yamamoto-dono...but I work as hard as I can and I try to keep up. I think if its what you want to be, then you can make it possible, even if to begin with it seems hard. Also that even if there is an accepted, normal pathway to doing something, it doesn't mean its the only way. Sometimes you have to dig out your own path if there isn't one there already, and just hope its solid and stable enough to keep walking on...if that makes sense."

"Maybe," Hiroshi thought this over carefully. "I'm sorry to ask the question, but I'm glad you answered it honestly. Maybe because you didn't go to the Academy, I find it easier to ask you about this. My classmates...I mean, my fellow recruits, they don't really understand, but the thing is, I've been having a lot of feelings like that lately. They began before graduation, but they haven't stopped since I came here. I've been throwing attention into my chores and my duties, because I don't want to seem like I don't belong here, but the truth is that I was relieved this morning when the patrol was postponed, even though everyone's said that it's quiet and there isn't much danger around."

He sighed.

"I'm becoming embarrassed of myself," he admitted honestly. "I never used to be so much of a wimp. I had a bad experience in our practical mission in the Real World, back at the Academy. I almost came off worst in an encounter with a Hollow, and two of my classmates had to save me. It made me question myself. I always scored fine on tests and assessments but you know, it's not about that. Whatever I learned in the classroom, if I can't apply it in a proper situation..."

He trailed off, and Kohaku sent him a sidelong glance.

"But being a shinigami is about being part of a team, isn't it?" he asked softly. "You just said your classmates came and backed you up. Sometimes things happen, but that's why we patrol together. Because then we can watch each other's backs and make sure everyone comes home safely. That's what Taichou taught me, anyway, when I first came here. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, or has a moment of crisis. People have different strengths and weaknesses, like I said before."

He shrugged.

"You trained for six years, and Yamamoto-dono passed you and allowed you to come here," he added. "Taichou also accepted you. That means they believe you're capable, and they honestly know those things better than you or I do. One incident didn't change that opinion for them, so there's no reason why it should do so for you. Especially now. You're a recruit. A lot of people will be looking out for you to begin with, until you know where you fit in and how you can operate effectively within that team. Nobody expects you to have all the answers right away."

"I suppose that's true," Hiroshi was taken aback, but he smiled, nodding his head. "You see, when you say things like that, I remember you're my superior officer, and that the five years of squad time you have on me makes a difference. I don't think it matters that you didn't go to the Academy, Kohaku-san. I think you probably learnt more here, with everything going on around you. The truth is, I think I lost my nerve a bit, and though everyone keeps telling me it's fine and I'll get it back, sometimes I wonder. It's pathetic and cowardly, but I think it made me a bit afraid of Hollows, and that's stupid, since hunting them is our job."

"A lot of people are scared of Hollows," Kohaku shrugged. "Honestly, though, if you feel like that, you should talk to Fukutaichou. He'll listen and he's patient and he'll figure out a good way to help you get past it."

He grinned.

"Fukutaichou is a powerful fighter and big and physical, so sometimes people think he's just there to drill members into the ground and make sure we can all swing swords properly," he added, "but it's not true. He likes recruits, and working with them. He says its a good way to teach people, when they're raw and new to the squad and so haven't built bad habits or preconceived ideas yet. He taught me a ton of useful things about practical survival in the field and how to make sure an enemy couldn't take me easily off guard. I'm sure he'd do the same for you, if you asked. He likes people taking the initiative and coming to him looking to improve, too. It might be extra work, but I think he'd do it, if he thought it'd help you and the squad in the long run."

"I might do that," Hiroshi considered. "He seems fair and like he'd listen, so if I have a chance, I'll talk to him about it. If he's like that, then maybe he'll have advice for me. It can't hurt, right?"

He paused, then, "Kohaku-san, can I ask you something awkward?"

"I suppose so?" Kohaku's eyes clouded momentarily for a moment, but the look was gone in a moment, and he nodded his head. "What is it?"

"Shinobu hasn't said anything...weird to you, has he? I mean, nothing...offensive in any regard?"

"Shinobu?" Kohaku looked confused, and Hiroshi nodded.

"Yatsubashi. It's just that...he said all that stuff when we went on border camp patrol, about Keitarou and the damage he did, and you seemed to be offended by it, so I wondered..."

He grimaced, glancing at his hands.

"It's probably cheeky, my asking this," he admitted, "but I wanted to be sure he wasn't bothering you about anything. Shinobu's my friend and he's an amazing friend, but he does have a bee in his bonnet about some things, and Aizen Keitarou is one of those things. Growing up in Seventh, the whole thing had an impact on him, and I think he hasn't let it go. I know you probably get a lot of hassle, because of your name, which is why I feel I'm being cheeky. I don't have any problems with it, and...well...I'm not sure that he does either, but...sometimes he says things without thinking...and..."

He trailed off, and Kohaku looked pensive.

"I see," he mused slowly. "His family were personally affected, were they, by the things Keitarou did in District Seven?"

"Several members of his family were taken and killed during the purges, as far as I understand it. Uncles, cousins, aunts, even a grandparent," Hiroshi agreed gravely. "Some of them were killed by previous Endou and their rules on District reiryoku, but...not all of them. Some of them were...taken into custody by Endou soldiers and then..."

"Experimented on by Keitarou under Endou Seimaru's auspices," Kohaku sounded weary, and Hiroshi thought his eyes looked suddenly sad. "A lot of people died in District Seven then, although it was before any of us were born. It's a sad, tragic past, but it can't be undone or changed. Keitarou is dead...and the past is what it is."

"I keep telling him that Keitarou is gone, but he says its not so easy to forget, and that remembering is important, so it doesn't happen again," Hiroshi ran fingers through his thick dark hair. "I don't like it, because I think he's obsessing, and while he's right about preventing something bad in the future, I'm more worried he's going to go looking for trouble. He's my friend and saying this is probably betraying him, but I don't want him getting in a mess because he can't let go. He's wanted to be here for the longest time, and thinks the world of the Captain, but even so, I don't think he's quite let go of what happened in his family's past. They're big on sharing the stories - both of Taichou's heroics and the dark eras before - and it's made a deep impression on him, growing up."

"Hmm," Kohaku pressed his lips together for a moment, then he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he's said nothing else to me, but I haven't really seen a lot of him. I understand his comment at the border camp, but I agree with you. It's not something that he should dwell on. Learning from the past is one thing, but obsessing over it isn't healthy. Especially a past that happened before he was born. Trust me. I know a lot about that kind of thing."

He sighed heavily, and Hiroshi saw what he thought was apprehension deep in the other shinigami's dark eyes.

"You'd think five years would be enough to break a curse, but apparently not."

"It must be doubly hard for you, too," Hiroshi said thoughtfully, "having the same name and everything."

"The same...?"

"As Keitarou. It must get you a lot of hassle, and questions, especially when you get a bunch of new people, like us, coming in without knowing anything."

Kohaku eyed his companion for a moment, then a faint smile touched his lips. He nodded.

"I do get a lot of people asking," he admitted, "but not necessarily for that reason. You haven't realised, have you? Or nobody has told you, which is the more surprising option. Did you just not ask anyone, or did you take what Kayashima said at face value and leave it at that?"

"I'm sorry?" Hiroshi was confused, and Kohaku let out a low chuckle, the earlier preoccupation lifting briefly in light of his surprise.

"I see," he said warmly. "You didn't ask about it. I quite like that. I think you're the first recruit who hasn't, in all of the time I've been here."

"I'm not sure what I was supposed to ask about, but I'm glad it's a good thing..?" Hiroshi ventured, and Kohaku smiled, patting his companion lightly on the arm.

"Because you didn't ask, I'll tell you," he said frankly. "If I don't, someone will, and I think maybe it would be better if it comes from me .You don't seem to be doubting or suspicious and I like that, so I think I can tell you. I hope so, anyway. I guess I'll find out."

"Suspicious of what, exactly?" Hiroshi looked blank, and Kohaku sighed.

"Keitarou was my father," he said matter-of-factly, and Hiroshi's eyes became huge, his jaw dropping into a big 'O' of surprise. At his expression, Kohaku laughed, amusement replacing the sad look that had clouded his dark brown eyes. He nodded.

"You didn't think it at all, did you?" he asked. "Not even once. I can tell by your reaction. It never crossed your mind."

"It never did," Hiroshi hurriedly recovered himself, still staring at his companion in disbelief. "But I...I...well...I thought...I mean, I haven't known you very long, but you don't seem...I mean...you aren't a bit like..."

He trailed off, unable to articulate his sentence clearly, and Kohaku nodded.

"I'm not at all like my father," he said candidly. "I'm glad you realise it, because it makes it easier for me."

"So that's why Rukongai," Hiroshi's brain started clicking into gear, and he gazed at his superior officer as if seeing him properly for the first time. "I heard Keitarou hid out there, for a long time, before he launched his attack on Seireitei. I knew he had a daughter, and that she killed the Vice Captain of the Seventh before being killed herself...but..."

He faltered, flushing red as he realised how blunt his statement was.

"I'm sorry," he said awkwardly. "I guess...that was your..."

"My sister? Yes," Kohaku acknowledged. "You needn't worry, though. She didn't know I was her brother, and we never had any sort of relationship. She wanted to kill things, and I didn't, so we didn't get along. When she died, it was sad, but I didn't really grieve."

He let out his breath in a rush.

"When Father died, it was harder, because I'd chosen not to follow his cause by that point," he said sadly. "I knew Father better than anyone. Understood him, too. But I wasn't like him, and he couldn't manipulate me. So we ended up on different sides. And because of that, he died...and I came here."

"Did he help you to raise your sword, then?" Hiroshi wondered. Kohaku shook his head.

"He wanted to, I think, but he never managed to," he replied. "I did that on my own, by accident. I was blowing up a Senkaimon at the time," he added nostalgically, and Hiroshi shot him a doubtful look.

"Er...isn't that...sort of...against rules somewhere? Vandalising shinigami equipment?"

"It is, but I did it to stop Father from taking control of half of the Gotei and using them to kill the other half, so they let me off," Kohaku said evenly. "A lot happened...it was a busy time."

He rubbed his temples.

"I can talk about it flippantly, but I don't feel like that inside," he admitted. "Betraying Father still sits badly inside of me. I know that I did the only thing I could do to prevent a mass slaughter across the Gotei and the Districts, but I never did like to kill people, and I knew Father. I'd say I loved him, even though...well, he was that kind of man. He was broken a long time ago, but I think...or want to believe...he did love us, deep down. He raised me and I was dependent on him more than anyone else, growing up. But as I got older, I realised...and meeting my sword made it more certain for me. I wasn't born to help him, but to stop him. He wanted a world where people could live free of oppression, but he was never going to be able to bring that world to fruition. He was too damaged and his ideals too twisted - he wasn't able to let grudges go and see a bigger picture for the benefit of everyone. Only someone like Taichou can really bring that world about, and so..."

He paused, then,

"I owe Taichou everything," he added. "He trusted me, trained me and gave me the chance to help make a difference. I love being here, and I want to be a shinigami. But five years isn't long enough for people to forget. And...well...people who don't know me...sometimes they wonder. And doubt. And think I'm biding my time, waiting to follow in Father's footsteps. I guess that's the real reason I've avoided working with recruits up till now. Each new intake, I have to repeat the experience of people with those questions, wondering whether they can trust me, or if I'm going to betray them."

"I don't think that," Hiroshi said firmly. "I'm surprised because I didn't even think of it. I don't think you're like him, and I don't think you'd betray the Taichou. I'm really glad that you told me the truth, but it's not important to me. Nobody chooses their family...but we all choose how to live and what to do with our lives. You came here, and that's enough for me. You're my senior officer, and you might be my sub-patrol officer, one day. You listened to my worries and you didn't laugh at me. You also spent your free time this morning crossing swords with me because I wanted to train and needed someone to train with. That means I trust you."

He settled himself more comfortably on the grass.

"I think I won't tell Shinobu about it, though, because I'm not sure he knows you well enough yet to understand," he decided. "I think it would probably be less hassle."

"Perhaps it would," Kohaku acknowledged. "It's not really a secret, though. I mean, it's something everyone knew when I first came here. I'm not in hiding, and if he asked me, I'd answer him honestly. I'd rather not have a fuss about it, though."

"Keitarou's real name was Urahara, wasn't it." Hiroshi realised. "Did you never think of changing your name, after he died?"

"To Urahara? Or something else?" Kohaku's eyes narrowed. "Why? Everyone knew who I was. Besides, Aizen is my name, even if it wasn't his. I'm not an Urahara, nor an Endou, even though I have blood to both families because of my parents. Aizen is a Kyouraku name, and I've learned that the roots of my spirit power come from the Kyouraku blood of my grandmother's line. I think that I should keep the name, and rehabilitate it. One day, people will hear it and won't associate it with chaos or terror...I hope. But for that to happen, I have to be here, with this name, proving that the bad times are over."

He grimaced.

"Sometimes that's a heavier burden than other times," he admitted, "but I'm discovering that I'm quite stubborn, and maybe I have a little bit of my own pride. At least, I want to create an Aizen that I can be proud of, so I suppose that has to start here and now, with me not being ashamed to admit who I am. I spent a lot of time in Rukongai having to lie about my identity. I don't want to have to do that ever again, even it it means some people take a little longer to understand."

He glanced up at the sky, judging the time between the branches of the budding willow.

"It's probably almost midday," he reflected. "I'm sure the Captain must be back and I've a feeling I'll probably be out of barracks this afternoon. I should go, change and get ready. It'll likely be a quick departure after lunch, and I have the wrong sword. Plus, Atsudane-san will probably be reconvening your patrol as well."

He patted his asauchi.

"If you want, though, we'll train again. I mean, it's up to you, but I don't mind. You're pretty decent with a sword, and sparring is fun. Besides, Taichou said I should help the recruits, so if I can, I will."

"I'd like that," Hiroshi nodded, offering his companion a smile. "You've already taught me that I need to increase my speed in attack, and I'm curious about this sword of yours, too. Maybe one day you'll bring it out, and I'll see what it can do?"

"I think you'd be much happier if you didn't," Kohaku said ominously, "but we'll see. For now, I think the asauchi is a better bet."

"Then I suppose I need to work hard on trying to disarm you, so you'll crank it up a level?" Hiroshi asked hopefully, and Kohaku laughed.

"It's a good target, but I'm going to be working harder, too, since I have rank pride to think about," he warned, getting to his feet. "I'll see you later. I'm sure that, once you get back from your patrol, you'll have a new list of errands to run this afternoon instead?"

"The joys of recruit chores," Hiroshi agreed with a resigned sigh. "I've read the handbook list, and I've still got a lot of new ones to sample, apparently!"

"It builds character," Kohaku winked. "We've all done it. Just beware of people around the koi pond when you're weeding. I got dumped in there so many times by Kayashima I ended up learning to swim, and there's no reason to suppose he - or someone else - wouldn't prank you, just for kicks."

"I'm a good swimmer, but I don't really fancy a dip while it's still so brisk, so I'll keep that in mind," Hiroshi laughed, clambering to his feet and bowing his head towards his companion. "Thank you for this morning, Kohaku-san. I'll work hard and I'll take your advice and talk to Fukutaichou, too."

"Do that," Kohaku agreed. "And you're welcome. We'll fix another time, if you're still in one piece after all those chores!"

With that he was gone across the yard, and Hiroshi leaned up against the trunk of the tree, watching him with a thoughtful expression on his face.  
 _  
Well, so now what do I do with that?_

He grimaced, running over the conversation in his head once more.

 _Shinobu has such a thing about Kohaku-san and if he knew this, it would be major trouble. He wouldn't take it the way I did, and I don't want to cause trouble. He'll be mad if he finds out I knew and didn't tell him, but I can't. I believe Kohaku-san. He's not like Keitarou. He's a good guy, he's honest and he listens to stuff, even from a recruit he barely knows. It's not fair, being tainted by someone else's actions. I'd hate it, if it were me, so I'm not going to do anything that'll cause that._

He let out a heavy sigh.

 _I guess I'll just say nothing about it. Kohaku-san helped me with some sword practice. That's all. Nothing else. And life carries on. I have plenty to do this afternoon, and probably, nobody's going to have enough free time to bother about something so mundane. So I guess I'll get to work, and not worry about it. I have to follow Kohaku-san's advice, and talk to Fukutaichou, anyway, so for now, I'll focus on what's right in front of me and leave things that are nothing to do with me well alone!_

* * *

The urge to kill had been harder to sate this time.

Tsuneyoshi gazed around him at the scattered pieces of bone and horn that littered the floor at his feet. The air was thick and heavy with the toxic residue of disintegrated Hollow souls, and his own reiatsu was inextricably mingled in the atmosphere, telling him that, although he could not clearly remember, he had been hunting Hollows here again. It wasn't the first time he had come here, deep beneath the sandy surface world to the gloomy forest of crystal tree trunks and dead earth that lay beneath, but it was the first time that both the atmosphere and the reason for his coming sent chills down his spine. This part of the Void World was tainted, he told himself bleakly, enclosed and hidden from the pure white of the surface layer. The moon was not visible here, the sand held up above their heads like a kind of ceiling by thickly woven vines that hung like ropes between the stone-hard trees. Nothing here was alive, though it gave the illusion of a forest, and the creatures that lurked here were neither man nor beast, but a combination of the two. As a shinigami, Tsuneyoshi had been taught to hunt Hollows, but now, remembering Kunimori's account of Seireitei's grim past and the number of individuals who had been consigned to the Dangai, he had begun to see them differently. When Kunimori had left him to his own devices, he had tried to read the records left behind by the wielder of the Void sword for himself. The words were faded and archaic, and he had made little progress, but among the closely scribed lines of text there had been the occasional sketch, images of women and children forced into the darkness, identified by particular insignia or symbols that suggested that, at times in Seireitei's past, whole families, clans, even ethnic tribes had been consigned here for no other reason than they were different. The mutant creatures that his blade had cut apart may have begun their lives as shinigami, or criminals who had sinned against the peace, but now Tsuneyoshi knew that some of them may have just been born in the wrong family...or had stood out against something they didn't believe in.  
 **  
"These are rebels, born and bred, those who have a grudge to settle. Would it not be justice to let them settle it for themselves? We need to find the Dangai, and its surely unfair to think of those souls trapped in limbo, unable to be reborn so long as they fester in the darkness of the Dangai."**

Kunimori's words echoed in his ears, and he gazed down at his blade, sensing the broken reiatsu of the Hollows he had cut down with a sense of nausea inside of him.

 _Is Kunimori-dono right? Did the original wielder of the Void Sword come here to escape the treachery of Seireitei? Did our predecessors spend milennia throwing people that disagreed with them into the Dangai, on the orders of Heaven, perhaps? Are these people criminals and rebels, or are they victims? People misunderstood? People trying to make changes to the world, but who met barriers on all sides?_

He wiped Meidoushi's blade clean, tilting it slightly to gaze at his reflection. It was strange to meet his own gaze, for although he had not aged, he could see a difference in his eyes from the person he had once been. His mother had once told him that taking life took parts of a man's soul, and absently Tsuneyoshi wondered whether the fragments of his own memory that remained confused or missing since his exile here were really the work of Harumizu's memory hex, or whether it was a result of his own actions.  
 _  
A healer should not kill people. A healer who kills is the most dangerous killer of all. I didn't understand that before, but now I do.  
_  
He sheathed the weapon with a little sigh.  
 _  
When all you hear is the wail of the dying, the urge to make it stop must be overwhelming. But when you merge that with the voices of the newly dead, what then? How can you possibly not lose your mind, inundated by so many screams and cries? What I felt and heard in the Dangai is something I can never put into words. Finding one soul and raising him was enough to send me out of my wits. Did I become the instinct of the man I raised, or was it something else? Am I too attuned to Meidoushi's will that I can reflect the emotions of a vengeful killer, or is this just who I really am? Is this who the Soldier was born to be? A person who can come and slay souls without even recalling how many times he brought his blade down? I don't know who I killed here, or what drew me to come. All I know is that I kept swinging my blade until the voices stopped whispering and calling to me, begging for salvation. I'd forgotten how much I hated hunting Hollows, because they were dead and yet not dead at all. What Kunimori-dono wants me to do is worse even than that. Raise voices of those who are silent...allow them to speak to me and finish whatever it was they began. Can I do that, and still retain control of who I am? Or is it as you always said, Okaasama? Has my soul begun to be consumed by the lives I've taken...the lives whose voices never completely leave my sword when it is awake?_

"How long do you think you can avoid me for?"

Kunimori's voice broke through Tsuneyoshi's internal monologue, and he turned, resignation on his features as he took in his companion. Kunimori looked impatient, and, as they met gazes, the older man raised an eyebrow.

"Well? Are you helping the shinigami with their Hollow incursion problem, or are you helping me with our little return to Seireitei problem?"

"I don't want to raise more dead souls, Kunimori-dono." Tsuneyoshi spoke softly. "It might seem easy to you, but you can't hear them. I don't like it. It's hard to hear."

Kunimori's eyes narrowed, and he strode forward, grabbing Tsuneyoshi by the throat before he could react and shoving him up against the crystal trunk of a nearby tree, pushing his head close enough to his companion that Tsuneyoshi could feel the other's warm breath against his skin. Despite his advanced years, Kunimori's body was still lean and muscled beneath his faded Clan robes, and Tsuneyoshi knew that the old man had continued to train with his weapon on a daily basis, even since being exiled to this place. He had spent a lifetime in readiness for his return, and, from the expression on his face now, he was in no mood to discuss alternatives.

"I'll tell you what is difficult," Kunimori spoke now in low tones. "You might have been in a little ageless, memoryless bubble, but I've had to live here, all this time, with all of this on my own. You whine and complain about a little discomfort, but you don't spare a thought for me and the aeons of time I've waited and planned for this opportunity. Your sword provides a way through, but one soul wasn't enough. I need you, and I don't intend on letting you refuse me. I will go back to Seireitei, Tsuneyoshi-dono, and I will take my revenge on my family for my exile here...but mark my words. I will find a way even if you don't help me, but if I do, I won't just be killing my own kind. I'll also make sure to kill yours, too. Including your son, if he still lives, and any children he might have cursed the world with since your departure."

"You're bluffing," Tsuneyoshi's eyes narrowed, and he pushed the other man away. "You can't get there without me. You said so yourself."

"I can't, not yet, but I might still find a way," Kunimori spoke coldly. "Your little experiment didn't find the Dangai, but it did tell me one thing. There are weak spots on the Seireitei side of the Dangai. You were able to find an opening and dump a corpse doll into their land with surprisingly little trouble. If there is one weakness, there will be others. What caused them, I don't yet know, but I'm good at working things out."

He patted his sword, then,

"I suggest you choose to come with me and help me, because otherwise I won't make promises about whose life I might spare on the other side," he added grimly. "The Unohana and the Yamamoto were not allies, and I certainly had no regard for you or your people when I was living in Seireitei. I will kill them, and all your sacrifices will have been for nothing...unless you come with me, help me, and do as I tell you."

Tsuneyoshi gazed at his companion for a moment, hating him for every word he spoke, but, as he met Kunimori's gaze afresh, he saw nothing but icy sincerity burning in the old man's beady depths. There was a long pause, and then he sighed.

"All right," he said reluctantly. "I'll come, and I'll try again. But don't think that you can make a puppet or a slave of me, Kunimori-dono. You can't kill me, remember? And I'm pretty sure I can still kill you."

"I'm pretty sure your skills as a fighter will not tax me, even at this old age," Kunimori was unmoved. "I'm not averse to removing some of your limbs and maiming you if need be, since all I need is your heart to beat, your brain to work and your lips to control that sword. You should remember that, even though you hold the Soldier blade, I am the real warrior here. And, sometimes, Knowledge is power just as much as military might."

He touched his sword again, then,

"If we're done exchanging pointless threats, I think we should return to the fortress," he added evenly. "You might be eternal, but I have a limited lifespan, and we have a lot of work to do."

* * *

 **Author's Note: The Captains and the Vice Captains**

Just for fun and recollection, here are the Gotei as they currently stand in terms of leadership.

First Division  
Captain: Yamamoto Yuuichi  
Vice Captain: Yamamoto Akira

Second Division  
Captain: Shihouin Midori  
Vice Captain/Head of Onmitsukidou: Shihouin Kai

Third Division  
Captain: Urahara Nagesu  
Vice Captain: Urahara Shiketsu

Fourth Division  
Captain: Unohana Retsu  
Vice Captain: Unohana Eriko

Fifth Division  
Captain: Shiba Kyouki  
Vice Captain: Arai Kanezane

Sixth Division  
Captain: Kuchiki Guren  
Vice Captain: Kuchiki (Nagoya) Shirogane

Seventh Division  
Captain: Endou Hirata  
Vice Captain: Kitabata Hajime

Eighth Division  
Captain: Kyouraku Shunsui  
Vice Captain: Shindou Tetsuya

Ninth Division  
Captain: Shiba Sora  
Vice Captain: Mikihara Hyakken

Tenth Division  
Captain: Shiba Hakubei  
Vice Captain: Souryou Kanshi

Eleventh Division  
Captain: Minaichi Atsushi  
Vice Captain: Ikata Jintarou

Twelfth Division  
Captain: Sekime Mareiko  
Vice Captain: Michihashi Aoi

Thirteenth Division  
Captain: Ukitake Juushirou  
Vice Captain: Houjou Enishi


	17. Secrets

**Chapter Sixteen: Secrets**

"You know, Hirata, if I didn't know better, I'd think that you were playing hooky from your Division and leaving all the work to Kitabata to handle,"

Juushirou ushered his old friend into the warm, welcoming space of Ugendou, offering him a smile and gesturing for him to take a seat on one of the many pillows that lay scattered around the floor. "With the meeting this morning, I didn't expect to see you - are you sure you haven't let Shunsui's bad example lead you astray?"

"I often wish I could follow that bad example more closely, but try as I might I keep getting bogged down in technicalities and red tape," Hirata sighed, sinking down onto the nearest cushion with a grimace and accepting a mug of hot green tea. "I am not really playing hooky, either. It's true I've handed over most of the basic drill to Kikyue and Hajime, but I wanted to talk to you about Katsura. And, I suppose, Kohaku."

"I haven't told him about it, yet," Juushirou looked troubled, glancing out of the window at the position of the sun in the spring sky. "The moment I got back I sent him to the Third as I knew Nagesu-sama needed him, and there hasn't been time to address it. I admit, I'm worried about broaching the subject...but I don't think Kohaku would get himself involved in anything subversive. He's proven enough in the past that he has a mind of his own and a sense of right from wrong."

"You know the boy better than any of the rest of us do," Hirata admitted. "I don't really suspect him of any trouble, but I do worry about the possibility of Katsura's influence. I want to be sure you are really with me on this, Juushirou. If what happened in Rukongai was really Katsura's doing..."

"I know," Juushirou held up his hands. "I don't need a repeat. I understand the gravity. We've agreed as Captains that he won't be killed on sight, but will be taken into custody and questioned first. I can support that. I think that the only way we will get answers to these things is by asking Katsura directly, so as long as that arrangement is in place, you have my support. And I will broach it with Kohaku...but I didn't want to send him to the Third with a rushed message that, by the way, we're also hunting your brother. He's been quite stable and I don't want to upset that balance. I don't think it would be good for him or for anyone else."

"Are you afraid of him?" Hirata's hawk-like eyes bored into Juushirou's own hazel ones, and the white haired Captain sighed, shaking his head.

"Afraid _for_ him," he corrected. "I've never been scared of Koku, or anything he can do. But the level of spirit power he has is terrifying in its own right. It's turned on him before, and I worry about that. The last person to hold a sword like his killed himself, and I know that, when he was younger, Kohaku was also self-destructive. I don't want that ending for him. He has too much potential and too much to give the Gotei and I worry about what might happen if we don't manage his development and ensure he has proper control. I'm not just being overprotective - I see him as someone who can really make a big difference in this world. But he is a long way from full spiritual maturity, and he lacks confidence at times. I'm afraid for him, Hirata. Especially if he thinks Katsura's in trouble. That's why I wanted to stop and think about how to tackle it with him before I did. I need to make him understand why this order is important, and most of all, that nobody is going to kill his brother without a fair hearing and trial."

Hirata's expression became rueful, and he reached out a gloved hand to brush the end of Juushirou's sheathed sword, propped up against the table.

"I see the Twin Fish are applying their usual logic to my Wind Hawk's desire for bloodshed," he said dryly. "I won't kill Katsura, though. I don't pretend I don't think he should be killed, but I accept the decision. I want him taken out of circulation and that's more important than stringing up his corpse, for now. Besides, I know that we don't think Kohaku is any part Endou in his spiritual make-up, but even if my family don't acknowledge him, he is still, technically, my nephew. I don't think that, if you're right about the level of power he has, it would be good to test it by arbitrarily murdering his favourite surviving relative."

"I don't think Kohaku is a vengeful soul, and I'm certain he's not an Endou in that respect," Juushirou said thoughtfully. "I think there are better ways than vigilante justice by the blade, though, when dealing with what's left of Keitarou's influence. Keitarou manipulated people's thoughts and feelings by playing on their resentments. If Katsura is like his father, he might do the same. We don't want to make a martyr unnecessarily, and we don't know, yet, what Katsura is about. I'd rather know how much like his father he is before we make assumptions."

"Now you sound like Shunsui," Hirata reflected, lifting his tea mug in a mock toast. "Maybe it isn't just me who's been influenced by his bad example."

"Maybe not," despite himself, Juushirou was amused. "Wouldn't he be proud of us, following in his hallowed footsteps?"

"Well, he is the Captain Commander, so it's only fitting," Hirata laughed.

"What did the Seventh make of this morning's fresh orders?"

"It's not really fresh for them, as finding Katsura is already on their agenda," Hirata shrugged. "It was a surprise to them when Shirogane-dono turned up, but he and Hajime had some constructive discussions about future collaborative planning and maybe even working arrangements. We've never had such close ties with the Kuchiki, but it seems Souja generated a fair amount of respect in District Six's ruling Clan, and that has made things easier between us. I was surprised at Guren-sama's suggestion, but glad of it, too. The Kuchiki are powerful and good allies to have."

"Your position is less threatened if people think that overthrowing you will launch an invasion from District Six?" Juushirou asked. Hirata nodded.

"Of course, they'd have to get past Seizumi, first," he pointed out dryly, indicating his own sheathed zanpakutou. "That's not an easy task for anyone. But I'd like it, if we could forge better military relationships with our neighbours. We've had good trade with District Eight since Father took over, and it continues into my administration, but there's a lot of bad history there. We've never had any bonds with the Kuchiki of any kind, and I'd like it if we did. It's rare for offers of collaboration of that nature to come out of District Six, but I will say that Guren-dono is more outward looking a Clan leader there than maybe in previous generations. It makes sense to take advantage while we have a common interest in extinguishing the last dregs of Keitarou's influence in our world. I think that I'm planning for a future District Seven that will be quite different from the current one, and I'd like to set good foundations in place so that the whole region doesn't descend into civil war on my death."

"Do you think the Endou would accept one of your daughters inheriting?"

"Kikyue would make them, but I don't want to force her to do that," Hirata admitted. "I love my children, Juushirou, and losing Souja has just made me more aware of how precious my daughters both are. I've always believed that they should choose their lives. Kiki wanted to be a shinigami, so I let her, despite the opposition. My Clan are mostly afraid of her, which is a good sign if she wanted to take control of it, but a bad one in terms of a marriage alliance. A man strong enough to wed her would also try to dominate her, and I imagine she'd probably kill him before the wedding celebrations were over."

He sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"My kinsfolk seem to know it, as I have never entertained suits for Kikyue's hand."

"I find it amusing that the Endou, with their reputation, are pragmatic enough about their own life expectancy to forgo the lure of power and not take the risk," Juushirou chuckled at Hirata's blunt assessment. "And of course, a Clan Leader must marry, else there's no future descendent to inherit. What about Ohara, though? He works closely with Kikyue and they seem to get along."

"Well, that's another thing," Hirata pursed his lips, a pensive look entering his hawkish blue eyes. "Ohara has always been a peacock and I did suspect he was sent to the Seventh in order to do that very thing. Since Keitarou used his sword to make Ohara attack my daughter five years ago, though, he's a different man. He is very loyal to Kikyue, but I feel there's a debt there that he is trying to repay. Whether he has ever had serious intentions towards her or not, I don't know. The Clan wouldn't sneer at his bloodline, and his father is a trusted member of my government, but I never considered him a serious suitor for my daughter."

"He isn't afraid of her, at least. That surely counts for something? And he's used to following her orders, so wouldn't try to dominate her decisions." Juushirou pointed out. "I don't know, maybe Shunsui's influence has poisoned me more than I thought - but they always seem to have a good trust between them in the field. And Clan marriages are not always about love. If it's about District Seven's stability..."

"I know, but the decision would be Kiki's, and she's made it clear to me marriage is not on her agenda," Hirata shook his head. "Ohara has also never mentioned it to me in any shape or form, so maybe I was wrong about his intentions when joining my division. If Kikyue expressed thoughts that way, I wouldn't block it - as you say, he's used to being subordinate in her chain of command, and he is quite intelligent, underneath his Clannish pomposity...but I won't choose for my children. I might have chosen for Souja, but the fact he isn't here doesn't mean I should put extra burdens on my daughters in his place. Besides, the Clan representatives back home are already more interested in Sayuri. She is much more the gentle _hime_ , and she is as pretty as her mother - but she's a child of thirteen, and I won't have her caged like Eiraki was caged. So I am preparing for a future in which District Seven is divided between my daughters as land to keep them and to allow them to live as they choose, rather than being forced into the shackles of this family. If that means that the overall governance of the land has to be organised in a different way, so be it. I would be content to leave the shinigami element to Kiki and the Clan facade to Sayuri, and let the idea of District sovereignty fade."

He sighed.

"My father told Sayuri that the family was cursed," he added, "and she said to me that, if it was, maybe it would be better if the Endou didn't exist any more. It reflected so much my own feelings that I was taken aback. She's so young, really, but she understands everything so very well. That's why I won't have her pushed into something she doesn't want. She's her own person, as much as Kikyue is, and if I can't leave District Seven an heir to inherit as its Clan Leader, I can at least leave my daughters a safe future as a father."

"Well said," Juushirou said gravely, sipping his own tea and setting the mug aside. "I'd do the same, you know. And I have no powerful Clan backing, but I would be glad to offer my support if ever it came to it. Both Kikyue and Sayuri are children I've known from birth, as Souja was. They're like unofficial nieces to me, and I would not want them to be hurt by greedy, ambitious nobility seeking influence."

"That's reassuring to know," Hirata smiled. "You don't need Clan land, Juushirou. You terrify people just by existing. It's what Shunsui says -you kill people with kindness. You won over Kohaku with that kindness, to the point that he chose you over his father. That's a special kind of power, and I'd like to know my daughters can rely on it, if it ever came to the crunch."

"I'm not sure if I like that implication, and I'm not expecting you to die any time soon," Juushirou scolded his friend. "I just feel that if you give trust, you get it back. Keitarou didn't know how to be the father that Kohaku needed him to be, and he was lonely and afraid, stranded here in Seireitei. I reached out to him, that's all. He didn't have to take my hand, but he did. You make it such a big deal, but it's really just common sense."

"Keitarou was a twisted mastermind of chaotic proportions," Hirata said blackly. "I dread to think what kind of childhood lessons he taught his kids. The girl was a psychopath. Katsura's now leading us a merry dance. I feel it's a miracle you ended up with Kohaku. He seems to be the only one with a shred of sanity to call his own."

"I guess Kohaku's spirit power allowed him to see through Keitarou's wiles and understand things differently," Juushirou sighed. "I wish we'd have been able to find them sooner, because maybe we could've saved the others, too. But if Katsura has decided to follow in his father's footsteps, we must stop him. Even if it makes Kohaku cry to see his brother in chains...we have no choice. Peace in Seireitei comes first, and you have my word, Hirata, I will not compromise that."

"I trust you," Hirata looked relieved. "It just helps to hear you say it. I admit, I'm on edge since the confirmation of his activity. I don't know him and I don't know what he's planning. I don't like being in that position. I feel hunted, and..."

"Hawks are used to being the hunter, not the hunted?" Juushirou asked. Hirata nodded.

"Exactly that," he acknowledged sheepishly. "My talons are clean and my prey escaped, and that never sits well with an Endou."

"Is Shirogane-dono still at Seventh?" Juushirou wondered, and Hirata shook his head.

"He was going with Guren-sama to Sixth District, for their Sakura festivities and memorial for Ribari-dono," he reminded his friend. "Why? Did you want to speak to him about something?"

"I had thought that, perhaps, it would be good to assemble a Vice Captain meeting and have them pool information together," Juushirou admitted. "I asked Enishi his thoughts when I got back, and he agreed that it shouldn't just be the Sixth and Seventh discussing these things. I had forgotten that Guren-sama mentioned the trip, but perhaps when they return it would be a good idea. What do you think?"

"I agree," Hirata nodded. "If you like, I'll mention it to Hajime when I get back. If we all share what we know and any tiny detail that might not seem to matter, we're more likely to track him down. The Vice Captains should definitely be involved in that, since a lot of them are responsible for organising patrols."

"I'll prime Enishi, then," Juushirou decided.

"He isn't going to the Real World?"

"No. As I think I mentioned in the meeting, we'd decided on Naoko leading the patrol there," Juushirou shook his head.

"And Kohaku? Is he going?"

"Undecided," Juushirou admitted. "I see both sides of the coin here, and I don't want to delay the deployment in case whatever was over there poses a genuine threat. The fact it vanished so easily bothers me...as does its lack of hostility towards my officers."

"I would've thought you'd be glad about the latter," Hirata remarked, and Juushirou shrugged.

"Happy they didn't get hurt, but unsettled that it makes finding a motive, let alone defining what kind of entity it is, difficult," he explained. "If they'd encountered it in a battle situation, they'd have more data to bring back. As it is, they have very little except what Ketsui thinks he remembers and I don't know how much we can rely on that, because everything happened so fast. I trust him, and he's not given to delusions or wild imaginings, but in the heat of the incident he might have mistaken something for something else, and that can't be ruled out until we begin a proper investigation."

"Do you think it's connected to Katsura?"

"That's something else I hope to establish, but I tend to feel like Shunsui," Juushirou scratched his chin. "It seems...different. It might connect to Keitarou, but...I don't know. I met Katsura, and he seemed like a hot-headed anarchist with a reckless desire for vengeance and no thought to subtlety. This doesn't seem to fit that pattern. Your attack in the Rukon fits the same modus operandi as the one on the Seventh Division barracks five years ago, which I admit, makes me uncomfortable - he didn't hide his reiatsu and there's devastation every which way. Concealing secret experiments in the Real World doesn't seem likely to me. But then, Kohaku is convinced that Katsura's not a bad person, and what happened at the Seventh was an exception...so who knows. He might be a very skilled pretender, and, having known his father, I'm not ruling out any possibilities just yet."

"Sounds wise," Hirata agreed. "I think that, with Keitarou, even death doesn't rule him out of the game completely."

"I'm beginning to think that's the case, too," Juushirou sighed. Before Hirata could make any further comment, there was a knock at the door, and Juushirou glanced up in surprise.

"Yes?"

"Taichou? It's Yatsubashi. I have a message from Fukutaichou."

Juushirou glanced at Hirata, who shrugged, gesturing for him to allow the recruit to enter, and Juushirou smiled sheepishly.

"Come in, Yatsubashi. I'll take the message."

The door slid back, revealing Shinobu, who started at the sight of Hirata. He faltered, then bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you had company."

"I was just paying your Captain a flying visit," Hirata said glibly. "You must be a new recruit. Once you've been here a while, you'll forget to apologise when you see either myself or Kyouraku-taichou in this office. We tend to visit so often we're almost furniture."

"Hirata, don't tease my new intake," Juushirou scolded. "Yatsubashi, its fine. You know Endou-taichou, I'm sure."

"Yes, sir," Shinobu bowed his head again. "It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Yatsubashi is from your District, Hirata," Juushirou cast Shinobu a warm smile, and the young recruit reddened at this singling out. "He has a lot of positive things to say about life there, under your administration."

"From District Seven, huh?" Hirata eyed Shinobu with interest. "Yatsubashi, you said? I think I know that name. You have a relative in my military guard somewhere at the main house?"

"Yes, sir. My cousin and my uncle both serve the Endou family directly in the military forces," Shinobu nodded eagerly. "My cousin was recently assigned to the Lady Sayuri's personal guard."

"I see. I knew I'd come across the name," Hirata offered a smile. "Welcome to the Gotei. I'm sure that, if Juushirou has you in his charge, the name Yatsubashi will probably be well known here, too, in the future. He has a knack for picking promising future shinigami."

"Hirata, now you're teasing me," Juushirou glared. "Yatsubashi, what was the message?"

"Oh. Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Shinobu reddened again, fumbling at his obi for the written missive. "Here it is. I haven't read it, but Fukutaichou said that it was about the Real World. He thought you'd know about it, if I told you that. I think he said it came from Kotetsu-san."

"Then it's probably the scientific data I've been waiting for," Juushirou accepted the paper, unfolding it and glancing at the contents. He nodded. "Yes, I can settle this. Will you go back and tell him my thanks? Then return to your normal duties. You have no patrol this afternoon?"

"No, sir, but I have plenty of chores still to complete."

"Then you're dismissed," Juushirou grinned at him. "Thank you for bringing it,"

"Yes, sir," Shinobu bowed his head again, then withdrew, shutting the door behind him, and Hirata clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Poaching talent from my District now, Juushirou?" he teased lightly.

"He's District born, so I'm allowed to," Juushirou smiled. "Besides, he chose Thirteenth."

"I'm surprised," Hirata admitted. "There are scarce enough District people with spirit power left in Seventh District, thanks to Keitarou's work. Most died or left as refugees, and few have come back."

"I think Yatsubashi was inspired by that, in part," Juushirou ruminated. "That, and the fact you and I made a big difference in how District people are viewed over there."

"True," Hirata nodded, "but it isn't just that which surprised me. Your squad is the District squad, true enough, but does he know that you number Keitarou's son among your members?"

"It's not something I broadcast, but it isn't a secret," Juushirou reflected. "If he doesn't know yet, he will. But Kohaku is working with the recruits directly this year, and I haven't seen any problem between him and them."

"No..." Hirata hesitated, then, "Keitarou is viewed in a certain way, still, in my District," he explained. "When he died, there was a motion from the populace to have his corpse brought to Seventh and strung up, to be punished posthumously. They wanted to make an example of him. I don't think there are many District families he didn't impact upon."

"It sounds like your populace take too many leads on conduct from their ruling Clan," Juushirou said acidly. Hirata shrugged.

"I won't deny it. My family largely supported the petition, but Keitarou died at Third. He was an Urahara killed by a Kyouraku in Urahara territory, and so the disposal of his body was left to them," he replied. "I refused to interfere. I didn't want him in Seventh, dead or alive, tainting the spiritual environment. But Juushirou, I do know the name Yatsubashi. Your recruit is right - I did recently assign someone by that name to Sayuri's guard. I felt as a _hime_ , she needed one of her own, and that officer is steady, hard-working and trustworthy. But I also know of the family. Its one of a few names that appear often in our records. I just didn't realise any of their members had spirit power. His - cousin, did he say? - certainly does not, though he is a very good soldier."

"Yatsubashi was second in his class, and Anideshi, and he seems capable enough," Juushirou was confused, and Hirata's expression darkened.

"I'm not doubting it. And he's probably too young to remember Keitarou, so it may not matter," he remarked. "The thing is, his family have always lived and worked close to the main house. Because of that, they were easy prey for Seimaru and Grandfather's District purges. To my knowledge, every single member of that family with reiatsu was either killed or taken prisoner. Grandfather kept records. They make grim reading, but a lot of the entries for Yatsubashi seem to have been the latter. And although it isn't written in the paperwork, there is only one reason Grandfather would have kept them alive."

"Keitarou's _reidoku_ experiments?" Juushirou looked troubled, and Hirata nodded.

"You might want to find time to break Kohaku's story to this lad on a one to one basis, in case he gets the wrong impression," he advised. "Kohaku is not Keitarou. It would be better for both Yatsubashi and Kohaku if your recruit understands that from the start."

"I see," Juushirou chewed on his lip. "I'll take that on board. Hopefully the fact Koku is a recruit mentor will help. I'd rather they knew him as he is, not as Keitarou's son. It's not fair for Koku to live under the shadow of someone else's sins."

"I speak with experience, so I agree," Hirata said heavily. "I'm sorry if it makes things complicated for you, but I thought it better you know."

"No, I should know," Juushirou assured his friend. "I want my Division to be cohesive, but it helps to know the politics in areas from those who know best."

"It's also nice for me to know there are District youth coming from my District to the Academy," Hirata mused. "Now I just have to find a way to recruit them to my Division, rather than let them all scurry away to yours."

"That's easy," Juushirou offered him a faint smile. "You should send someone to the Academy if you want to sway intake to your squad."

"Yes, I should, you're right," Hirata sighed. "The reason I don't is that the Wind Hawk has a certain reputation, and the chances are I might just scare them off."

He gestured to the note. "Houjou-kun's message is what you expected?"

"Just Izumi-chan's calculations written out into something that makes practical sense, for organising the Real World mission," Juushirou set the note aside. "Izumi is a genius but she processes science in a way that only an Urahara is trained to interpret. Ketsui is only half Urahara, and certainly not trained in anything technical, but he has a knack for putting her thoughts and theories in a way we lay military can understand."

"I remember you worried about Ketsui, before, when Tenichi first came to my squad," Hirata mused. "It sounds as though that was wasted concern."

"I'm glad to say it was, but Tenichi's arrest made a difference to him, as well," Juushirou nodded. "He's been actively involved with both Izumi and Kohaku and I've seen his confidence grow year by year. He holds the same rank as his brother, now - and I admit, five years ago, I wasn't sure that would happen. Giving him Tenth seat then was a gamble, but he's taken it and surged ahead."

He frowned, sending Hirata a sidelong glance.

"I promised not to get involved, and I haven't, but I can ask you, off the record, can't I?" he ventured. "About Tenichi...since his release..."

"He's fine, you know," As his friend trailed off, Hirata smiled drolly. "Apparently still a little body-squeamish for an Endou squad member, which means you probably don't have to worry about him going on a crazed massacre. He's worked hard and he's made it clear to me that he means to go forward, now. Your recruit is fine, Juushirou. I don't think I've taken a risk, keeping him at Eighth seat. I think he's learned...and in time, the probation rules will be relaxed. I don't care to get involved in the personal issues of my squad - I leave that to Kikyue and Hajime - but I am of the impression he is mortified that he threatened a girl his brother is clearly so closely involved with. Since he has no residual will to hurt Ichimaru Izumi, the Shihouin will probably decide to lift the embargo sooner rather than later. It's procedure, that's all - and I'm grateful for your forbearance on the subject, by the way - but I don't really worry about him. You shouldn't, either."

"That's good to hear," Juushirou's expression became one of relief. "I hoped as much, from what Kirio has said, but I knew you'd tell me the truth, unvarnished."

"I would," Hirata nodded. "Kai told me I was getting back a shinigami with a spine, and I think he's right. I'm observing protocol, but I don't see him as a risk."

"When Tenichi's trial happened, Koku said he wanted to testify because he could help Ketsui's brother, even if he couldn't save his own," Juushirou sighed. "At least he did manage to do that. Tenichi is probably alive because Koku spoke up for him. I'm not sure any amount of speaking up for Katsura would have the same ultimate effect."

He glanced at the discarded note.

"Right now, though, the Real World is pressing. I was waiting on this summary, but now I have it, I have no reason to delay deployment."

"Except deciding whether or not to send Kohaku."

"Yes, except that."

"I'd send him, personally," Hirata shrugged. "With everything we're looking into here, it would be a lot less awkward for him, and safer, too. He's Keitarou's son and your shinigami. His brother may be the one we're about to hunt down. We don't know the real implications, but Kohaku's bond with Katsura is his weakness. I think it would be safer if he went to the Real World, Juushirou. Shikibu-san is a strong person and would keep him under wraps there."

"I'll think it over," Juushirou sighed. "However you look at it, the business is complicated. I'd like to send him, but having him so far out of my supervision when everything's been so unsettled...I don't know. Whatever I say about it, I suppose at the end of the day there is a large part of me that does just want to protect him. Keitarou was a bad father. I suppose I want to make up for that."

"Well, I'll let you ponder on where the duties of surrogate father and Gotei Captain divide," Hirata drained his mug of tea, getting to his feet. "I should head back. I'll talk to Hajime about the Vice Captains, and see whether he agrees. If he and Houjou-kun both send a message then it's bound to result in something. We'll wait till Shirogane-dono returns, though. I'd like a full compliment if possible."

"Try not to work too hard," Juushirou advised with a grin. "The whole Gotei are on this case now, and we're quite a substantial force these days. We'll get to the bottom of it. All of it. It's just a matter of untangling all the threads."

"Sounds like a spider web to me," Hirata said darkly. "I know you're right, and I'll keep it in mind. Thank you for hearing me out, Juushirou. I don't ever doubt in your fidelity, you know - I just sometimes need to hear the words for myself. I spend too much time in a paranoid Clan environment - it helps to come here and have things said as they are."

"You're always welcome," Juushirou assured him. "I will remember what you said about Yatsubashi, and I will talk to Koku about Katsura. I know I can't shield him from everything, and this is something he needs to know. Losing Keitarou hurt him badly, but he's rallied and moved forward. If I have faith in him getting stronger, he has to see things as they are. If that means accepting that his brother is a traitor, then so be it. The world is a harsh place, sometimes, especially if you believe in justice."

* * *

The barracks chamber was empty that afternoon, and Shinobu pushed open the door, glad for once to find himself alone. He had gone to the Captain in good faith, volunteering to take the message when Enishi had asked, and, although he had been startled to see his District's ruler in the small, friendly lakeside office, he had been flattered and a little taken aback by the compliment the man had paid him. Although he had seen Hirata from afar at official functions, most of his knowledge of the Endou Clan leader had been secondhand, told in the tales of his kinsfolk who worked at the main house in one or other capacity. While the reputation of Hirata's _zanpakutou_ , Tsumi no Fuuhi, was a legend in and outside of the Seventh District, Hirata himself was known as a fair ruler, and someone who had won back the respect of the wary and beleaguered populace towards their ruling elite. Meeting him in person at last had been an honour, but one for which he had been unprepared, and as he had left the office, he had paused for a moment to regain his composure and reflect on whether he had said anything impertinent or foolish in front of two people he deeply respected.

It had been then, as he had leaned up against the wood panelling of Ugendou's outer wall to catch his breath, that he had caught snippets of the conversation going on within. He had not meant to eavesdrop, but what he had heard had stunned him enough to remain at the door for a little longer than he had originally intended.

 **"Your squad is the District squad, true enough, but does he know that you number Keitarou's son among your members?"**

Hirata's words had cut like a knife through Shinobu's senses, but it had been Juushirou's response that had really made a cold hand close around the young man's heart.

 _Aizen Kohaku._

Not wanting to hear any more of his superior's conversation, and, frightened that he would be caught loitering around the Captain's office, he had hurried away, but although he knew he had a long list of chores to still address, his mind was still swirling and in no state to return to mundane and practical tasks.

He dropped down on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to digest what he had learned.

 _Aizen Kohaku is Keitarou's son. His name isn't a coincidence. He's not some random illegitimate offspring from shinigami stationed in the Rukon. He's the son of that man, and yet he's here, with us, like he's one of us. Like he's better than us._

Shinobu clenched his fists, his shock and dismay slowly beginning to condense into anger at the thought.

 _He doesn't attend patrols and people pay him special attention. They must know. Don't they know? They can't not know who he is. Taichou even said it, just now. It isn't a secret. How can everyone know that the son of that man is here, in the Gotei, like this? Don't they realise what kind of a man Keitarou was? We all know his daughter killed Souja-dono. We know that his older son ran riot, killed healers and went on a rampage through Seventh Division. I don't understand why they trust this one to be any different, when he was raised by that man just as much as they were! Why would they let someone so dangerous so close to the heart of things? Why would Taichou let someone like that train with us, or live with us, or be trusted with anything? Doesn't he know that people in that family just bide their time, show a false face and wait until they have the chance to strike?_

He rolled over on his front, burying his face in the blankets.

 _And what do I do about it? Taichou said it wasn't a secret, but nobody told us. If it's not a secret, why wouldn't you mention it? But nobody has. It's not right - something isn't right. I knew there was something, but if the others knew it was this..._

He let out his breath in a heavy rush of air.

 _They won't listen to me, though. Hiroshi's already told me off for being suspicious and now he's doing one-to-one training sessions with the guy and talking about him like he's some amazing senpai we should all look up to. Takahashi's always saying that it's none of our business what happens with a superior officer. They think I'm jealous because Kohaku-san is in Taichou's close trust, and there's no point trying to argue with them again. Taichou's a kind man and he's clearly been taken in somehow, leaving the whole division blissfully unaware of the danger. Well, not me. I'm not fooled.  
_  
He pulled himself into a sitting position, his resolve growing with every passing moment.

 _I might not be able to do anything about it, not yet. I can't blow the whistle if it isn't a secret, and I haven't been here long enough to know what else might be going on. But I did grow up in Seventh. I do know how Aizen work, how they pretend to be one thing and really they're another. How they never give up, no matter how many years pass. Keitarou died here, in the Gotei's territory, on the end of a shinigami blade. A shinigami who happens to be the close friend of my Captain, no less. There's only one reason why his son would be here, and that's to get his revenge. But nobody is going to listen to me if I tackle it directly. I have to think about this properly. Carefully. Like an Aizen would. Because I know what Aizen do, and I need to be on my guard. If he's going to play games, so must I. Aizen are smart and manipulative. I need to make sure I'm one step ahead, and that means carrying on as though nothing is wrong.  
_  
He clenched his fists tightly into determined balls, punching them down against the pallet bed.

 _I'll find it, whatever it is Kohaku-san is really doing by being here. I'll keep watching him, until I find the crack in his armour. Even if everyone else thinks he's great, I knew there was something wrong and now I know what it is. For the sake of my kin in District Seven, and the sake of my new Division, I'm not going to let this go. I'm going to stop Aizen Kohaku from hurting the Captain and the squad, if it's the last thing I'm able to do._

* * *

In the stretch of land that divided Seireitei's Third District from the Rukon that lay beyond, Kohaku was oblivious of Shinobu's thoughts, his mind focused on the unpleasant task that lay ahead of him. He stepped tentatively over the threshold, following the handful of seven or eight Third Division members into the border camp, and pausing to take a deep breath of air into his lungs.

The morning training session with Hiroshi had helped to distract him from morose thoughts about his father and the complex layers of guilt he still felt for that man's passing. Although he had not welcomed the idea of working so closely with recruits when Juushirou had suggested it, he realised that, given a choice, he would rather have spent the rest of his day training with the new intake, instead of returning to this strange, surreal space that was neither one thing nor the other. Keitarou was not here, he knew that, but the thought of dropping his barriers once more made him uneasy. No matter how much he had berated himself for his un-military, unprofessional reaction on his first trip, he knew he was afraid. His father was dead and gone, but the distinction between present and past, living and dead had never been particularly clear-cut in his life. It did not help that he was surrounded by virtual strangers, and he half-wished he had asked Juushirou to assign someone from the Thirteenth to come with him, however cowardly it might have seemed.

The Third Division had been polite and efficient, not questioning his presence among them. As the barrier had been lifted to allow their entrance, several of the Third's officers had gone on ahead, alerting the residents to their patrol and advising them to go into their houses and stay there while a routine sweep of the area was conducted. The shinigami had not explained the reason for their sudden appearance, nor the need for the inspection, but the border camp residents had obeyed anyway, clearly not wanting to offend or upset the authorities who might yet hold the power to resettle them into Inner Seireitei. They had withdrawn without a murmur of complaint, and the eerie quiet and emptiness of the village compared to the bustle of his previous visit just made the whole experience stranger.

"You all right?"

Kamitani Jun, the Fifth Seat of the Third Division paused at his side, casting him a quizzical look, and Kohaku forced his attention back to the matter at hand, nodding his head and managing to muster a wan smile for the older officer.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry. I suppose I didn't really think I'd be here again so soon, not when I was first told I was going to go on a border camp patrol."

"I guess that you can't see the whole future, then," Kamitani's lips twitched into a wry smile. "That's somehow comforting to know."

"Believe me, I see very little that makes any sense," Kohaku sighed. "And I haven't really seen very much future since I became a shinigami. It's not as simple as that."

"Kohaku!" Before Kamitani could respond, the tall, lean form of Urahara Yunosuke, the Third Seat and the officer in charge of the patrol loped across the ground to join them, casting the youngster a grin. "I'm glad you were able to come with us today. You have a better idea than the rest of us about what we're looking for, so I'm going to be guided by you. Wherever you think we should be looking...my orders are to retrieve anything that shouldn't be here, and that I should follow your instructions, so you'd better let us know what we're dealing with."

"I'm sure Nagesu-sama didn't mean you to follow my lead," Kohaku looked stricken, and Yunosuke laughed.

"Taichou is enamoured of things he can't explain with algorithms and analysis," he admitted. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I expect to be writing up a detailed report later on everything - including your involvement in our search. I admit, I haven't a clue how your spirit power works, and as far as I'm concerned, so long as it does, that's enough for me - but the Taichou is rather taken with you and your potential, so I hope you'll humour us and help out as much as you can."

"Kohaku's going to be something of a spiritual bloodhound, then?" Kamitani asked, and Yunosuke nodded.

"Yes. That's the main reason Ukitake-taichou deployed him with us," he agreed, eying Kohaku's troubled expression keenly. "That's right, isn't it kid? You're the only one who picked up this...whatever it is...and we need you to do it again."

"Mm," Kohaku got a grip on his uncertainty, nodding his head. "Yes, sir. I know. I'm sorry. I admit, being back here to look for traces of Father...doesn't make me really happy. I said I'd come because I felt it was unfinished business, but..."

He bit his lip, and Kamitani clapped a reassuring hand down on his shoulder.

"Keitarou's shadow spreads long over everyone with Urahara blood. Taichou included," he said wisely. "That applies to you too, remember. Sooner we find it, sooner we go home. Sooner it's done with and everything goes back to normal. You get that, right?"

Kohaku was silent for a moment. Then he nodded his head slowly.

"I know," he said softly. "I'm not going to chicken out or bail, I promise. I just need a moment to get my head straight. I'll do my best, Yunosuke-san," this last to the patrol leader. "I don't know if I can pinpoint it exactly. I'm not really a bloodhound. But I...I'll try."

"That's as good as we have right now," Yunosuke told him frankly. "Do what you can."

He turned to face the waiting group of Urahara, raising his voice so that they could hear his commands.

"We follow Kohaku's directions, no complaints. Taichou's orders," he instructed, and Kohaku was both impressed and a little chilled by the immediacy with which the Third Division members acknowledged their leader's words. He knew that Yunosuke had been in the Gotei longer even than Juushirou and Shunsui, having been a senpai of both at the Academy several years earlier, but although he had stuck to his Urahara roots, he was known and respected for his level-headed guidance both inside his Division and out. Kohaku also knew, however, that both Yunosuke and Kamitani had faced Keitarou directly themselves, and both of them had come close to losing their lives. For them to treat him with such equanimity hardened the young shinigami's resolve to do his best, and he took a deep breath, indicating to the squad leader that he was ready. Then, with a second deep inhalation, he cautiously lowered his spiritual barriers.

It had taken a lot of hard work and persistent training to allow him to filter out Seireitei's masses of spiritual pollution, and even without the knowledge that some trace of Keitarou was here in this location, Kohaku had to really focus his wits to prevent it from overwhelming him in a rush of colours, sounds and sensations. If he allowed them to flood into his awareness, he knew that he would be sucked down into the intoxicating hallucinations that made it hard to distinguish reality from fantasy, and the present from the future, and so he closed his eyes, schooling his focus onto Yunosuke, and using the reassuring presence of the Third Division's third seat to anchor his thought processes to the task at hand. Once he felt certain he had control, he opened his eyes, forcing himself to actively seek out traces of his father's spiritual presence. To begin with, there was nothing. Then he felt the sinister scuttle at the back of his consciousness, the imaginary red eyes glinting briefly into his inner thoughts, and he shuddered involuntarily, fear beginning to curl up inside of his soul. The red eyes blurred and faded into the more familiar mud-slurried brown of Keitarou's own, dead and empty, yet full of cold accusation. Kohaku felt his pulse begin to speed up, but he fought to control it, pushing aside his fear in his determination to locate the source of the sensation.

It was not easy. In spite of the extreme reaction he had suffered on the original mission, it took a minute or two before he was able to lock onto his father's reiatsu signature. It was no surprise that none of the rest of the Thirteenth had noticed it, he reflected to himself, pushing the grim images of Keitarou's cadaver away and bringing the border camp back into the forefront of his mind. It was faint, broken and disintegrated, and Kohaku knew that it was the ultimate confirmation that his father was truly dead and gone. A sense of regret and genuine sadness replaced the fear and guilt, and he sighed, reaching up to rub his eyes as though trying to clear them of what he had seen.

"Kohaku?" That was Yunosuke's voice, and Kohaku drew his attention back to the senior officer, using the older man's stable reiatsu once more to bring his thoughts into order. He turned his head, meeting Yunosuke's questioning gaze with a troubled one of his own. He wet his lips, composing himself, then,

"I can sense it," he said softly. "It's breaking down. I think it's more broken than it was before. Like it's decaying on the wind. It's here, though. Pieces of my father. I didn't imagine it. His reiatsu is here."

"Can you lock onto where exactly we should be looking for it?" Kamitani asked, and Kohaku shrugged.

"It's too broken to be exact," he admitted helplessly. "I don't think I can pinpoint it precisely."

"Could you try?" Yunosuke wondered, and Kohaku hesitated, then shook his head.

"I can't," he said bleakly. "If I do, I don't know what might happen. It's hard enough, controlling...at this level. I don't want to...lose focus. It's not good if I do. I might hallucinate, and I might make everyone else hallucinate too."

"That sounds less comforting," Kamitani sent Kohaku an apprehensive look, and Kohaku looked weary.

"I'm all right," he said softly. "But if I try to push it further...I think that it would be a bad idea. And maybe...especially for the people who live here. I...when I was a child...there was...in Rukongai..."

He faltered, and Yunosuke held up his hands.

"If it's like that, I'm sorry," he said contritely. "I didn't mean to put pressure on you. I'm just eager to get to the bottom of this. We all are."

"Me too," Kohaku managed a wan smile. "I can't be certain of where it is coming from, Yunosuke-san, because it's fainter than it was the other day. But, when I sensed it originally, I was over in that area," he pointed towards the stretch of mud track where he had originally met Homare. "I'm guessing that it is probably in that vicinity. Otherwise I'm not sure why I picked it up so strongly. Even if it has decayed since I was here before, it's a really fleeting sensation."

"Can you tell if it's the sword?" Kamitani asked quietly, and Kohaku shrugged.

"It might be," he owned, "but all I know for sure is that Father's dead reishi is here. Taichou and Nagesu-sama told me that the sword would have been in a casket of its own. That would probably make it harder to detect, and in any case, Chudokuga is...is dead too. I'm not sure if there's anything to sense."

"And a good thing too," Yunosuke said acidly. "All right. You take a moment and catch your breath. You look pale and I don't want to answer to Ukitake-taichou if we bring you back in a state. We'll canvass the area you picked out and see how we get on. If there's anything distinctive you think we should know, tell me - otherwise, we'll check this lead and go from there."

"I don't think there's anything else," Kohaku shook his head. "When I found it before, I dropped my barriers to locate my comrades and it hit me by accident. It scared me and I blocked it out as quickly as I was able, so I didn't do any real searching. And before that point, I didn't pick up anything at all."

"Did you speak to the residents of this place before?" Kamitani gestured to the little hut near where he had spoken to Homare, and Kohaku nodded.

"One child," he agreed. "I don't think she or anyone else here would know about father, though. She'd have been too young to remember him anyway. I guess she wasn't more than seven or eight."

"Then the idea of us searching this place might frighten her," Yunosuke looked thoughtful for a moment. "Kohaku, if we search the vicinity, would you go and make sure she and whoever she is living with are safe and don't try to come out and interfere in what we're doing? I imagine it might put people on edge, since normally we just come here to patrol, and I don't know how thoroughly we might have to hunt around. I'd rather a child didn't see us doing it. It might break the trust that Taichou is so keen to build here, and as you've met them..."

"I don't mind," Kohaku assured him. "I'll go speak to them first, if you like."

"Do that," Yunosuke nodded, and Kohaku saluted, hurrying across the uneven ground towards the strip of rag cloth that marked out the doorway of the hut from the world outside. In the background, he could hear Yunosuke giving instructions to the waiting Urahara, and he knocked lightly on the wooden beam that held the cloth closed, waiting for a response. Within a moment there was the rustle of fabric, and a small, tousled head poked itself out from behind the curtain. Homare gazed up at Kohaku, wide-eyed and surprised, and Kohaku offered her a smile.

"Hello, Homare-chan." he said softly. "I wonder if you remember...we spoke the other day. My friends and I have come here to look for something important, and so I hoped I might come here and speak to you again."

"I remember," Homare hesitated for a moment, then pushed the curtain back, beckoning for Kohaku to come inside. "You're Kohaku-niichan. You came from Rukongai, like me."

"That's right," Kohaku agreed, ducking under the low beam and stepping inside the tiny dwelling. "Is your brother around? I should speak to him too, explain why the shinigami are here. They aren't going to hurt you, or anyone else. What they're looking for isn't anything to do with you. It's something a shinigami...lost here, and they need to find it and take it back so that it can't hurt anyone."

Homare gazed up at Kohaku with sombre eyes. She shook her head.

"He's not here," she said simply, sitting down on the floor beside the remains of what was clearly a wood fire, and reaching for a cracked jug that contained water. "Do you want to drink? We have lots of water, so I don't mind if you do."

"It's all right, but thank you," Kohaku shook his head, squatting down opposite her on the ground. "Where is your brother? My colleagues are worried about any of you getting caught up in the search, so that's why they asked you to all stay inside. Is he at another person's house? I don't want him to try and come back while they're working, so if he is, I need to know where."

Homare's expression became troubled, and she shrugged.

"He never tells me that stuff," she said sadly. "He never tells me anything at all."

"I see," Kohaku gazed around him, taking in the small, simple surroundings. There was not a lot of sign of habitation, for although a few pots and plates were stacked up neatly in a corner, there were few possessions other than some raggedy blankets and odds and ends brought by different parties of shinigami over the past months and years. Some of them had probably been here since before Homare had arrived, belonging to former residents until they had been settled, and Kohaku was reminded again of the transient nature of the border camp.

"Hopefully you and your brother will have a new home soon," he said softly. "I know that that's something very important to a lot of people back home at the moment. I don't think it will be very long now before you and your neighbours get moved to Seireitei. That'll be exciting, won't it? There are lots of things to see and do in Seireitei."

Homare was silent for a moment, then,

"I don't mind being here," she said honestly. "I don't want to be separated from Oniichan, that's all. He won't listen to me when I tell him it will be all right. It makes me sad. I don't want to leave here, Kohaku-niichan...not if he doesn't come too. But I don't know how to make him understand that. He doesn't believe me and it makes me feel lonely."

She sighed heavily.

"I don't understand," she admitted. "You said it would be all right, and I told him that, but he didn't listen. And now he's not here again, because he doesn't like shinigami and thinks you'll hurt him."

"Why would we do that?" Kohaku looked startled. "Has a shinigami ever hurt you, Homare-chan?"

"No," Homare shook her head. "I don't hate shinigami. It's Gorou-niichan that does. He won't tell me why. I just know he does."

She eyed Kohaku for a moment, and the shinigami had the impression she wanted to say more, but, at the last minute, had held back. The silence began to stretch out between them, punctuated only by the sounds of the Urahara shinigami working outside.

"Are you looking for Keitarou-san?" Homare's question came out of the blue, and Kohaku started, staring at her in consternation.

"Why would you wonder something like that?" he asked gently, only just keeping a grip on his composure as he remembered that he was speaking to a child. Homare's eyes narrowed slightly, and she nodded.

"It makes your eyes sad too, when I say his name," she reflected, and Kohaku's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that what you're looking for, Kohaku-niichan? I heard you talking, with your friends, the last time you came. I asked Niichan about it, but he said Keitarou was a bad person and I shouldn't talk about him. Do you think so too?"

"A bad person, huh?" Kohaku sighed, chewing down on his lip as he debated how to answer the question. "I don't know. But no, we're not looking for him. He died, five years ago. You don't need to worry. He won't come here, and nobody will hurt you."

"That's what Oniichan said," Homare said with a gusty sigh. "That Keitarou was dead and I shouldn't talk about it. But Oniichan's eyes looked like yours, Kohaku-niichan. I though maybe if I asked you, I might understand...but I don't. I don't understand anything at all."

Kohaku frowned, digesting the young girl's words. Despite her youth, she was clearly intelligent, he reflected, and her experiences had made her older than her tender years. Yet, deep down inside, she was still a lonely child, afraid of being abandoned to face the world on her own.

 _I felt like that, when I first came over the divide with Souja-dono and found myself in an alien world. If not for Juushirou-dono and the Thirteenth, I'd probably still feel that way. Rukongai is a lonely place, even if you're not on your own. I suppose I understand that better than anyone else in the Gotei ever can or will._

His eyes narrowed.  
 _  
Hang on a minute. Homare just said that her brother told her that Keitarou was dangerous. Homare is too young to know who he was, but maybe that's not true for everyone here. Maybe some of the people living here encountered Father in the past, in the Rukon. Perhaps that's why this Gorou person is so afraid of shinigami. Maybe he thinks the Gotei is hanging on to that past, when Mother took care of the Rukon strays and they protected her with their loyalty and their silence.  
_  
Out loud he said,

"Did Gorou-san talk about Keitarou to you, before you heard us using the name the other day?"

Homare shook her head.

"He never told me anything," she said sadly. "He said it wasn't a good idea if I knew about the past. But a lot of people here, they don't know where they came from, or don't want to talk about it. The Ojiisan told me that I should understand that. Sometimes bad things happen in Rukongai, and people want to forget."

She tilted her head on one side, eying him curiously.

"What was it like, where you grew up in Rukongai?" she asked. "If you don't mind, I'd like it if I knew."

"It was a very poor place," Kohaku said honestly. "There was not much water and less food. People struggled to survive a lot."

He sighed.

"In the end, the shinigami went there and everything changed," he added. "They took away the bad things and tried to make the water and food supplies better. A lot of the people who lived there were like you and I - they had spirit power. The shinigami tried to help them settle in better places of Rukongai, first, and then, eventually, they came here. Some of them now live in Seireitei. In the last five years, everything has begun to change, but it happens slowly. There are a lot of poor people in Seireitei, too."

"I see," Homare gazed at her grimy hands. "And then you became a shinigami, and came here to help us."

"Something like that," Kohaku agreed.

"Can I ask you something else?" Homare asked hopefully. Kohaku nodded.

"Go ahead."

"Will you tell me about Keitarou? Why was he a bad person? His name...when I said it, Oniichan looked scared and you looked sad. I promised Oniichan not to talk about it, but...I thought..."

"I might tell you instead?" Kohaku's eyes clouded, and he shook his head. "I don't think there's a lot to tell, and nothing you need to worry about."

"But was he a bad person?"

"I wonder about that, all the time," Kohaku admitted.

"Did you know him?" Homare's eyes became huge, and Kohaku nodded.

"Once, and then again, not at all," he said pensively. "I knew him when I was in Rukongai, because he spent a lot of time there. A lot of bad things had happened to him and it made him do bad things at times. He did hurt a lot of people, and that's difficult to forgive or justify. But I don't think he was always unkind. Or evil. It's harder, sometimes, when someone isn't completely evil. It makes it more difficult to understand what they did and why."

"Did people die?" Homare asked softly, and Kohaku offered her a sad smile.

"They did," he confirmed. "A lot of people, both in Rukongai and Seireitei, over a long period of years."

"I think that makes him a bad person," Homare said thoughtfully. "If he made people die, and they didn't deserve to be dead. I suppose that's why Oniichan didn't want me to talk about it. Because all those bad things happened and Oniichan didn't want to scare me with stories about it. I know now, though. I won't ask you any more. If he's dead, it's not like he's coming here, and so it's all right."

She smiled.

"I like you," she said unexpectedly. "You're kind to me and you answer my questions. You don't tell me to shut up or talk to me like I'm just a child who doesn't matter."

"Do other people do that?" Kohaku looked surprised. Homare shrugged.

"Sometimes," she admitted. "Gorou-nii doesn't, and nor does the Ojiisan, but other people do. They think that kids are stupid and we don't know anything. I don't like that. I'm not stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid at all," Kohaku assured her, "and you clearly love your brother a whole lot. He's lucky to have you take care of him."

"I wish he knew that," Homare grimaced. "I don't like when he isn't here. I miss him. It feels lonely, then. And I worry that he won't come back in time to be settled. If he isn't here, he can't be, and..."

Her eyes widened, and she clasped her hands to her mouth, distress glittering in her eyes as she realised what she had said. Kohaku frowned, eying her quizzically.

"You make it sound like he's sometimes not in the village at all," he murmured. Homare did not reply, her expression stricken and her hands still clamped over her lips as though frightened of what she might say next. Kohaku eyed her for a moment, then sighed, taking her arms gently in his hands and moving them away from her mouth.

"Tell me," he said softly. Homare shook her head, shuffling away from him in consternation.

"I can't. I promised. He'll be cross, and maybe he'll never come back, I can't, Kohaku-niichan. I can't tell you anything. I promised, and he'll be angry with me."

"Is he doing anything bad?"

"Of course not!" Homare was indignant.

"Then why can't you tell me?" Kohaku asked. "Do you think I'm going to hurt him? Do I seem that kind of person to you? The border camp isn't barricaded. It's all right, you know, for people to go back and forth between here and Rukongai. That's how the barrier is designed, so that people can choose for themselves. Why would I be angry about that?"

Homare didn't reply, and Kohaku frowned.

"Homare-chan?"

"Gorou-nii doesn't like shinigami. He doesn't trust them," at length the child spoke, letting out a heavy sigh. "When you come, he hides."

"Well, I can understand that," Kohaku sat back on his heels, looking confused. "We have weapons, and we can cast spells. People spread stories and things get blown out of proportion."

"No..." Homare looked uneasy, then she shook her head. "It's not like that. He doesn't tell me anything, but I know it's not like that. Please, Kohaku-niichan. Don't come back here again. It makes Oniichan sad when the shinigami come, and I don't like it when he hides away. I want him to be here, with me, and I don't like it when he isn't."

"Kohaku!" Before Kohaku could respond, Kamitani's yell came from outside the hut, and he frowned, turning to see the older shinigami pull back the fabric divide, casting him a surprised look as he got to his feet.

"Kamitani-san?"

"We found it," Kamitani's expression was grave, giving nothing away, and Kohaku could see the traces of mud and dirt on his colleague's shihakushou, proof of a hard search. "I think you should come outside with me. Bring the child, too. Yunosuke-san wants a report."

"Bring the child?" Kohaku looked startled, and Homare's eyes became wide with fear. "What's wrong, Kamitani-san? What has Homare to do with anything?"

"Probably nothing, but she might have seen something," Kamitani apparently realised that his sudden entrance had frightened the young girl, for he sighed, offering her a faint smile. "I'm sorry, I'm just a bit shaken up myself. We all are. I admit, I didn't believe we'd find it here, but it's here all right. Still in its casket, and buried deep beneath the foundations of this hut. I want to know if the girl saw anything, that's all. Yunosuke-san wants to find out if there's a witness to it being brought here."

"What's happening?" Homare looked worried, and Kohaku held a hand out to her.

"It's fine," he promised. "I'm with you and nothing bad will happen. My senior officers just want to know if you saw anyone strange come by here, that's all. The thing we were looking for was right here, by your house."

"Nobody comes here," Homare shook her head, taking Kohaku's hand hesitantly and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. She gripped the shinigami's fingers hard, staying just behind him as if using him as a shield, and Kohaku was struck by the sudden change in her demeanour from the eager young girl he had first addressed. "Nobody 'cept you shinigami of course. Kohaku-niichan said that a shinigami lost something here. If that's true, why would I know about it?"

"Nobody's saying you do, kid," Kamitani eyed her keenly. "But I have orders. Kohaku, can you bring her over here? I want her to see it, just in case it rings a bell with her. Like as not she won't know what it is, but she might have seen it before without realising."

"Seen what?" Homare demanded, and Kohaku gave her a little hug, crouching down at her level and facing her head-on.

"The thing that the shinigami lost was found by your house, and we need to know if you saw it before," he said gently. "We know that you didn't put it there, but someone might have done. Maybe on a patrol, or something else. We don't know. But if you saw it, you can really help us. It's quite important, so will you trust me? I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. We'll just go take a look at it, then you can come right back here."

"You promise?" Homare looked doubtful, and Kohaku nodded.

"I swear," he said solemnly. "Will you come with me? It's important that we know as much as we can."

"Is it something dangerous?" Homare was becoming curious now, and Kamitani shrugged.

"It was, once, but probably not now," he reflected. "It belonged to someone who we'd quite like to never talk about again. No offence, Kohaku," he added ruefully, and Kohaku shrugged, getting to his feet and dusting himself down.

"None taken," he said grimly. "Well, Homare-chan? Will you come?"

"I'll come," Homare agreed. "You promised, so I'll come."

She looped her hand in Kohaku's once more, allowing him to lead her across the short stretch of land to where Yunosuke, surrounded by a handful of other Urahara were gathered around a small, slender black object lain on the ground. It was dirty and grimy, testament to its burial beneath the hut's foundations, but Yunosuke had loosened the catch, and it lay open, revealing the decaying remains of what had once been Keitarou's feared _tantou_ knife _zanpakutou_. The sword itself was imperfect but pristine, suggesting that it had not been removed since its disappearance from Keitarou's tomb, and Kohaku felt his innards twist up inside at the sight of it.

At their approach, Yunosuke glanced up, sending Kohaku a troubled look.

"As you can see, we found it," he said quietly. "It's here, and intact. Nothing seems to be missing. Is this the child from the house it was found beneath?"

"Yes, this is Homare," Kohaku got to grips with himself, pushing the child gently forward. "Homare, it's all right. This is my senior officer, and he's just wants to know if you ever saw this before."

"It's a sword," Homare's eyes became big. "It's so little, though, Is it a shinigami sword?"

"It was, but the person who used it died some time ago," Yunosuke agreed. "Did you ever see it or anything like it anywhere in the village?"

"Never," Homare was emphatic, her earlier fear fading in light of her curiosity. "It's not very pretty, though, is it? It's all dull and grey. I thought swords were usually shiny."

"Usually, but this one is past its best," Yunosuke reflected. "You didn't ever see anyone with it, here in the border camp?"

"No, sir," Homare shook her head firmly. "I never see any swords in the village 'cept when you shinigami are here and you all have yours."

"Or the black box?"

"I didn't see that, either. If I had, I'd have found something to use it for," Homare eyed the box critically. "It's too nice and strong to put a useless sword in. I'd have kept it to put other things in."

"And nobody strange has been here lately? Nobody you didn't know?"

"Only shinigami," Homare shrugged. "I don't know the names of any of you. Except Kohaku-niichan. You're all strangers to me."

"I suppose that's true," Kamitani reflected. "We've never been in the habit of introducing ourselves. It's not surprising the kid doesn't know us apart."

"I'm not a kid. I'm Homare," Homare said bluntly, and Kohaku gently ruffled her hair.

"She doesn't know anything, sir," he said softly. "Do we need to keep her any longer?"

Yunosuke sighed, shaking his head.

"No, we don't," he said reluctantly. "What she says makes sense. Anyone living here would ditch the sword and make use of the box if they knew it was there. Chances are that it was slipped into the foundations unnoticed, and would have stayed there if you hadn't detected something strange. We obviously still have enquiries to pursue, regarding how it got here, but this is a dead end."

He smiled at the young girl, though his eyes remained troubled.

"You can go home, Homare. Thank you for your help, and my apologies for disturbing you."

Homare glanced up at Kohaku, who nodded, and the young girl beamed, squeezing his hand once more before releasing it and skipping off in the direction of her house. Once she was out of earshot, Yunosuke cast Kohaku a questioning look.

"I know it's hard for you, Kohaku, but you can confirm that this is indeed Chudokuga, I assume?" he asked gravely, and Kohaku nodded.

"It is," he said briefly. "I don't want to touch it, though. Or get any closer, if you don't mind. Dead or not, I don't like that sword. I'm glad we found it, but I don't want anything to do with it."

"I can't say I don't feel the same," Yunosuke reached over to shut the box with a snap, fastening the catch and scooping it up with a sigh. "We can take it back with us and hand it over to the Captain, though what forensic evidence he'll take from it now we've been messing around with it so much I don't know. It was difficult to get free, so someone with a considerable amount of strength must have put it there. Probably a male...maybe a shinigami. It's hard to know right now, but I admit they would have the greatest opportunity. Who would suspect someone on patrol?"

"I guess we're pulling out, then, sir?" One of the other third officers asked, and Yunosuke nodded.

"We are," he agreed, "I...what was that?" as a sudden judder of spiritual energy rippled out across the camp, causing the branches of the trees to shake and the walls of the nearby huts to tremble. No sooner had it begun that the sensation had ended, but, just as it appeared to have settled back down, there was a loud screech from the direction of the barrier that separated the border camp from Rukongai, followed by indistinct swirls of unfamiliar, broken reiatsu.

"Change of plan," Yunosuke's hand was already on the hilt of his weapon, Chudokuga safely stowed away inside his bag. "All units direct to the Rukon divide, pronto. Whatever that was, we should check it out. It might be that whatever caused the disturbance in remote Rukongai is making a second move."


	18. Corpse Dolls

**Chapter Seventeen: Corpse Dolls**

The pathway from the main manor was lined with the delicate pale clouds of pink cherry blossom as the Kuchiki shinigami made their annual pilgrimage ride towards the memorial shrine that afternoon. Occasional pink fragments drifted down onto the ground, breaking up the rich emerald carpet that lay beneath the horses' hooves. Sakura had always been a key cultural element to the aesthetically proud Sixth District family, but some thirty years earlier, the normal matsuri preparations had been cut brutally short by the murder of the nineteen year old heir to the Clan, Ribari, on what should have been a routine shinigami patrol. Since then, while the people of the District prepared their annual cherry blossom celebrations, the Kuchiki central Clan members observed a day of formal mourning, paying their respects to the young boy's short life and memory in the place where he had been struck down. Ribari's body had been interred in the family crypt at the main house, but Guren did not like remembering his son as a slab of marble, and thus the open air of the cherry forest had become the de-facto location for the family's private ritual.

For Shirogane, Vice Captain of the Sixth and heir to the Kuchiki Clan, the trip was always bittersweet. He had been with Ribari the night that the young man had been killed, and had narrowly escaped with his own life. Although he had put the event behind him in a practical sense, returning here each year brought the fleeting memories back to the forefront of his mind. The night Ribari had been attacked could not be more different from the gentle daytime haze of the cherry forest this spring, but if he tried very hard, he could still draw to mind the face of the young man that fateful evening, swinging his sword in his impatience to be off. Shirogane gazed up at the pale pink petals, remembering that the cherry blossom was not just precious for its beauty, but for the fleeting nature of its lifespan. The burden of the Clan's leadership would one day fall on his shoulders, by dint of his position as Guren's oldest nephew, but Shirogane knew that, in part, he had accepted it and the restrictions that went along with it because it was the only thing he could do for his cousin now. Guren had lost his wife many years before Ribari's murder, and had always treated the orphaned Shirogane as a surrogate son. Formalising their relationship as adoptive father and son had not just stabilised the future of the Clan, but had helped both of them to heal the wound of the young boy's loss. Shirogane disliked returning to the place Ribari had been killed, but he knew that, for Guren, it had become something therapeutic. For that reason, he attended without demur each year, although he had already resolved to himself that, when he eventually took the Kuchiki mantle, he would make different arrangements.

"The cherry blossoms are different, these days," as though reading his thoughts, the rider to his left shot him a pensive smile, drawing his horse alongside Shirogane more closely. This was Ryuu, Shirogane's other surviving male cousin, and, in many ways, his closest ally and confidant in the years since he had been named as heir. Ryuu was pragmatic, honest and intelligent, and his loyalty coupled with his lack of ambition to lead the Clan himself had made him invaluable to Shirogane over the years. Ribari's death had brought them together, too, he realised now, nodding his head to acknowledge his cousin's comment. The Kuchiki had become more of a family following the tragedy, something of which he hoped the young boy would have approved.

"Those who do not die easily - cherry blossoms we must surely see again," he quoted sagely, moving to brush a stray petal from the bridle of his own horse. The beast whinnied, tossing its head slightly at the unexpected movement, and Ryuu smiled.

"Each year they flower, Ribari-sama's memory resurfaces vividly in all our minds," he reflected. "So much time has passed, but it is still a sombre occasion. They say that the sakura is the flower of a warrior - a brief life of beauty and an early death - perhaps in Ribari-sama, those two ideals truly came to have a deeper meaning."

"I feel it too, and I dislike it," Shirogane admitted, his gaze flitting ahead to where the Clan Leader was heading the procession, robed in the deep blues of Kuchiki mourning. Ryuu and Shirogane both wore their uniform, but for Guren, this was a personal tragedy as well as a political one, and so he had chosen to follow the Kuchiki tradition of muted clothing, casting a stark contrast against the delicate pastel of the surrounding blooms. "I know it helps him, so I won't complain, but this is not my favourite place to be. Ribari-sama was as dear to me as a younger brother could be. Perhaps a warrior should die well and beautifully, but not at the age of nineteen, at the hands of a poisoner in the dead of the night. The sakura come back each year, but Ribari-sama is gone, and thus I dislike it."

"I suppose that makes sense," Ryuu gazed around him in comprehension. "I did not realise you recalled it with any clarity. It has been many years, and you were badly affected by the drugs as well."

"I won't ever forget the sensations of that night, though," Shirogane said bleakly. "Nor what followed. It was a bad time, Ryuu. I wish that Guren-sama would have this place razed to the ground and given over to the populace to till and tend for crops. Then at least I'd feel that there was life returned here. The stone tomb is enough for me, but I do not like this ride and I do not like this place."

"You should talk to him about it," Ryuu suggested, and Shirogane shook his head.

"I wouldn't," he said softly. "It wouldn't be appropriate. I may be his adoptive son, but I'm still only his nephew. Ribari-sama was something else to Guren-sama and I can't and won't come between them. You know that too, I think. It's different. I'm not a replacement - I couldn't be. Not in life and not in death."

"Perhaps that's true," Ryuu acknowledged, guiding his horse across to a sturdy old tree and winding the reins around a low-hanging branch, deftly dismounting and watching as his companion followed suit. "Well, then we'll do as we should and then return home. It sounds as though there is much to do in Inner Seireitei. I trust your trip to the Seventh was productive?"

"Unexpected, but not wasted," Shirogane reflected, making sure that his steed was tightly tethered and patting the beast's neck as it nuzzled against his black robes. "Kitabata is a rational man and he is easy to talk to. I miss Souja-dono, it's true, but at least I can have easy discourse with his replacement, and I can't say that about all the Vice Captains in Seireitei! He seemed willing to share information with me, too. I think that the Endou consider Aizen Katsura their prey, but although they are hunters, they understand that we too have a claim on anything relating to Aizen Keitarou."

"True enough," Ryuu's eyes darkened. "Keitarou is dead, but there are still loose ends. I'm glad Guren-sama decided to deploy you there, Senpai. I looked over the plans for patrols for the next fortnight this morning, before you went, and I think that if the Seventh are agreeable, we can probably coordinate a good deal. The only way to defeat a problematic enemy is to share our data and use our greater numbers in an effective manner."

"I am considering submitting papers to call a Vice Captain meeting when I go back," Shirogane admitted. "Don't tell Guren-sama, but the wording of that has nicely occupied my attention on the ride here."

"You think that it's something all the Divisions might work together in doing?" Ryuu looked surprised. "Really? You just said yourself that some Vice Captains were easier to communicate with than others."

"True, but even if we were able to get a good proportion of them together, I think we'd make progress," Shirogane led the way across the grass to where Guren was awaiting them. "Houjou at the Thirteenth is easy to work with, and Mikihara at the Ninth is a Kuchiki, for all that Division has changed over the last few years. Shihouin has a lot of underground contacts, and apparently his sister is keen to hunt down their missing Onmitsukidou, so I think he'd be willing to cooperate. He has before, when Keitarou's been involved. Kitabata is already in agreement with me about the way forward. That's a start. I don't expect any conflict from Michihashi at Twelfth, either, as Keitarou misused his Captain when he attacked Seireitei, and the same applies to Souryou at the Tenth. Shiketsu-dono from the Third is bound to be on-side, since the Urahara are heartily sick of the Keitarou business. Arai at Fifth is too new to the position to really kick up a fuss, and I don't see any problem from Shindou at the Eighth, either. True, Eleventh's Ikata and First's Akira-dono can be difficult, but there's still a majority who I think can be prevailed upon."

"Akira-dono will side with you," Ryuu said with certainty. "He's acerbic, yes, and he can throw his weight around, but he was in my graduating class at the Academy and Keitarou murdered a close friend of his during that year, if you remember. I don't suppose he's forgotten or forgiven that...he's not the kind who would. I believe he would agree, and if he did, he would put pressure on Ikata to do the same. Ikata is a lower born Yamamoto, and would not have any position to disagree with a majority vote."

"In which case, it seems even more sensible to call a meeting when I get back," Shirogane reflected. "I expect the Fourth to go along with us so long as we promise not to go out on a killing mission, and I think that covers everyone."

"Are you talking about work?" At that moment they reached Guren, and the Clan leader eyed the two shinigami with a disapproving gaze, shaking his head slowly. "Have you forgotten why we are here, both of you? Inner Seireitei's business can wait until we return. We are here for Ribari today, and I would be grateful if you left military matters until we return to barracks."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Ryuu and Shirogane exchanged sheepish glances, and Guren sighed.

"I realise there are pressing matters there too," he said lightly, "but surely nothing so urgent it needs to disrupt this morning's observances?"

"I'm afraid it's my fault," Shirogane owned, sending Ryuu another rueful look. "I had the meeting with Kitabata right before we left, and what he said is still troubling me. I dislike knowing that people are being savaged with no response from the shinigami, and it is still on my mind."

"Yes, well, anything that Keitarou's family are involved in is bound to touch a nerve," Guren relented with a frown. "For one man, he managed to wreak havoc on everyone, which is a shame. I think I'd like to one day come here to see my son without the thought of that man still lingering in the back of my mind."

"We didn't mean to be disrespectful to Ribari-sama's memory," Ryuu said seriously. "It's just that, if there is a threat to the populace, it is our duty to see to it that the threat is curtailed."

"Indeed it is," Guren nodded. "I realise, and as a Captain, my mind is there too. But Ryuu, Shirogane, this one day each year I have to be a father, as well. I have no other time in which to perform that office, as I have no children to survive me. This is all I have of my son, now," he gestured to the clearing, "and you are the only ones with whom I feel I should share such a pilgrimage, even if it is, as it must be, a difficult errand for you both as well."

"I'm sorry, sir," Shirogane's eyes became clouded. "You're right, and I was being insensitive."

"No, you were doing as you must, and looking forward, not back," Guren offered a bittersweet smile, resting his hand on his older nephew's shoulder. "That is the job I gave you, so I shouldn't scold you for it. Indulge me, though. It is a lonely business, being Head of the Clan. I trust you'll never feel like this, Shirogane. I trust that you will be able to lead this family without the loss and grief I've faced over my lifetime, and that, when you are old, you can pass your responsibilities to your son and heir and let him bury you, rather than the other way around. A Clan Leader must continue regardless of his personal feelings, as we both know - but in order to do that, we must have the chance to remember those who have gone before."

Shirogane lowered his head, bowing his acknowledgement to his uncle's words, and the older man sighed, releasing his gentle grasp and turning back towards the big cherry tree that stood at the head of the copse, its branches reaching upwards and out above those of its younger fellows. Around the trunk of the tree was a string of white, peppered with white prayer papers, and he approached it, pausing for a moment to take in the scattered petals that surrounded the base. Then, slowly and not without regret, he lowered himself to his knees, pressing his hands together, and closing his eyes. There was a moment of complete stillness, as if even the sound of the wind through the trees had abated in order for this Kuchiki Lord to make his prayer, and Guren bowed his head, his lips moving silently in words Shirogane could not make out. It was a silent message to his lost son, he reflected, moving to a respectful distance behind his uncle, and following his example, dropping to his knees and pressing his own hands together in prayer. Ryuu was not far behind him, and as Shirogane closed his eyes, he could make out once again that twilight evening, and Ribari's eagerness and impatience as he waited for his fellow shinigami to gather their supplies for the patrol. Shirogane was not a spiritual person by nature, pragmatic and often cynical, with a sharp tongue and a proud temper, but in the solace of the cherry grove, he almost thought he could hear Ribari's voice, whispering on the wind to let them know that his spirit still lingered here, long after his body had disappeared into reishi dust.

Shirogane was no stranger to loss, having seen both his parents buried before he had reached the age of fifteen, but it was the death of Ribari that had first made him shed tears of grief, and the wrenching pain of that experience was as fresh in his mind as the memory of the boy's face and voice from all those years before. The great tree that towered over them had been made a clawing, twisting demon in hallucinogenic nightmares that had dragged him down into unconsciousness, and although he knew that those had just been images created by an assassin's powerful drug, the picture still unnerved him. He opened his eyes, gazing up at the tree as though reassuring himself that it was all his imagination, and as he did so, he found himself wondering, not for the first time, what images of terror Ribari had seen before he had slumped into his final coma.  
 _  
It wasn't a peaceful passing, it was a death laced with fear. That makes it all the harder to come here, when it's so beautiful and tranquil, and imagine him at rest. Maybe I never will feel that way about this place. I suppose I never can, because when I remember the last time I saw Ribari-sama alive, it was with his face twisted in terror...a horror from which I could not save him.  
_  
He sighed, lowering his hands and sitting back on his heels.  
 _  
I'm sorry, Guren-sama. Each year I resolve to be ready, and each year I am not. Almost thirty years have passed, and I have been your heir for a long time. I am married, I have a son to follow me, and the succession is safe. Perhaps that is what makes me continuously uneasy. This copse doesn't just remind me of one life already lost too soon, it makes me worry about Jun'ei's future in an uncertain environment where Keitarou's son is still at large. Distracting myself on the ride here with work minutiae is cowardly, but as much as I have come to terms with Ribari-sama's absence, I do not like this place and I don't suppose I ever will._

He shot a sidelong glance across to where Ryuu was kneeling, taking in his cousin's straight, rigid frame and the resolution with which he appeared to be observing the memorial prayer and silence. Ryuu had barely known Ribari, but he had always been very good at observing the necessary protocol and keeping his true thoughts and feelings concealed. When they had been younger, Shirogane had assumed that Ryuu had no opinions of his own, but now, he knew that the opposite was true, and that Ryuu's tongue was often held silent from loyalty and respect rather than from lack of impetus. Something about the other man's solemn observation of the memorial rite gave Shirogane a strange kind of comfort.  
 _  
Even when Guren-sama is no longer here, Ryuu will be. And when Ryuu is here to help me, maybe then I'll find a way to come to terms with this place that means I never have to come here again._

He shifted his gaze back towards the tree, his brows twitching together in consternation as, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw one of the lower branches jerk, as though beginning to move. Reminded of the hallucinogenic horror he had seen the night Ribari died, his hand went instinctively to the hilt of his zanpakutou, and only the belated recollection of where he was and why he was there prevented him from drawing his sword outright. Ginkyoujiki hummed at his waist, as though telling him not to ignore his initial instincts, but the atmosphere seemed once more still, and he sighed, loosening his hold and berating his jumpiness.

The next moment, the sky yawned open in an expanse of unexpected, jagged black, and Shirogane let out an exclamation. He scrambled to his feet, all pretence of quiet and prayer gone as he realised that something in the clearing was very, very wrong. Guren and Ryuu had also both picked up the sudden spiritual anomaly, for Ryuu had dropped his stiff and formal memorial stance, and Guren's hands were no longer together in prayer, his slender fingers curled instead around the hilt of his own weapon. He had his back to Shirogane, but the young Vice Captain could tell from his companion's aura that the Clan Leader's grey eyes were likely storm-clouds of indignation that their peaceful time should have been disrupted.

"Ryuu, Shirogane, prepare yourselves," The Captain's voice was calm, but there was something to the vibration of his words that told Shirogane that it would be better to obey all instructions. "We are about to have company of some kind."

"It looks like some kind of spirit gate," Ryuu was on his feet now, and Shirogane drew Ginkyoujiki from its sheath, all thought of Ribari's memorial forgotten as military protocol took precedence over the maudlin occasion. "A Senkaimon, but not a proper one."

"One like Aizen Keitarou used to escape District Six and evade justice, thirty years ago," Guren agreed blackly. "Perhaps the same one, given our location. It is unstable, so keep your distance. The edges are ragged and I can see them breaking down. I don't know what triggered it, but I am certain it's no accident. Something, or someone is here. Someone who has no respect for my son's memory, and someone who will be taught that respecting the Kuchiki on their own land is an important survival skill."

"Nothing is coming out of it, sir," Ryuu's long, slender weapon was glittering with purple energy, and though the other man kept his distance from the gate, it was clear he was debating whether or not to release Shizurugi's powerful neutralising shikai. "I wonder, could it simply have been so unstable that it reacted to our coming here and thus the seals holding it firm fragmented away?"

"I have never heard of a Senkaimon opening itself," Shirogane glanced around him, looking for any sign of a hidden interloper, but there was nothing and nobody that he could see. "I can't sense anyone here, though, Guren-sama. Just you and Ryuu, and my own spirit power. It seems unlikely that a Gate would just open by itself, but..."

"It was opened," Guren's stance did not change, his gaze trained on the gateway with enough intent that, had he not known better, Shirogane might have mistaken his Uncle for a predatory Endou awaiting his prey. "I can't sense anyone, either, but one of the things we discussed this morning is the possibility of a certain Aizen concealing his spirit power so as to remain undetected. As it stands, we only know where he is when he uses his spirit power. Just because we do not see him, it doesn't mean he isn't here, watching us. Mocking us. Disrespecting Ribari's memory in order to remind us of the past."

"Do you think that he knows this is where Ribari-sama died?" Ryuu looked doubtful, and Shirogane shrugged, a bitter expression entering his grey gaze.

"He apparently knew where Souja-dono was attacked, and to all intents and purposes, murdered," he said acidly. "Kitabata told me that in no uncertain terms this morning. The area where Katsura's reiatsu was traced was in the vicinity of Keitarou's old camp, within reach of that godforsaken hut and the site of Souja-dono's attack. Here is where another of Keitarou's victims died. He apparently knew that it was the Endou on Rukon rotation, and thus Endou who would be forced to investigate that scene. It seems perfectly possible to me that this is Katsura toying with us now, too. Mocking us, as Guren-sama said. Reminding us that he is one step ahead, just as his father was before him."

"His father is dead," Guren said flatly. "Katsura is a fool if he thinks we can be easily intimidated by such stupid pranks. We are not afraid of you!" he added, and although he had not raised his voice, the words echoed around the copse, intent ringing in every syllable. "Shinigami killed Keitarou, and we can kill you, too, Aizen Katsura. Don't think that I can be thrown from my purpose by a petty joke on the anniversary of my son's murder. I have had many, many years to build up a healthy resentment towards your family, and it would please me greatly to be able to sate that on you if you seek to tangle with the Kuchiki in the way your father did."

There was no response, and Shirogane frowned, trying once more to pick up any trace of alien reiatsu that would indicate the presence of someone hidden, watching from maybe the branches of a tree. He glanced up, cursing inwardly how much the thick cherry blossom concealed the dark-wood branches from his view. It would be a perfect hiding place, he knew, for one capable of completely suppressing his presence from those around him. He could be watching their every move, listening and laughing, and there was nothing they could to to stop him. Cutting down cherry trees without official authorisation was a crime in District Six, and not even the Head of the Clan was allowed to authorise the felling of the Kuchiki's sacred ancestral tree during the Sakura blooming. Even if Guren had been of such a mind, in this place, where Ribari was so reverently remembered, such an option would only serve to open fresh wounds and create new grief. For Guren, the cherry trees had become symbolic of his son's young, short life, and cutting them down would be the same as killing his child over again. Keitarou had always known his opponent's weaknesses, and, if this was Katsura, making his move, it seemed that he knew them, too.

The gateway yawned and wobbled for a moment more, opening and swaying as though about to close before ripping back to reveal the blackness within a second time. It really did seem unstable, broken and unsightly, but just as Shirogane was about to suggest that they took action to forcibly close it, there was a surge of unfamiliar reiatsu from the invisible depths, pungent and acrid in its scent. A moment later, something lurched out of the unsafe gate, and at the sight of it, Shirogane's eyes widened, all rational thought gone from his head as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Three or four...no, now five, or even six creatures had stumbled and tripped out of the broken gate, their bodies a mangled mess of decaying flesh and stretched tendons that hung like loose tree vines between bones and joints. All were robed in what Shirogane thought was a mix of court robes and basic armour, though the colours were tarnished and the insignia impossible to make out. Sandalled feet barely held together foot bones that had split apart, and loose toenails scattered among the dispersed pink blossoms with each step they took. Wherever they trod, they left an ungainly reddish smear, as though the blood vessels in their ankles and feet were so delicate and rotten that any kind of movement caused them to split and bleed through paper thin skin.

"What the..." Ryuu took a step back, his stance immediately shifting into a combat one as Shizurugi glittered once more with purple light. "Guren-sama, what are these? They're not Hollows...please tell me these aren't more examples of Keitarou's bad science!"

"Whatever they are, they're not welcome here," Guren said thickly, his own weapon pulled from its sheath and ready for action. "We'll worry about what they are after we kill them."

"I think that might be difficult, Guren-sama," Shirogane gathered his composure, raising his left arm to his face to cover his nose with the fine black fabric. "From the stench, I would say they're already dead. And, if I may, I'd suggest they've been so for some considerable time."

"Dead, but dancing like puppets on rotten strings," Ryuu said darkly. "I have encountered such ugly actions before, although not in such a state of decay as this. Guren-sama is right. They are abominations and we should stop them. Whatever they are, they do not belong here, and they are clearly not friend."

"No kidding," Shirogane muttered, as the nearest entity swung an old, rusting sword in his direction. The man's coordination was poor, made difficult by the decaying state of the upper limb muscles that bulged through splits in his skin and torn robes, but there was no mistaking the intent, and Shirogane had the impression that, had his opponent been in peak physical state, he would probably have been capable of removing a head with one such swing. "I think they're soldiers. What kind and where they came from, I don't know. Their weapons, their clothes...I don't know any of them. But whether they're alive or not, it doesn't matter. They seem to want to fight us, and I suggest we observe good manners and give them what they want."

"I thought it was bad enough, fighting a half-dead Onoe Tomoyuki in the forests of the Real World," Ryuu grimaced, taking a little hop back to avoid the haphazard swing of a blood-slick naginata. This individual had a shaven pate, his heavy robes indicating that he might belong to one of the ancient mountain cults or tribal temples that had once populated the mountains, and of all the individuals, it was his appearance that seemed the most out of place.

 _There have been no warrior monks in military action in Seireitei in centuries. Maybe longer._

Shirogane frowned, trying to rationalise this as his own opponent made another desperate swing in his direction. The man's jaw opened, the tongue lolling out, and he made an incoherent noise, clearly trying to speak but unable to form the words. The clumsy, jerking movements of his skull and jawbone resulted in him biting through the tongue completely, severing the organ and causing it to drop onto the ground with a disgustingly soft 'plop', but although the wound was serious and ought to have generated an immediate flow of crimson blood, there was nothing but the tiniest dribble of something black that had already begun to congeal around the remains of the man's lips. This was the last straw so far as Shirogane was concerned, and, fighting the urge to give in to his revulsion, he readied his zanpakutou for proper battle.

"Dead puppets indeed," he muttered. "I've seen enough of this circus. _Saite, Ginkyoujiki_!"

Ginkyoujiki glittered and hummed in immediate obedience to his master's instruction, and Shirogane swung his blade in the direction of the lurching corpse doll, sending a scattering of silver petals out like shrapnel across the clearing. They sliced through the man's stretched tendons, causing his arms to drop against his body with a disconcerting thud and a subsequent crack, but the corpse doll did not lose hold of his sword, and Shirogane reformed his blade, sending the weapon out once more in a second cloud of silver. The second assault was more successful, as the fragments of sword cut through the hollow bones of his opponent, burying themselves deep in the soft tissue beneath. Shirogane felt Ginkyoujiki's deep disgust resonate against his own, but he resisted the urge to pull his zanpakutou out and clean it, instead using its powerful magnetic aura to draw the pieces of blade from right to left across the internal organs, dicing apart the heart and lungs and causing the puppet to jerk and choke, twitching like a dancing scarecrow before falling forward in a heap of flesh and bone onto the ground.

Shirogane withdrew his sword, forging it back into the full blade and gazing with some distaste at the ugly brownish smears that soiled the surface.  
 _  
I'm sorry, Ginkyoujiki. I promise, later, I will polish you double to make up for this._

Out loud he called,

"Aim for the heart. They are puppets, but the heart is the weak point. Just like with Keitarou's sword, if you stop the heart, you stop the puppet."

"Just like Keitarou's sword," Guren repeated these words darkly, and Shirogane felt there was an extra meaning in his Captain's intonation, but there was no time to ask questions, for although one attacker was down, it was far from over. Guren's own magnificent sealed blade bisected one, and then a second corpse doll across the torso, dividing the heart and sending a spray of sticky black blood out across the pretty pastel carpet of petals that had welcomed them on their arrival. The broken bits of these two men fell like stones to the ground, but Guren merely stepped over them, moving towards the still open gate as if looking for further interlopers. A second creature lunged in Shirogane's direction, and the Vice Captain sighed, preparing himself for a fresh round of combat.

"Tatte, Shizurugi!" Ryuu's strident cry rang out across the cherry forest, followed by a dazzling beam of purple light that cut across the torso of the warrior monk, blazing a path through the broken mesh of reishi that held the individual together. It sizzled against the fragile skin, piercing through in search of the heart below, and the monk stumbled, his naginata falling to the ground as he struggled to retain his balance. Ryuu was too quick for him, swinging his blade a second and then a third time. Shizurugi's neutralising spirit power left black burns across the monk's body, and he stumbled back, allowing Ryuu to deftly spring forward, using the sharp edge of his weapon to first stab through the area of the ribcage that held the heart, and then, as if making a particular point, he swung the weapon back across the man's throat, easily parting the head from the body. The monk collapsed onto the ground and lay still, but Ryuu paid him no attention, merely turning his attention to handling the remaining threat.

Before long, the six creatures that had lumbered into Ribari's cherry grove lay in pieces on the grass floor, and the gate shuddered one final time before jerking shut, allowing the trembling waves of reishi in the atmosphere to settle slowly back down into their usual pattern. Guren touched the tip of his sword to the gate, then frowned.

"It's closed, and I can't open it. It's like it was thirty years ago, when Keitarou used it to escape," he said, frustration glittering in his grey eyes. "I couldn't open it then, either, and I can't now. I don't know why, but it doesn't respond to my sword."

"Maybe not to any sword, if it was Keitarou's gate." Ryuu crouched down beside the discarded and bloody naginata, poking at it tentatively with the tip of his still-released sword. "Katsura doesn't have a zanpakutou, does he, sir? He wouldn't need to open the gate that way. Keitarou knew about Senkaimon. Probably he had a different way to make these work...something we don't know, but something his children do."

"Maybe Ukitake's protege might know the answer to that," Shirogane suggested, taking a silk handkerchief from his belt and wiping the gunk from Ginkyoujiki's blade. He glanced at the soiled cloth for a moment, debating whether it was worth taking back with him, but the seeping stain across the smooth fabric did not look like something that would easily come out, and he stifled a shudder, crumpling the handkerchief and dropping it onto the ground between the bodies.

Guren shook his head.

"Kohaku never left Rukongai when he was living with Keitarou. Souja-dono had to open the gate to bring them to Seireitei, and I don't think he knows the first thing about how his brother makes merry across the whole of Soul Society," he said bleakly. "I'll raise it, of course, but right now, this mess has to be addressed first. These things," he kicked out at the nearest loose limb, "have desecrated my son's memory and ruined the anniversary observances. I can't change that, but I would like to do something about them. Clearly, they can't stay here."

"We should sent a message to the Fourth, and have them come and do a forensic retrieval," Ryuu suggested. "If this is in any way like what happened in Rukongai, well..."

"You think this is what happened there?" Shirogane asked, and Ryuu nodded.

"It's as you said. Katsura knows where his father's victims were killed," he said blackly. "Keitarou also had puppets dancing to his scheme, and we know that Katsura can control Hollows. These are not Hollows, but it doesn't take much to see the parallel."

"I'm not sure how much of this information should be discussed with the rest of the squad, but Keitarou's zanpakutou is also missing," Guren sheathed his own weapon, brushing clean his mourning robes with a heavy sigh.

"Missing?" Shirogane's eyes widened, and Guren nodded.

"Nagesu-dono reported as much this morning," he agreed wearily. "It was stolen from his tomb. It may be at the border camp, and the Third are investigating that possibility this afternoon, but its a hypothesis that has yet to be proven, and the reason for its theft is unclear. There are too many gaps in our intelligence here, but one thing is for sure."

He bent, picking up the sword of the nearest corpse and glancing at it.

"An old sword was found in the attack in Rukongai, and this is an old sword," he continued. "It may be nothing, but I think there's enough similarity to assume there's a connection. The evidence in Rukongai was burned, but this is not. Send a Hell Butterfly to Fourth, Ryuu," he added, glancing at his younger nephew, who inclined his head, sealing his sword and returning it to his waist before pressing his hands together to form the tiny black insect. "Tell them that we've had an encounter here, in Sixth District, and we require a forensic retrieval team. There may be clues here that we can work with. Shirogane, secure the scene and send for shinigami to guard it until the Fourth get here. As a father, I'm angry that today is ruined, but as a Clan Leader and Captain, if this provides a piece of the puzzle to capture that anarchist, then it will be a day not wasted in vain."

* * *

The atmosphere on the Rukongai side of the border camp divide was silent and eerily still, but strange ripples in the air gave the impression that the landscape was somehow fragmenting, its molecules splitting and dividing in an unnatural way. The ground beneath their feet no longer shook, but although the stretch of terrain was devoid of anything resembling an enemy, the trees and bushes trembled with residual waves of uneven spirit power. There was no sign of an open Senkaimon here but, as he stepped out into the muddy field, Kohaku realised that the lingering aura was one he had felt before. It had been five years earlier, in the Gates used by his father and his brother to travel from their base in Rukongai to different parts of Seireitei, and this recollection unsettled him more than he liked to admit.

 _Someone opened a Gate here. Someone or something that isn't here now, but it definitely was, and it definitely came through a divide in spirit space. It definitely came through a Gate...but not a proper Senkaimon. This is a Gate like Father's. First the tomb, then the sword, and now this. What is going on? Is someone trying to use Father's name to cloak some deeper plot, or is there something else at work here that I just don't yet understand?_

The immediate area gave no clue as to what had used the Gate, but the thick, cloying sense of broken and decaying reiatsu that hung heavy over the scene indicated that whatever had ripped through spiritual space, it was still somewhere in the vicinity. Further shrieks and screams from over the rise indicated that whatever it was, it had wasted no time in roaming further afield, heading in the direction of a nearby settlement. Traces of similarly pungent reiatsu were also present towards the river to the left and down through the trees that wound away from the camp to the right, and Yunosuke wasted no time, calling out instructions to the five or six Urahara that had accompanied them on the patrol to divide and investigate. The officers snapped to immediate attention, hurrying off in the directions that their leader sent them without any objection, and Kohaku was once more impressed and unnerved by the efficiency of the Urahara operation. Soon there was just himself and the Third Seat remaining, and Yunosuke sent him a grim smile.

"I don't know how to deploy you," he admitted, pushing strands of fair hair out of his eyes. "I don't know the enemy, and I don't know your battle strengths or weaknesses."

"I don't know them, either, really," Kohaku said bleakly. "I haven't had a lot of opportunity for battle. This place is eerie though, Yunosuke-san. There's something in the atmosphere. Something that reminds me of my childhood."

"Something relating to Keitarou?" Yunosuke asked sharply. Kohaku nodded.

"It's not here and I can't see it," he agreed, "but I feel it. Father used a Gate of sorts to travel between Rukongai and Seireitei. I don't know where those Gates were, because I never used them. I didn't come to Seireitei at all, so I didn't need to know anything about them. But whenever Father or Katsu-nii crossed over, I could feel it."

"Well, Senkaimon split through the reishi and open a passageway, so that's not surprising. They do create some kind of feedback," Yunosuke reflected, but Kohaku shook his head.

"I came to Third, five years ago, and I saw your big Gate, there," he said grimly. "I blew it up, then, and so I know how shinigami Gates are. I've also been through them, internally, on several occasions since I joined the Thirteenth. It's not the same feeling. Whatever is here, it's not a proper Gate. It's something else."

"Something like Keitarou used to use?" Yunosuke pressed. Kohaku nodded.

"He didn't need his sword to open it, and nor did Katsu-nii," he agreed. "I really don't know how he did it, Yunosuke-san, but Father understood Senkaimon well enough to create his own and operate them without being detected. It's like that. That kind of feeling. The feeling of an illicit, wrong Gate, in a place it shouldn't be, opening a tunnel that's not fully safe in order that it can't be tracked back to its origin source."

"I see," Yunosuke clicked his tongue against his teeth at Kohaku's words. "Listen, I should go and back up Kamitani and the others. I'm not sure what I sent them out to deal with, and I'm concerned that they're all right. It's my responsibility, see. It might just be Hollows, but it nags at me that it might not, and I don't like that uncertainty. I need to go join them and take charge, but I don't want to take you with me. I hope you're not offended by that, but a Twelfth Seat from a foreign Division isn't a responsibility I want to have while trying to ensure my own men are safe in the field. I can sense that there was a Gate of sorts here, and something came through it - but I don't know what, and I admit, I can't discern a difference between this atmospheric split and the ones we manipulate ourselves. If you can, then I'd like you to gather what information you can about its location. Don't try and open it - but if there's anything you can pick up, I'd be glad to hear it. Someone should also stay here, by the border camp, in case of danger - but if something else comes through this divide, send for help. You can use Kidou, I trust?"

"Yes, sir. I can use Kidou," Kohaku confirmed with a wry smile. "My shunpo is still a bit shaky, but I'm quite good with spells."

"Good. Then if there's trouble, fire _Shakkahou_ into the ether," Yunosuke instructed. "I'll come at once, or Kamitani will. We won't leave you to yourself, so remember, all right? Ukitake-taichou won't like me much if I get you hurt, so don't do anything stupid. You came to help us find a sword, and your safety is my responsibility as well."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku saluted, and Yunosuke offered him a grin, disappearing into shunpo and leaving the young shinigami on his own. Though he could not see what was happening beyond the rise, Kohaku could sense the ripples of spiritual energy, and he knew that Yunosuke's prime concern was the safety of the Rukongai settlement.

 _Father was wrong when he said shinigami didn't care about the ordinary people. They may not understand very well, and they might have made mistakes, but they do care. It's hard, when you're Clan, to really relate to people living in Rukongai, but the Urahara want to try, anyway. If nothing else, I've seen with my own eyes over the last few years that the shinigami can help the people in the Rukon, more than Father ever wanted to believe._

 **Your father knew exactly what he was doing, and what lies he told you and your siblings in order to corrupt them and waste you. I've told you before, Kohaku. He isn't worth your remembrance. You don't wear that uniform to fret and moan over your father's memory. Keitarou is dead and good riddance. The Urahara shinigami gave you an instruction, and I suggest you follow it.**

Kyouka Raigen's acerbic voice through his reflections made him jump, his fingers straying to the hilt of the _zanpakutou_ that hung at his waist.

 _Kyouka..._

 **Well? What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted to prove yourself as a shinigami and make a difference. That officer went to help save the lives of the people you joined the Gotei to protect. That should mean his orders are ones you should follow. Don't you think so?**

 _I wasn't going to disobey them. I know you're right. I was just thinking. That's all._

 **You do altogether too much of that, if you want my opinion. Nobody ever saved the world by just thinking about it. We both know you can sense exactly where the Gate opened, so stop prevaricating. We don't have all day.**

 _All right, I get it._

Kohaku sighed, drawing his sword from its sheath and gazing pensively down at the blade at his reflection. A different kind of reflection lurked in the Mirror sword's inner world, but this one showed nothing but his own apprehensive face staring back at him, and he took a deep breath, composing himself. As Kyouka had said, it was not difficult to detect exactly where the Gate had opened, for a section of space still tingled with the residual force of a spiritual tear, and as he drew closer to it, he raised his weapon, holding Kyouka's blade a short few inches from where the rip had been.

 _If I asked you to, Kyouka, would you be able to open this Gate?  
_  
 **I'm pretty sure that's not the order you were given.**

 _I'm not asking you to do it. I just want to know if you could._

 **If you don't intend to do it, why do you need to know?  
**  
 _Because I want to know whether it's Father's Gate. And if it is, Kyouka, then it might react to my reiatsu. To our...reiatsu._

 **I see.**

There was a pause, then the sword replied in grudging tones,

 **That was an intelligent assumption. Perhaps you are learning something from your time in shinigami care. But the answer is no, Kohaku. I cannot resonate to this Gate. It doesn't respond to a sword. I don't think it was opened here. I'm not sure how it was opened at all. It's not a normal Gate, and the connections it makes are unnatural.**

 _You can't interact with it at all?_

 **No. Being near it is not a very nice sensation, either, so I'd like it if you'd sheath my blade now, please. It's giving me goosebumps.  
**  
 _Now who's complaining?_

Kohaku's lips twitched into a rueful smile, but he obediently returned the weapon to its scabbard, reaching out a cautious hand to brush against the edges of the unstable opening.

 **Don't touch it!**

Kyouka's warning rocketed through Kohaku's thoughts like a bullet from a gun, and he started, falling back onto the grass with a heavy thump. About to berate his weapon for the unwelcome interruption, he realised that, at the brief contact with his fingers, the Gate had begun to spasm and split once more, pulling apart into a gaping black hole that lingered for a few moments before splitting the sky to the ground in a determined line.

"What the..."

Kohaku stared up at the Gate in horror, shuffling back on the grass as he registered what he had done.

 **I told you not to touch it.**

 _You said it didn't respond to you!_

 **Not to me, no. It responded to you. It responded to you all too readily, Kohaku. I don't know why, so don't ask me to explain it - but I saw it a moment before it happened. I tried to warn you.**

 _Maybe try to warn me a little sooner, next time._

Kohaku scrambled to his feet, feeling all the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise as he detected something sweeping and dark emitting from the Gate.

 _Something else is in there. If I'd known that I could open the Gate by touching it, I wouldn't have touched it. You're meant to see the future, so why didn't you give me more warning!_

 **I didn't have enough time, either! I didn't know until the split-second before it happened. Besides, it's done now. Stop whining. Whatever comes out of there, you'll just have to deal with it. Or are you going to let the border camp people come to harm because you're more interested in scolding me than facing up to the threat?**

 _Yunosuke-san told me to summon him, if the Gate opened a second time, or if something else came out of it._

 **Yes, and that's because in his eyes, you're just a Twelfth Seat and he needs to protect you. He's a good officer but he doesn't know that you're stronger than he is even now. You don't need him to rescue you, so stop thinking of such humiliating solutions and take this in hand yourself. Quickly! Whatever it is is coming, and since you opened the Gate, this is definitely your mess to tidy up.**

 _Yours too, if it comes to that._

 **Only if you want to give everyone in a close radius a dose of spiritual hallucination. Your Kidou is fine, remember? I suggest you stop flapping and remember how to use it.  
**  
With that, Kohaku felt Kyouka's spiritual presence withdraw from his senses, and although the sword still hung at his waist, he knew he was once again alone. There was no time to be angry or frustrated with his mercurial zanpakutou, however, for at that moment something wobbled and stumbled out of the divide, and Kohaku's eyes widened as he took in the appearance of the entity that staggered before him. He was more bone than skin, his robes soaked with patches of what looked like dried blood, and a broken helmet hung at a strange angle from a head that was more a grinning skull framed by lank black hair. He was walking with a pronounced limp, for his left leg was cracked beneath the knee, the bones dangling awkwardly beneath the joint by dint of a few remaining tendons, and Kohaku realised that this had probably slowed down his ability to leave the Gate when it had originally opened, leaving him stranded behind the divide until now. The man's hands were gloved, and in his right fist was the hilt of a sword, though the blade was dull and rusty, and at the sight of it, Kohaku felt suddenly giddy.

 _This person is already dead. He's already dead, but he's here, walking before me, with a weapon in his hand._

He swallowed hard, taking a step backwards.

"Who are you?" he demanded, and at his words, the creature stopped, raising his gaze to meet Kohaku's brown eyes with a hollow, empty one of his own. There was no light in the other's eyes, but, as he met the man's gaze, Kohaku suddenly felt his companion's reiatsu seeping through the air between them, and he took a deep breath, hurriedly trying to strengthen his barriers against external spiritual pressure. The man tried to open his mouth, attempting to form words, but the slack muscles that held his jawbone to the skull was too loose for him to make any kind of sense, and all he could manage was a strange moaning gurgle. He reached out a hand to Kohaku, and the shinigami took another step back, hurriedly trying to remember the words to spells that, until that moment, he would have been able to recite in his sleep.

It was then that Kohaku realised that the arm the corpse doll was reaching out was not the one holding the blade. There was no attacking intent in the man's aura, and in spite of himself, Kohaku's fear and revulsion began to abate into a sense of pity and consternation at the creature that stood before him.

 _Help me._

The words were so softly spoken that he almost didn't hear them, but though the cadaverous figure could not articulate, Kohaku knew that the message had been conveyed to him directly, through some desperate spiritual impulse. Too late he realised that the edges of his own vision were becoming hazy, and he fought to regain his objectivity, but it was too late. Where a skeleton had stood before him, rotting and lurching like a creature dragged from the grave to dance as someone's puppet, he now saw the figure of a young man, bloody and battered, with ropes at his wrists and ankles. He was screaming, struggling and calling the name of a woman, but the men who surrounded him did not listen, mocking and poking at him before throwing him into a cell. He could not be older than Kohaku was himself, and, as the young shinigami sank deeper and deeper into the illusion of the man's past, he saw someone with a blade cut the restraints, lifting the man bodily and throwing him into the bleak darkness of the Dangai.

"In the ancient warring ages, the Dangai was used as a form of punishment. They'd throw people in there, and they wouldn't come out."

Kayashima's words about the Dangai suddenly echoed through Kohaku's thoughts, and he felt his throat closing up, bile surging up his gullet as his brain assimilated the bits and pieces of the hallucination with the reality that lurched before him. From somewhere in the background, he felt certain that Kyouka was trying to reach him, but for once he could not hear his zanpakutou's strident voice, so lost was he in the tragedy of this young soldier's life and death.

The next moment, the entire copse exploded into a blaze of spiritual energy, bleaching the images from Kohaku's mind in an instant.

 _ **Idiot! Do you want to let him kill you? They take you off guard and then they kill you. They're monsters, Koku. You can't trust them!  
**_  
The voice that resonated through his thoughts that time was not that of his sword, nor his shinigami colleague, but a voice he had not heard in five long years, and the sound of it was enough to shock Kohaku back to the present. He did not remember when he had closed his eyes, but as he snapped them open, he realised that the skeletal youth that had reached out a hand to him moments before now lay in a charred heap of rubble on the ground beside him. The closeness of the body and the position of the man's sword in the bony grip told him that whatever had intervened had probably saved his life, for the blast of hot spiritual energy had welded the corpse's damaged joints together, indicating that, when he had fallen, the weapon had been raised as though to deliver a fatal blow through Kohaku's jugular. Kohaku touched a finger to his throat, alarmed when he drew it away to see the glint of fresh blood on his skin. He had been lured into a false sense of security, the memories of the man's painful past immobilising him for long enough that he had opened himself up to attack.  
 _  
Just because I saw it, it doesn't mean that he saw it, too. I saw a time when he was alive, but he wasn't alive any more. He didn't remember the things I saw, because they were already decaying and seeping out of his body into the ether. He reached out to me, and I saw that as a human gesture, but maybe he just wanted to right his balance so he could aim his swing better. He just saw an enemy, and I allowed myself to be caught up in it, rather than recognising it for what it was. I would have been killed, but I wasn't. I would have been killed, if not for...but surely..._

He gazed around him, taking in the rest of his surroundings as he fought to calm his still-pounding heart. His head was dizzy and he still felt nauseous, but now the sensation was more from how close he had come to death himself. With some sense of relief he realised that the Gate that had yawned open was once more closed, but there was no sign of the person who had awoken him from his daze.

Cautiously Kohaku extended his spiritual wits, searching for any sign of familiar reiatsu, but although the burned corpse was thick with the other man's presence, there was nothing in the atmosphere that told him that his rescuer was anywhere nearby. Gingerly, he reached out a finger to touch the spiritual ash, feeling the familiar reiatsu against his own with a sigh.

 _Katsura._

Slowly he got to his feet, gazing down at the burned corpse with conflicted emotion. His brother had definitely been there, but he had not sensed his presence for a moment before the older Aizen had intervened to save him, and he could not sense him now. How long had he been there? Five years ago, Katsura had cut off all ties between them, but then, Kohaku knew he would have been able to trace his brother's spiritual presence if they had been in close proximity to one another. Five years had passed and they had not seen or spoken to one another, but now Kohaku realised that the divide between them had grown even greater.

"Katsu-nii?" He called the name out loud, but there was no response, and Kohaku sighed, realising that the barrier that Katsura had erected between them five years previously had now become a virtual wall.  
 _  
I can't sense you any more, Oniichan. I can't reach out and connect my thoughts to yours. You woke me up and saved me, but I can't find you now. It was always your skill, not mine, but I always used to be able to turn it back on you and connect to you myself. Now I can't find you. It's like you're a ghost...like you were never there._

He bent to touch the sword of the fallen skeleton with a grimace.

 _I know you were, though, and you saved me. I thought you were far from here, and that's why I couldn't sense you, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you've been watching this whole time, and I've just forgotten how to find you._

He stood, pressing his fingers together and murmuring the words of a Kidou spell. His fingers flared faintly with blue light, and he held his palms out towards the charred corpse doll, firing one, two, then a third spell at the remains. Shunsui had done something similar at Third Division, to cover his vandalism of the Senkaimon in order to fool Keitarou, but Kohaku knew that in covering his brother's tracks, he was actively tampering with evidence that was probably important.  
 _  
You saved my life, Oniichan, and I won't put you in danger because you did. I'll tell them I took this one out with Kidou. They won't sense you, not underneath my spells.  
_  
 **Are you sure you want to lie to the shinigami, Kohaku? Your brother was a liability. Do you think he's worth protecting still?**

Kyouka's voice sounded disapproving, but Kohaku pushed his misgivings away.

 _If he is or he isn't, he didn't have to come save me, but he did. Besides, he's a fugitive, but since then, he's done nothing wrong. I want to believe in him. Why shouldn't I? I want to trust that he's found a way to live his life in peace, and I don't want his intervening to save me preventing that from happening._

"Kohaku!"

Before Kyouka could respond, to this, Kamitani hurried onto the scene. Kohaku turned, offering the Third Division officer a wan smile and dusting the kidou ash from his fingers.

"I sensed something here, but it seems like you have it under control," Kamitani glanced at the charred corpse, then across at Kohaku, who shrugged his shoulders.

"A straggler came out, but his leg was broken and he wasn't capable of much," he said evenly. "My Kidou is quite good, Kamitani-san. I'm all right."

"Well, that's good, though there's not a lot left of this one to take back," Kamitani nudged a foot against the blackened skull, dislodging the broken helmet. "Mind you, they were none too pretty to begin with. I swear, I thought I'd seen everything in this job, but I guess not. Walking dead from the Dangai...that's a first."

"Someone told me that they used to throw criminals in the Dangai," Kohaku turned away from the warrior's corpse, forcing away his memory of the kicking, struggling youth being thrown into the black. "Is that true?"

"It's true. The Urahara even had jurisdiction over it for a long while," Kamitani rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Why? It was a long time ago. Surely you don't think that these guys...?"

"Well, I don't know how, but I feel like that's what they were," Kohaku shivered. "I can't explain it, but...that's how it felt. As though they'd been thrown in there...and left there to die. Even if they were traitors and criminals, just the thought of it is horrible."

"Even if that's so, why would they just decide to come and invade us several hundred years later? And how?" Kamitani arched an eyebrow, and Kohaku shrugged.

"I told you, I can't explain it," he said helplessly. "But the Gate here is unstable. It's like the Gates Father used, but I don't...know if this one was his. I just thought...if Father was meddling with the Dangai and the spirit divide, maybe he left it unstable. He did used to go through Gates that weren't entirely safe, in order to keep hidden from Seireitei. If he meddled enough, maybe he could make weak points in the fabric of the atmosphere. Maybe that's why this is happening here."

"Or someone is exploiting it to open the Gates, which seems more likely to me," Kamitani clapped a hand down on the younger man's shoulder. "We took out seven or eight of these creatures and thankfully, there were no civilians hurt, but there could have been. Whatever the reason, we need to find it. Yunosuke-san told me to come and make sure you were all right, but he's sending word to the Fourth about this. We've some good sample evidence to take back, and that should help identify who these people were and whether your macabre theory of Dangai criminals has any merit. Of course, we need to know why they're suddenly roaming around the horizon, and I suggest you tell Yunosuke-san your theory, too - but my instinct is that this isn't a coincidence. Nothing much ever is, not in Seireitei."

"I suppose I know that," Kohaku sighed, suddenly feeling weary. "I'm just fed up with things that link back to my father, that's all. He died, and I hoped it'd be over, but it isn't. I don't like that it isn't. I want this to be unconnected to him, I suppose. I want to be able to move on."

"We all want that," Kamitani looked sympathetic. "That's why we need to get to the bottom of this. With Chudokuga being in the border camp, and this kind of incursion, something is definitely wrong. Accidental tears in the spiritual atmosphere don't explain the covert theft of a zanpakutou from a dead criminal's tomb, you know. We can't ignore it. Even if it's a pain, we have to see it through."

 _Chudokuga._

Kohaku's eyes widened, and he turned, gazing back towards the border camp village as though seeing it for the first time.

 _Chudokuga was in the village, and Katsura was here, saving my life. I was so sure he wouldn't...but what if he did? What if there's something I didn't see here...something I didn't understand? When he spoke to me, he definitely sounded like he knew what these things were. And more..._

He frowned, chewing on his lip.

 _Homare said her brother was afraid of shinigami. He went away, and left the camp a lot. I didn't pick up Katsu-nii's reiatsu in her house, but I can't pick it up here, either. He's learned to completely shield himself from me, and so there's no reason why I would have done. But that's where Father's sword was. Homare said nobody came there that she didn't know, but she wouldn't notice, if it was someone she considered a brother. Oh Katsura, is that where you've been hiding? In plain sight, in the shinigami camp? And if so, did you really take Father's sword from his tomb? I can't believe it, but it's as Kamitani-san said. And I can't do anything to follow it up, because I'm surrounded by Clan shinigami and if I'm right, I might be leading them right to you._

"Kohaku? Are you all right?" Kamitani eyed him keenly, and Kohaku nodded, offering a faint smile.

"I was just thinking about how true it is. About there being no such thing as coincidences," he said softly. "I think you're right. And I think...I want to do what I can to help resolve this, before it gets out of hand."

* * *

"That's more like it!"

In the central chamber of the Fortress, Kunimori clenched his hands together in delight, turning to shoot his companion a triumphant smile. "It's a wonder what a few threats will do, Tsuneyoshi-dono - that's far more like what I expected from you and that amazing sword of yours! I definitely picked up threads of something just then...for the first time I was aware of what you were doing, and I'm sure that I sensed the Dangai opening, just for a brief instant!"

"Well, congratulations to you."

Tsuneyoshi slumped onto the smooth floor of the chamber, burying his head in his hands with a groan. He was breathing heavily, Kunimori noticed, and his skin had an unhealthy grey pallor, proof that he had pushed himself further than was comfortable in order to make this connection. His entire body was tense and his fingers clawed at his scalp in agitation as though trying to physically remove distasteful thoughts and images from his mind. For a moment, Kunimori watched him in fascination, then he sighed, pacing across the chamber and leaning up against the curved stone wall.

"At least this time you didn't feel the urge to try and kill me. You are getting better. I knew a little focus time would put you right."

"Don't tempt me with arrogant jibes," Tsuneyoshi warned, raising his head and fixing gaunt eyes on his companion. "Just because I'm not trying to rip your throat out, it doesn't mean that right now I don't want to. Using that sword makes me someone and something I don't like. I can't control it properly, I told you. I connect too much to what is going on in there. You don't have any concept of what it's like when they're all yelling and screeching at you and you can't damn well make them shut up..."

He sighed, closing his eyes and lowering his hands, gazing at his fingers. Faint flickers of kidou flame danced around the tips, before fading away, and he rubbed his hands together, dispersing the sensation.

"Fire shuts them up," he added absently, "but you can't set fire to the Dangai. Not from here. Unfortunately."

"So now you want to burn down our only passage back to the place we came from?" Kunimori arched a greying eyebrow. "You really are far more unstable than I gave you credit for. I start to understand why the Unohana kept you locked away. I imagine you embarrassed them, if they let you out in public."

"I killed them." Tsuneyoshi said flatly. "That resolved the problem of embarrassment."

"It doesn't, however, resolve my problem of irritation, nor the fact I'm running out of lifespan in which to get my revenge on my kinsfolk," Kunimori said pragmatically. "Let's forget about your emotional problems and focus on the realities right in front of us. You do look as though you're going to vomit, by the way," he added critically. "If you are, I'd like it if you went outside. This floor is nice and clean, and it would make an unsightly mess."

"If you want an unsightly mess, I suggest you take a look at some of the dead man's army you seem to think worth recruiting," Tsuneyoshi snapped back bitterly. "I'm fine. At least, in that regard. Unfortunately no amount of purging my body will clear the images in my mind, but I can see that you won't listen to reason on that count."

"In any case, this time I detected threads of the Dangai," Kunimori ignored the barb in the other man's words, moving to the window of the chamber to gaze out at the still, moonlit sky overhead. "The atmosphere in here wobbled slightly, and I heard something...indistinct, but clear enough that I knew we weren't alone. Maybe it was your corpse army - I'm not really sure. I sensed other things, though. Distant reiatsu. Swords releasing. Kuchiki reiatsu, I think, though I couldn't tell you whose. I never was familiar with all of their names. They seemed each much the same as the next to me."

"So?" Tsuneyoshi snapped. "What the hell makes you so happy about sensing Kuchiki reiatsu?"

"Nothing, except that the Dangai is clearly weak and leaks reiatsu back inside it whenever those gates are forced open," Kunimori said matter-of-factly. "I theorised about it, but this is proof that it actually can occur. That's useful to us."

"Why? Neither of us want to kill Kuchiki, so it's a waste of time and effort. Especially on my part, since all you do is waltz around in here making random assumptions about something you can't see or feel."

"The Kuchiki are the archivists of Seireitei, if you hadn't forgotten," Kunimori said acidly, moving swiftly across the room and swiping Tsuneyoshi sharply across the top of his head. The Unohana flinched, grabbing his skull once more, and Kunimori gazed down at him. "There, maybe that will remind you. We don't know how long we've been here. You barely know anything, if I'm honest, and therefore if we did end up taking a detour to the Kuchiki Province, it wouldn't be a wasted trip. We'd learn what we needed to know from them. In my case, where to find the current Yamamoto, so I can claim the birthright fate denied me."

"I thought it was a battle and your precocious nephew that denied you," Tsuneyoshi glared up at his companion. "The genius boy with the fire-sword. Isn't that more accurate?"

"Santarou? Yes, well, he was outside of my calculations. My brother kept him well hidden - I suppose he thought that it would be a bad thing for me to know that his brat was as powerful as that," Kunimori's eyes narrowed into slits at the memory. "A stripling wielding fire and brimstone like he was conducting music, and scorching soldiers as though he was picking flowers. I haven't forgotten. If he is still alive, then it will be my great pleasure to wrest the Clan from his hands myself - or, failing that, I'd like to throw him in here, so that he can taste what it's like to live your best years alone."

He glanced at Tsuneyoshi pensively.

"Well, except for you. And you are a mild improvement, now you've rejoined the land of the competent."

"You really shouldn't provoke me after I've been using my sword. It has an unpleasant effect on my temper, and you can't kill me," Tsuneyoshi pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his skull gingerly once more and moving towards the window himself. "Your company is tiresome and your voice not much better than the wailing dead. I might be a weaker swordsman, but just as you think you can find your way out of here without me, I can certainly find a way to kill you. Time is on my side, so I suggest you stop insulting me and tell me something about this experiment today that proves I didn't just waste that time again. It wasn't pleasant. What benefit has all of this for me?"

"Well, there was one other thing I sensed, when you were working," Kunimori pressed his lips together, eying his companion thoughtfully. "I wasn't sure whether to mention it, but since you insist, I think I ought to."

"Which is?" Tsuneyoshi turned, and Kunimori shrugged his shoulders casually.

"In the moments before the Dangai sealed off and disappeared, I felt a particular reiatsu brush against the opening," he said softly. "It had a different effect from the others...it didn't drift in there, but it actively made the Dangai gate react."

"Meaning?"

"It was Harumizu's reiatsu, Tsuneyoshi-dono," Kunimori's lips twisted into a pernicious smile, watching his companion's expression transform from weary scepticism to shock and anger. "Yes, I knew that would rouse you. You were too busy playing with your corpses, but I wasn't. He's there too, somewhere. Your nemesis. Waiting for a reunion."

"Why didn't you say so before?" Tsuneyoshi's voice was low and tight, and Kunimori could sense the waves of killer instinct that his companion was barely managing to suppress. "I don't remember what this man looks like, or what his reiatsu is like, or anything except that name and the fact he hexed my life and my memory, then stole himself out of it so I'd struggle to track him down. You're sure?"

"I'm sure," Kunimori nodded. "He served my family for a long time, and I never forget anyone's reiatsu. Not ever. Especially not one like that."

"You're not just lying, to make me do this horrible thing over again?"

"I'm not lying," Kunimori shook his head. "I'm looking forward to seeing you dismantle that overblown whore's son as well, don't forget. I wouldn't lie about that, and I wouldn't miss his destruction for the world. There is an order of things in society, and bastard by-blows born from a poxy _hanamachi_ courtesan do not have a place in it, let alone the right to wield a sword and pass judgement against Clan sons."

"Then let me take a break, and recover my wits and my strength," Tsuneyoshi said firmly. "If you're that sure, and we're that close, then it's time we fixed on doing this for real."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**  
 _Shirogane paraphrases an actual haiku (haikai) poem from the 19th century, by a poet called Issa. The original runs like this:_

 _死下手と_  
 _又も見られん_  
 _桜花_

 _I thought it summed up the recurring memory of Ribari's short life each year they go to remember him ;)_

In case it wasn't clear, Jun'ei is Shirogane's son. He will appear later in the story.  
If you haven't read or don't remember Meifu's Gate Fourth Maki, Kuchiki Ribari was killed right at the very start of that story, leading to a lot of chaos!


	19. Post Mortem

**Chapter Eighteen: Post Mortem**

There were still swirls of broken reiatsu lingering in the atmosphere around the border camp as Katsura cautiously crossed back through the Rukongai barrier, making his way carefully and quietly across the muddy ground towards the small hut where he knew Homare would be impatiently awaiting him. A quick glance around at the outside of the hut told him that the foundations had been disturbed, and he frowned, bending down to touch the scattered dirt and mud that lay all around. He did not need to delve below the hut himself to know that the sword had gone, and that the shinigami had almost certainly been the ones to take it. His fears had been realised, he reflected with a heavy sigh. Kohaku's presence at the border camp had not been coincidence. His kinsman had been part of the patrol that had come here, and though he had protected his brother's life, he had been right in thinking that the younger Aizen had detected and reported the presence of the missing zanpakutou up the shinigami chain of command. It troubled him, not knowing whether he could trust Kohaku in the way he had always done in the past.

He had not been sure whether his telepathic warning, sent more on instinct than with any careful planning, had penetrated Kohaku's thought processes, and the younger man had not made any attempt to respond on that level. Instead, he had called his brother's name out loud. Kohaku had known he was there, but had not answered in the way they had always spoken as children, and this too had made his brother seem all the more distant. Although he had wanted to reach out and respond to Kohaku's call, he had held back. Kohaku had been in uniform, and he had not been alone. More, although he had covered Katsura's tracks by firing Kidou at the fallen soldier, he had left with the other shinigami, and there had been no opportunity for Katsura to make a proper approach. Kohaku had not reported his involvement, and there was no reason to think that he would put his brother in danger, but nor had he made any serious attempt to find his rescuer, and the psychic silence between them had put Katsura more on edge than he wanted to admit.

The atrocity in Rukongai had not been a one off, and, knowing that meant that speaking to Kohaku was even more pressing. But the encounter with his brother had made him question his own conviction. Could he trust Kohaku to keep him safe? In the past, he reflected, he would never had doubted, but now, after five years apart, the young man in the smart shihakushou was a virtual stranger to him.  
 _  
He calls himself Kohaku, and he reported Father's sword without a moment of hesitation. That's the brother I don't know. That's the brother who might save people and protect me, or one that might sell me into custody for the crimes I committed. I wish I could see the things you can see, little brother. If I could, maybe I'd know whether we would cross paths again as allies or as enemies. I know your future, and I don't know if my interference can change or damage that path. Maybe it can...even if you kept silent and protected me, I might bring about your destruction and ruin everything I wanted you to have. It's so much of a risk, but even though I held back, earlier, I know I can't do so forever. This is something I don't understand, and I need the shinigami to know. Even if it's risky, and even if Koku is not Koku any more, I need them to know what I know.  
_  
"You came back very late this time," Homare had been waiting for him, and she pushed back the rag curtain divide, a look of annoyance on her young features. "You can't keep running off like that, Gorou-nii. All kinds of things happened today and you should be here. The shinigami will wonder why they never see you, and they'll get suspicious."

"I've told you before that it's not a good idea for me to meet with them," Katsura stepped inside the hut, ensuring the curtain was pulled tight behind them to keep out the night chill. "What happened, Homare? It looks like rabbits have been digging holes under the hut. Were you playing games with some of the boys again?"

"It wasn't me. I was doing nothing," Homare snorted. "It was the shinigami. They came and digged up a box and it had an old ugly sword in it. It belonged to a dead person, they said. They took it away. They asked me if I ever saw it before, but I didn't. The box was nice, though. I wish I had found it, Oniichan. It would've been a nice storage box, but the shinigami took all of it."

"A black box with a sword in it," Katsura murmured, and Homare sent him a startled look.

"I didn't say it was black. Just a pretty box. Were you here to see it too, Niichan?"

"No..." Katsura inwardly berated his carelessness, but he shook his head. "No, but I've heard about them before. When rich shinigami die, they put swords in boxes like that and bury them. You said it belonged to a dead person, so I assumed."

"I see," Homare sighed, curling herself up more comfortably on the floor of the hut. "I don't know a lot about shinigami. I suppose that's because I don't go to Seireitei."

"Kohaku was here again, wasn't he?"

"Yes," Homare looked surprised. "He came here and spoke to me. He was kind, Niichan. Because he was there, I didn't mind that the shinigami wanted to ask me if I saw the sword. He promised I would be fine and I was. I came right back here, just as he said, and they went away. There was some kind of big booom," she gestured with her hands, "but I don't know what it was. The shinigami went away and didn't come back after that, so maybe it was a Hollow. If it was, I hope they killed it. I don't like Hollows."

"Nobody does," Katsura said dryly. "No, I don't think it was a Hollow, but I suspect they went to fight some enemy to keep you all safe from harm."

"They seemed very worried about the sword being here," Homare put her chin in her hands. "I don't know why, if it belonged to a dead person, but like I said, I don't understand shinigami."

She sighed.

"Kohaku-niichan told me that he grew up in a place where it was very poor and there wasn't much food," she remembered. "After the shinigami came, it got better, and he was able to become a shinigami too. Was that where you grew up too, Niichan? You said you knew him, so I wondered if it was like that for you, too."

"It was a lot worse than being here, that's for sure," Katsura eyed her fondly. "You shouldn't pester Koku for stories of the past, though. It's probably not something he wants to remember."

"Because of Keitarou-san?"

"Homare, I thought we agreed..."

"I know, and we did, but Kohaku-niichan said he knew him. When I said his name, Kohaku-niichan's eyes went sad and worried, just like yours," Homare sighed. "He said that he didn't know if Keitarou-san was always a bad person or not, but I thought that maybe he hurt you, Niichan, and that's why you didn't want to talk about it. Kohaku-san said he killed and hurt a lot of people, so I'm glad he's not around any more. And I thought the shinigami sword might be his, since they talked about him before and the leader said it belonged to someone who died. I thought maybe, if Keitarou-san was a shinigami, and he did bad things, that that was why you don't like them? But they're not all bad. You said you knew Kohaku-niichan, and he's kind, so you must know that."

"What on earth were you talking to Koku about, Homare?" Katsura's expression became anxious, and Homare pursed her lips together.

"You call him a different name, like a nickname," she remarked. "You were friends before, you said so. Why won't you come talk to him, Oniichan? It makes me sad and lonely that you don't want to come stay with me when we're settled in Seireitei. Kohaku-niichan was kind to me, and I know he'd listen and help you, if you talked to him. Why won't you?"

"I've been thinking about that exact thing, but it's a big risk and I don't want you getting hurt," Katsura sighed heavily, stretching himself out beside the fire, which was spitting and flickering faintly with smoke and flame. "I've tried to keep you out of things you don't need to be involved in. And it doesn't matter how nice Koku...Kohaku is to you. I don't know what he'd be like if I spoke to him now. That's the truth. Five years ago was the last time we saw each other."

"That's when Kohaku-niichan said he became a shinigami, and that's when Keitarou-san died," Homare's eyes became narrow slits, her expression making her seem a lot older than her eight years. "Did you kill Keitarou-san, Gorou-nii? Is that the bad thing you did?"

"God no," Katsura looked floored, then shook his head. "Is that what you think? If I'd done that, I wouldn't have to hide from anyone. He was an enemy of Seireitei, Homare. Authorised to be killed on sight by anyone who happened to come across him. But he died in Inner Seireitei. A shinigami killed him. It wasn't me. I wasn't involved at all."

"Hrm," Homare frowned, then shrugged. "All right. Then tell me the truth. I want to know, Gorou-nii. You keep going away and I'm worried about you. If you don't tell me, it's like you don't trust me. And I want you to trust me. I love you, and I don't want to be all on my own any more. I feel like I am, when you don't tell me anything. I might be eight, but I'm not stupid."

"I've never thought that, not once," Katsura assured her. "I've just wanted to keep you safe."

"Today, the shinigami searched around our house and asked me questions and I was safe," Homare objected. "I'm not in danger. The shinigami don't hate me. They were kind, especially Kohaku-niichan. I'm not scared of them, Niichan. Tell me why you are. If it's not because of Keitarou-san, then tell me why."

"It is because of him," Katsura could not keep the bitterness from his voice, and Homare stared at him, disconcerted.

"But you said..."

"I said I didn't kill him," Katsura shook his head. "Not that I didn't know him. I did. Like Kohaku did. We both knew him...very well indeed."

"Will you tell me what happened?"

"Homare..."

"I need to know," Homare stuck to her guns. "I want to protect you, Niichan, but it's hard to do when I don't know what I'm protecting. I need you to tell me what is going on. The sword in the box...did you know it was there? Under our house? Because even if you know black boxes go in rich people tombs, you are from Rukongai, like me. How would you know if you didn't see it? You're lying to me and I don't like it. I can't protect you if you don't tell me stuff, and I don't like it!"

There were tears in the young girl's eyes, and Katsura sighed, reaching across to pull the child towards him and hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "You're right. I don't know why I thought I could protect you by lying to you. I suppose I can't. I suppose that the moment I let you become any part of my life, I put you in danger."

Homare gazed up at him, her eyes still glittering with unshed tears, and Katsura reached down to wipe them from her lashes.

"I grew up in the same place as Kohaku because he's my brother," he said softly, and Homare's eyes became huge with shock. "Yes, I know. We don't look alike, and we're on different sides of the divide, but it's true. Keitarou - the bad person you keep hearing about - he was our father."

"That's not true," Homare shook her head, pulling out of his hold and gazing at him in consternation. "People in Rukongai don't have real families. Nor fathers, nor mothers. They're like us. They meet later and make friends and families after they come here."

"Yes, but Keitarou was a shinigami who ran away from Seireitei. He took my mother from one of the Clans and they ran away together. We lived in the Rukon, and Koku and I grew up there because of that," Katsura said heavily. "The shinigami hate me because Keitarou was my father. He made me do some bad things and I can't take them back. I'm sorry for them, Homare, but I can't undo them. Kohaku never did bad things, but I...I did."

"Did you kill someone?" Homare whispered, dismay in her eyes, and Katsura nodded.

"That's why I didn't tell you," he admitted. "I didn't want to see you look like that. I wish I hadn't done it, Homare. But I can't undo it. I can't go back. None of us can."

"You're sorry you did it?"

"Very sorry. But you can't bring people back to life by being sorry."

"Did Keitarou make you kill them?"

"I suppose he did."

"Then he was a bad person," Homare said firmly. "Kohaku-niichan said he wasn't sure, but I am. Keitarou was a bad person, but you're not. You're not a bad person, Oniichan. Even if he made you do bad things, you're sorry for them. If the shinigami knew that..."

"The same kill on sight law is in place for me as it was for him. If they see me, they can kill me without hesitation," Katsura said grimly. "If they knew you were with me, then it would bring you into danger too. That's why I tried to keep you out of it - but I'm selfish. Being on your own is lonely. Here, I'm able to not be lonely. You were lonely too, and so I wanted to help you - but instead I've put you in a bad position and I don't know if I can protect you."

Homare was silent for a long while, digesting this. Then,

"Can't you ask Kohaku-niichan for help?" she asked. "He's your brother and I'm sure he would help you. He's a kind person, Gorou-nii. I like him. I think he'd help you."

"Helping me might put him in danger, too," Katsura ran his fingers through his messy dark hair. "Listen, Homare, my name isn't Gorou. I made that up, but if I'm trusting you, I'll tell you everything. My real name is Katsura."

"Katsura...nii?"

"Yes. Aizen Katsura," Katsura nodded. "But if anyone ever asks you about that name, you must always say you know nothing about it. Understand? I may have to take some risks, and I think it will happen soon. There's something bad going on in Rukongai and Seireitei, and I don't think I can stop it on my own. I think I'll have to ask Koku for help, but I don't know what consequences it might bring. Nonetheless, I think I must."

"Do you think he'll come back here?" Homare asked doubtfully. "He came with different shinigami today. They were Urahara. The Ojiisan said so. Not the Thirteenth. But they came to get the sword. I don't think he'll come here again. It might be the other shinigami instead. The Urahara. They come here more often. The Thirteenth don't come much at all."

"I'm going to leave here, and probably not come back," Katsura admitted, and Homare looked horrified.

"You're going to leave me?" she demanded, raising her voice, and Katsura hushed her, putting a finger to her lips and shaking his head.

"It's dangerous, so no, I'm not," he said softly. "Its up to you, but I want to take you with me. That's why I'm telling you all of this. If you stay here, then I'll trust you to not sell me out to the shinigami. But if you come with me, you'll be breaking rules just like me. I might be able to keep you from being attacked by Hollows and such like, but I'm a wanted outlaw and they are looking for me. I don't know at the moment which is the safest option."

"You'll take me with you? To Seireitei?" Homare's eyes lit up with hope, and Katsura nodded.

"If you still trust me, then that's what I think I should do," he said grimly. "Creatures I don't understand already attacked the perimeter of this camp. The shinigami were here and stopped it, this time - but if it happened again, you might get hurt. I don't intend to let that happen. Five years ago, when I first started living like this, I promised myself I was going to save lives and help people, to atone for the lives I took. I couldn't abandon you here knowing there might be more danger on the horizon. But it will be dangerous there, too. You'd be illegal as well. Not just me."

"I don't care," Homare said resolutely, flinging her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "I'll come with you, Oniichan. I don't care if it's a naughty thing to do, I want to stay with you. If this means I can, then I'll come."

"Good," Katsura grinned, eying her with relief. "Then we should get our belongings together and prepare for a good moment to slip through. I can't neutralise the Kidou barrier on the Seireitei side here, but if we go into the Rukon, I know a way to get to Seireitei that the shinigami don't know I know. We should go in the darkness, so that nobody sees us and gets suspicious. Do you think you can get things together quickly and quietly so we can leave here tonight?"

"I can," Homare's eyes twinkled with excitement. "I can do that. Are we going to speak to Kohaku-niichan?"

"No..." Katsura hesitated, then, "I'm going to write him a letter," he decided. "I'm going to do that, and hope he'll come meet me. I can't risk going to Inner Seireitei myself, and you're right in that I don't know where he will be patrolling next. That's my best bet - but I might need you to give the letter to the messenger."

"I've never done that before, and I can't read or write," Homare looked doubtful, and Katsura patted her on the head.

"I'll take care of that," he promised. "And I haven't written it yet. I'm still working it out, but there'll be no risk to you. I still have some stray coins, and hopefully, it should be enough to put everything in place."

* * *

"I think that's the last of them."

Unohana Madeki, Third Seat of the Fourth Division stood back from the line of polished silver autopsy tables, folding his arms across his chest as he surveyed the scene. "With the material from the Sixth and from the area around the border camp, I make it fourteen specimens in total."

"Does that include the evidence that was originally retrieved from Rukongai, on instruction from the Seventh?" The room's other occupant, the bespectacled figure of the Fourth Division Vice Captain, Eriko came to stand beside him, running her own gaze over the samples with a sigh. "I know those remains were badly burned, but Taichou did want us to make sure we covered every possibility."

"It doesn't," Madeki admitted. "Most of the bodies from that scene are so badly scorched that it's impossible to tell what is what, and those that aren't are not the same as what we have here. They are clearly murdered Rukon citizens, rather than..." He paused, gesturing to the tables, and Eriko nodded her head gravely.

"I suppose that's true. We know their cause of death, but haven't identified their killer," she said sadly.

"The only real evidence we can work from is the sword, which is still with Retsu-sama," Madeki agreed. "She wanted to examine it personally, in case she could pick up any clues as to where it came from - but otherwise, we have nothing from that scene of any use."

"We do have Aizen Katsura's reiatsu traces," Eriko pointed out, but Madeki shrugged.

"I don't think Taichou is too concerned with that," he admitted. "She seems far more interested in the sword than the fact a wanted fugitive who killed two of our comrades and rendered a third unable to return to active service was at the scene."

He turned back to the tables with a sigh.

"And then all of this happened, and now we have a whole new problem," he added. "Guren-sama's message was one thing, but to receive a second call so quickly after it from the Third in a different part of Soul Society is worrying. These things...whatever they are, they seem to be much the same, but to appear in two unconnected locations...one Seireitei, one Rukongai...at much the same time..."

"It is a concerning thing indeed."

The door of the autopsy chamber slid back at that moment, revealing the Fourth Division Captain herself, her slender fingers gloved and ready to examine the corpses that lay in state before her. "I fear it will be a long night, and I apologise for it in advance. With the scale of this infiltration, I felt it best to have my top officers involved. Something about this whole situation is very troubling."

"I'd say it's the bit where people started attacking us after they died," Madeki said grimly, moving to stand next to one of the biers. "Also, Guren-sama's sword is clearly way too sharp. He cut this one clean in two...which is going to make it hard to examine a cause of death. Or maybe, a cause of life."

"Guren-sama was angry that the memorial for his son was disturbed," Eriko pointed out. "Besides, the report we had from Ryuu-dono was that the creatures stopped moving if their hearts were destroyed. That sounds similar to what we encountered when Aizen Keitarou was making puppets - am I correct in thinking that Onoe Tomoyuki, while devoid of brain activity, was capable of attacking and manipulation so long as his heart still beat?"

"Onoe Tomoyuki was not dead. He lacked mental activity, but his body was still alive and functioning when he was Keitarou's puppet," Retsu dipped her gloved hands in the disinfectant solution, moving over to examine the bodies more directly. "These people are not the same. They have clearly begun to decay...their reiatsu is so badly corrupted that I think it unlikely we will be able to draw a spiritual reiatsu signature from most of them. Not that I think it will matter if we identify them or not. The very fact they appear as corpses, yet were able to attack officers, is of far greater concern to me."

"Do you think it will happen again?" Madeki pulled on his own gloves, moving to disinfect them in the same way his Captain had before him. "If we consider that what happened in Keitarou's stretch of Rukongai was also of this nature, then that makes three occurrences so far. Once might be a coincidence, but surely not three."

"It bothers me that these two happened at the same time," Eriko admitted, gathering together the various tools of dissection that the Fourth favoured and laying them out neatly on a clean, empty tray. "I'm not sure if that suggests a coincidence or if it proves that someone is behind it."

"The Captains believe it is Aizen Katsura," Retsu said gravely. "The fact that these attacks occur in spaces where Keitarou had spirit Gates, and that the openings in the ether are much like those Gates has led to the belief Katsura is following in his father's footsteps. His reiatsu was located at the first scene, and Katsura has a record of manipulating Hollows to attack individuals - as we know to our sad cost."

"But you don't agree with that hypothesis, do you, Taichou?" Madeki eyed his Captain keenly. "I can tell by the way you said that. You don't think this is Katsura's work, do you?"

"If it had just been the one incident...perhaps," Retsu pursed her lips, looking troubled. "I might believe it, then. Two incidents simultaneously...that I find more difficult to countenance. Katsura is not a shinigami of his father's intellect or ability. The reiatsu blast that scorched the scene in Keitarou's old camp vicinity was powerful, but there is nothing in the trace reiatsu there to indicate him capable of orchestrating puppet shows in both Seireitei and Rukongai at the same time. Keitarou had to be within a certain vicinity of his victims, and reidoku alone made him capable of controlling more than one individual at a time."

"But if Katsura is Keitarou's son, surely the reidoku could also impact him?" Eriko asked. Retsu shook her head.

"According to Kohaku's testimony, Keitarou stopped making reidoku, and Katsura was conceived before Keitarou took it himself," she said gravely. "He is a powerful young man and lacks proper control in a way that we would understand it, maybe. But he is not exceptional. Besides, the un-burnt corpses in the Rukon were slain by sword blades. These individuals also carry weapons, and an old sword was recovered from that scene, too. I have not been able to make out the wording carved on it, unfortunately - it was too badly damaged. I did hope that maybe I would have better luck with some of these."

"You think Katsura stopped that Rukon attack, don't you?" Madeki asked sharply, and Retsu shrugged.

"At present I have not enough evidence to conclude either way," she said honestly. "It is just as possible that Katsura is involved with whoever is controlling this scene, and that what happened in Rukongai was a test scenario between the two of them, which Katsura's spiritual blast ended. I won't jump to conclusions, Madeki. I need instead to look at the evidence before us."

"This corpse is the most unusual," Eriko paused alongside the remains of the warrior monk that Ryuu had beheaded and impaled in the field. "I haven't seen robes like that before, and naginata aren't common weapons in our society."

"I believe Kotetsu Tenichi's zanpakutou release takes that form," Madeki said thoughtfully. "You're right, though, Eriko-dono. It isn't very usual, not these days."

"Not these days, no," Retsu's lips thinned. "In the past, however, I believe they were more common. Mountain temples often had a military force. This individual bears all the hallmarks of fitting that profile, and the weapon of choice for a warrior monk was a naginata."

"But we must be going back centuries, surely, for that?" Eriko looked startled. Retsu nodded.

"At least a milennia," she agreed gravely. Madeki's eyes widened.

"A thousand years?" he whispered. "Do you think these corpses are that old, Retsu-sama?"

"If I was to hypothesise, I'd say older," Retsu moved to the monk's side, carefully loosening the stained thongs from beneath the severed neckline and gently teasing apart the layers of fabric to reveal the sunken torso beneath. "Warrior monks may still have existed in that time, but there is no reason for a monk from that time period to be inside the Dangai. I fear we must take it back further and look to other possibilities."

"So Guren-sama and the Third were attacked by corpses from thousands of years ago?" Eriko picked up the naginata, turning it over in her hands. "How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure, yet," Retsu looked troubled. "I went over the report that Yunosuke-dono sent from the border camp scene. He had Kohaku with him, and the young boy is very sensitive to reiatsu. Apparently he had the sensation that the creature he fought was someone who had been thrown into the Dangai as a prisoner of war following a conflict of some kind. He didn't know what kind, and Yunosuke-dono wasn't sure himself whether Kohaku's hunch was correct, but I think that is the place we must start. If we take the fact that this monk," she patted the torso lightly, "would have decayed away to nothing in a thousand years if buried here in Seireitei, then we must also consider that he did not die here. The Dangai is mysterious and its properties unknown, but the chances of a corpse decaying in the same manner as here is probably unlikely. It is a limbo state, and how time passes there has yet to be fully understood. Seireitei has also not used the Dangai for execution purposes for around three thousand years. If Kohaku's instinct is correct, and these are criminals or rebels thrown into the void as punishment for their actions, then we may be looking at a much older timeframe."

"At least three thousand years," Madeki murmured. "Could any body resist decay for that long, even in the Dangai? And then re-animate and come through the Gate to get revenge? I'm sorry, Taichou, but I find that really hard to believe."

"And yet we have reliable and independent witness statements of corpses attacking shinigami, and we have the physical evidence of it lying here before us from two distinct scenes," Retsu pointed out. "As I said before, Madeki - we cannot jump to conclusions. We must look at the evidence, and understand what it tells us, even if that is something hard to believe."

"I catalogued the injuries of each corpse when they were brought in," Eriko reached for a pile of papers, spreading them out on an empty surface and poring over their contents. "All of them had sustained some kind of serious wound, but many of those injuries appear to have been inflicted post-mortem. There was little blood-loss from wounds that should have been more fatal. Several of the bodies were missing pieces - little details like toenails - and I noticed that although many had flesh wounds, they didn't seem to have been caused by weapons. I drew the conclusion that most of the injuries present on these bodies were inflicted by shinigami during the fight to bring them down, but that they did not cause the deaths of these individuals. Also, some of the minor injuries were the result of decay, such as skin rotting, tendons stretching or bones splintering through the pressure of decomposition. That is, if we are working on the premise that they were already dead when this encounter took place?" she glanced up at her Captain, who nodded her head.

"I think the biological evidence indicates thus," she agreed heavily. "Onoe Tomoyuki's body behaved as a living body should when he was slain. The examination of his remains indicated he was killed by the blow inflicted by Houjou Enishi during their fight. There was no evidence on the corpse of Onoe's mental deficiency, nor any evidence that he had begun to decay before he was cut down. These individuals are clearly showing the opposite symptom. They were long dead _before_ they attacked."

"So we have to figure out how dead people left the Dangai and launched an assault," Madeki groaned. "I can see it really is going to be a long night."

"For the time being, catalogue all of the weaponry that we have, and make sure it's clearly labelled to the corpse it came from," Retsu instructed. "I want then to examine the clothing of each individual. I want to find clues as to when these people lived, to confirm or dispute the possibility they were Dangai convicts. That means searching for family insignias, and identifying styles of clothing or lifestyle that might be unusual. In particular, the robes of the monk...I'm not sure what records remain about mountain temples, but it might be something we can find out."

"You mean, a battle in which monks fought, after which people were thrown into the Dangai, that matches the type of robes he's wearing?" Eriko asked. Retsu nodded.

"It bothers me," she said honestly. "I can't help thinking that there's something here. Something I haven't quite seen yet...but something I've seen...or heard about...before. Something deep into the past...older than myself. I hope that, if we go through each of these individuals with a fine tooth comb, I might dislodge that piece of broken memory. What killed them is less important than what brought them to life again, and when they died is more important than who they are. I feel that until we fill these large pieces of the puzzle, we won't make much progress. I fear this kind of attack might happen again, and I would like to prevent it if possible."

"If even Keitarou couldn't make a corpse dance, Taichou, what are we looking at here?" Eriko sounded worried. "Just the thought of it is beyond troubling. If these people were alive before they went into the Dangai, and died there, thousands of years ago, then whatever sent them to attack us must be some kind of, well, necromancer. And if even Keitarou couldn't do that, then who in Seireitei could?"

"A necromancer?" Retsu's eyes widened slightly, and Madeki frowned.

"Surely not," he remarked. "We're Shinigami. Death Gods. We're the ones keeping the balance, and the cycle is life, death, rebirth, life, death. What kind of entity could disrupt that, and put it in reverse?"

Retsu did not answer, and Eriko sent her a concerned look.

"Taichou? What is it?"

"I wonder," Retsu chewed on her lip. "I don't know the answer, Eriko-san, but I think that you are probably correct. That is exactly the kind of person we seek."

"But..." Madeki looked flummoxed, "Surely it's as Fukutaichou said. Who in Seireitei could possibly bring the dead back to life...or non-life...in this kind of a way?"

"Nobody that I know of. Nobody in this lifetime, or the last," Retsu said bleakly. "But clearly that is what is happening, and that is what we must track down. Examine the bodies closely, both of you, and keep an open mind. Aizen Katsura may yet have some involvement in this, but I don't think he's the necromancer. I don't know how it's possible, but this seems more the work of a Soldier...of a particular kind of Soldier."

Madeki sent Eriko a quizzical look, and the Vice Captain shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she did not understand either.

"A soldier from the Dangai? One of their own?" she ventured, and Retsu started, glancing at her companion and offering her a faint smile. She shook her head.

"No. I'm sorry, I'm probably not making sense," she said apologetically. "Your words just made me think of where I'd encountered a story like this before - but I really don't see how it's possible. That being the case, we must eliminate all other possibilities. I said that we had to follow the evidence, even if they lead in an unlikely direction - but before I assume that direction, I'd like to know there's not something else we're missing first."

* * *

Midnight.

Kohaku gazed across the small barracks bedchamber towards the window, taking in the wispy dark clusters of cloud that surrounded the spring moon. The night was relatively still and quiet, and the only shinigami still up and about were those assigned to late patrols or guard duty. With an early start the next day, Kohaku knew that he should be sleeping, too, but try as he might he could not settle to rest. Memory of the events at the border camp still taunted him, raising more questions than answers, and keeping his brain whirring long after he had lain his body down. Had Katsura really raided Keitarou's tomb? Was he really hiding in the border camp? If not, how had he been there, saving his brother's life at such a convenient moment? Why had he not answered Kohaku's call, and more importantly, what had that creature been, lurching out of the Dangai half-decayed? Was it really the body of a Dangai criminal, trapped in spiritual limbo for centuries, or had that flash of memory been just confusion and adrenaline, inventing pieces to a puzzle that didn't really exist?

Whatever the truth, staying here was doing him no good at all. His companions were all fast asleep, their faces peaceful and their dreams probably full of pleasant nothings that would be forgotten the moment that they woke. Kohaku pulled himself into a sitting position, gazing around at the other officers with a feeling of weary resentment. People who could sleep so soundly without the fear or threat of haunting dreams were luckier than they knew, as were those whose consciences were clean.

 _I covered for Katsu-nii today. If he did take the sword, well, maybe I did something I shouldn't have. I didn't think he could be involved in anything, but..._

He got to his feet, picking his way as quietly as possible around his pallet bed to slide his sandals onto his feet. Scooping up his night-robe and his towel from his peg by the door, he slipped out into the corridor, padding along the hallway towards the big bathhouse which was open all times of the day and night. Division rules enforced a curfew for all officers not signed out either on patrol or a registered night off-duty, in order that in an emergency everyone was quickly and easily accounted for, but there were no rules against a midnight bath, and there had been times in the past when, woken by a bad dream, Kohaku had retreated to the bathhouse to wash off the sticky sweat and calm his nerves down. On those occasions, he remembered ruefully, he was usually accompanied by one or other of his roommates, for Kohaku's nightmares were the stuff of legend, and highly contagious to any who had the misfortune to be rooming with him. It had been one of the reasons that Keitarou had kept him so segregated in the Rukon village, but to his surprise, Kayashima and Furuta had taken it into their stride right away, and had soon normalised the concept among the others. Now it was a standing joke, with Kohaku expected to share his snack rations the next day with anyone he had managed to wake. The trips to the bathhouse were often rowdy and good-humoured, and on one occasion, when Kohaku had managed to wake the whole of the recruit dorm at once, they had stayed in there till the morning gong had sounded, leading to a mad scramble into uniform to meet their duties on time, and more than one of them had been yawning during their afternoon chores.

Those memories had made the bathhouse a place of safe haven for Kohaku during the more difficult times in his transition from Rukon waif to shinigami, and so it was natural that, when something was troubling him now, he would choose to go there to think. All Divisions had bathing facilities, but only the Thirteenth, with its close proximity to water and its elaborate heating system had a proper bathhouse that was the envy of all other squads, and as Kohaku crossed the grass towards it, he was glad to see that it appeared quiet.

As he had hoped, the building was empty, and he quickly changed, sponging his body clean before heading through to the male bath proper. It was also deserted, and, as he slipped beneath the water, he let out a heavy sigh. The bath was not deep, but learning to swim meant that he did not have to keep such a firm focus on his footing, and it was possible for him to spread out on his back, gazing up at the slatted wood that formed the roof and making out the tiny gaps through which he could see the stars.

It had been a long day.

He floated there for a while, reflecting on the past five years of his time within the Gotei system. In that time, he had often thought about Katsura, and what kind of life he was living in hiding. While much of Seireitei had not known whether his brother was even alive, Kohaku had known that Katsura had been healed and allowed to escape by Edogawa Mitsuki, Juushirou's sometime partner and a healer from the Fourth now stationed in District Four. Since then, Kohaku had had no contact with him, but there had been no mistaking either the reiatsu or the voice in the field by the border camp.

 _He was there and he saved me, but he didn't respond to me, and he slipped away before I saw him. My brother and yet not my brother.  
_  
He sighed, kicking out absently towards the side of the bath.

 _I haven't kept things from Taichou before, not since I became a proper recruit, but today I did. I told him that we found the sword, and I told him about the attack of those creatures. I told him that when I touched the Gate, it opened again, and that Kyouka said it reacted to me. I even told him what I saw, when I looked at that corpse, and that I thought he was maybe one of the Dangai dead, brought back to life by something or someone. I told him all of those things, but I didn't tell him that the reason I was alive to make that report was because of my brother. Taichou knows Edogawa-san let Katsura escape, and maybe I could have told him. It's not as though Katsu-nii really made contact, and I don't know where he is or where he went. But with everything else Juushirou-dono said, it made it difficult to know how to begin.  
_  
He closed his eyes, remembering again the solemn conversation they had had about the Captain's meeting and the directive to find Katsura and bring him into custody.

 _Juushirou-dono means it, when he says he'll arrest him and give him a fair hearing, but not all the Captains are like that. Endou-taichou may have promised, and if he did, I think he'll keep his word - but I'm not sure about Divisions like the Eleventh or the Second. There are still people in some squads who give me suspicious looks. They wouldn't think twice of killing my brother and then claiming it was an accident or that he resisted arrest. Because of that, even though I trust my Captain, I couldn't tell him. I protected my brother, and in doing so, I shielded a wanted fugitive. I think that's probably quite a serious thing to do - but now I've done it, and the moment has gone, and there's nothing I can do about it. Not even sleep on it, apparently._

He lowered his feet to the bottom of the bath, sinking down against the wall and allowing the warm water to soak over his body. If he stayed there too long, he would probably fall asleep in the water, and his hands and feet would wrinkle up, giving away the fact that he had had a disturbed night. His friends would want to know why, and why he had not woken them to join him, so with a reluctant sigh he waded to the edge of the bath, pulling himself out and padding back to the changing room to dry and dress once more. His hair was still damp, and he tied it into a knot behind his head, draping his night robe over his shoulders and preparing to return to his room.

The night sky was still quiet, though after the warmth of the bathhouse, the atmosphere felt chilly and he stifled a shiver, wishing that he had thought to bring a warmer robe. It was not far to the building that housed his sleeping quarters but, as he began to cross the ground towards it, a flash of the memory from earlier that day flooded his senses, the fear and terror of the young man being thrown bodily into the Dangai by two masked officials. Paralysed by the image, Kohaku stopped dead in the middle of the courtyard, oblivious to the cold now as he saw the image in more clarity, the struggling youth with his broken leg, the blood that trickled down his face, the split lips moving, screaming, begging for help, and then the name of a woman. In the background, for the first time, he could see her, a young woman robed in clothing he had never seen before, tears running down her face. She was not alone, for others surrounded her, old and young, all women - all widows to war.

The impression of grief and hopelessness overwhelmed him, and he felt his feet begin to move. He was not running from the barracks, but running from the darkness of the Dangai, as though he too was a prisoner now, who had slipped his chains and was running for his life. Was he the youth, trying to escape? Had his leg been broken in that pursuit, forcing him to ground and making him once more a prisoner? Kohaku's thoughts whirled together, and he forgot about Thirteenth Division, and the barracks, and everything except the fact that he was running for his life, running for his freedom. Running to find his wife...

"Koku-kun?"

A young woman's voice startled him back to reality, a pair of slender hands reaching out of the darkness to grab him and give him a little shake. He blinked, gazing around him in confusion, which quickly turned to embarrassment as he realised that he was surrounded by shinigami, and he was still wearing his nightrobes. He gazed up at the speaker, his cheeks flushing red as all around him he heard the soft murmurs and ripples of amused laughter.

"Shizuka...san?"

The woman, Eighth Division's Eighth Seated officer, Magaki Shizuka, let out a low chuckle at his surprise.

"I seem to be fated to meet you in the middle of the street like this," she observed playfully. "What are you doing here? It's late, and you're definitely not dressed for night patrol."

Kohaku opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but, as he recalled the sensation of running once more, he closed it again, suddenly confused about what he wanted to say. He had been looking for his wife, but he didn't have a wife, and instead he had found Shizuka, and the Eighth Division, and somehow he had left the Thirteenth, though he didn't know how.

"Shizuka, what's up?" Another shinigami pushed through the gathered crowd to the centre, stopping at the sight of Kohaku, and muttering a curse. He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I guess Ukitake-taichou's training regimen must be pretty harsh this week, if members of his Division are making their night escape," he observed wryly, and Kohaku flinched, even more mortified that now the Vice Captain of the Eighth Division was also before him.

"Shindou-san? I'm sorry. I don't know...where am I, exactly?"

"Half-way between your home and ours, as it happens," Shindou patted him on the head. "You're damp - it's not been raining. What have you been doing? Swimming in the koi pond?"

"I took a late bath," Kohaku wished the cobbles would open up now and swallow him whole. "I don't really remember leaving the Division, though."

"Maybe we need to talk to Ukitake-taichou about what he puts in the water," one of the other officers suggested, and another ripple of laughter went around the Eighth Division members.

"Well, it makes an otherwise boring late patrol more exciting, when there's a sleep-walking, night-bathing runaway to thwart," Shindou reflected. "Shizuka? You know the Thirteenth pretty well. Take him home. If anyone asks why you're there, tell him I sent you and you have my authority, but I'd rather you made sure he crosses the threshold. When you're done, come back and debrief. I'll make sure you don't get too early a start tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Shizuka saluted, and, as the other Eighth Division patrol shinigami disappeared in the direction of their home barracks, she cast him a critical glance.

"Fukutaichou is right. You're wet, you're in your nightclothes, and you look half out of your wits."

There was clear concern in her voice, and at the sound of it, Kohaku felt himself relax. Whatever had spooked him, it had gone now, and he was safe, in friendly company, with someone who understood. Shizuka was one of Shunsui's shinigami, and they had first met when she had tripped over him, unconscious, in the streets of Inner Seireitei the day his father had been killed. Shizuka, knowing that her Captain had been the one to kill Keitarou, had wanted to heal the breach, and so when Ketsui had volunteered to work with Kohaku on his sword skills, she had offered her own Kidou knowledge. Their informal training sessions had blossomed into a proper friendship, and though Kohaku did not see Shizuka as often as he saw some of his other friends, he always felt reassured in her company. Kayashima had occasionally teased him, saying it was his first proper crush, but to Kohaku it was something deeper. Shizuka was Shunsui's illegitimate daughter, and had inherited all of her father's latent perception for the feelings of others. In the early days, when learning spells had made him hallucinate, or when his reiryoku had overloaded his wits to the point of panic, she had understood, talking it out with him instead of scolding him for his reticence or his mistakes. He had calmed down, bit by bit, anchoring himself to her voice. She had brought him out of this delusion in the same way, and though he didn't completely know what had happened to frighten him, he was grateful to her for making it stop.

What happened, Koku?" She was speaking again now, still looking at him with worried brown eyes. "All jokes aside, it's not like you to break rules. Or curfew."

"Well, I suppose it's only really curfew I broke. We're allowed to have baths in the evening, and, well, I don't think the Thirteenth has a specific rule about making an idiot of yourself in your nightrobes at midnight in front of another Division's patrol," Kohaku groaned, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry, Shizuka-san. You do seem to find me in odd places. I didn't mean to...I didn't know you were there."

"You look like you saw a ghost," Shizuka linked her arm in his, leading him slowly back down the cobble path towards the Thirteenth Division. "You must have jumped the fence, because I'm sure someone on Night Duty would have hauled you back, otherwise. I don't mind picking you up and bringing you home, but you seem jumpy and not yourself. What's bothering you? Surely the new recruits at Thirteenth aren't so bad you need to run away."

"No. No, they're generally fine," Kohaku shook his head. "It isn't that. I think I picked up something earlier, when I was at the border camp with the Third. I'm not sure I did it on purpose, but it's clearly still in my system somewhere."

He rubbed his brow again.

"It might have been a ghost," he added pensively. "I'm really not sure, because I don't totally understand."

"Well, try me," Shizuka suggested. "If I'm a little later back, Fukutaichou will settle it with the Captain, and besides, you and I, we're friends, aren't we? You can trust me, and you look like you need someone to talk to. I'm here, so talk to me."

Kohaku gazed at her for a moment, and Shizuka cocked her head on one side, eying him expectantly.

"Well? I'm waiting. You won't sleep until you get it out of your system, and so now seems as good a time as any to try."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just not really sure how to explain," Kohaku admitted.

"Does this have something to do with the fact all of Seireitei is looking actively for your brother?" Shizuka asked gently. Kohaku started, then shrugged his shoulders.

"It's probably part of it," he admitted, "but I'm not sure it's all of it."

"I was going to call by your Division tomorrow, actually," Shizuka admitted. "When Taichou told us...I thought you might be upset by it. I know you don't want to do it, Koku, but in the circumstances...I mean, it's not as though it's a Kill on Sight order."

"I know. And I don't think Katsu-nii is a troublemaker, but the truth is, I don't know anything about him since I came here," Kohaku sighed, idly kicking at a loose stone and watching it roll across the street. "It feels a little lonely, thinking about that. Thirteenth is my family now, and Taichou has become like a father to me...more than my real father ever was, probably. The problem is that I also had a brother, and I loved him, and we did everything together. There isn't anyone or anything that could replace the bond we had, and I miss him, even now. I depended on him, and he said he'd always be there...but in five years we've not spoken, and maybe...I don't know who he is any more."

"If you believe in him, don't start doubting because there's distance between you," Shizuka advised. "Family can be blood or it can be not-blood. But bonds are important, and they come through in the end. If you think Katsura isn't the one causing trouble, then I'll trust in your belief and share it with you. But don't lose sleep over it. The reality is that we've not found proper traces of your brother in the last five years. That hasn't changed now. Even if his reiatsu was found in the Rukon, it doesn't mean they know where to look for him now."

"That's true, too," Kohaku acknowledged. "It is bothering me, but I know you're right."

"So if it isn't just that, what else is on your mind?"

"At the border camp today, outside it, there was a strange happening," Kohaku said slowly. "I haven't been told to keep it a secret, so I suppose I can tell you about it. Something opened a Gate there, and these creatures came out of it. One of them attacked me. It looked like a corpse, Shizuka-san. Dead, decayed - more of a skeleton, yet it came towards me like it was still alive. I think I picked something up from it - leaking memories from rotting reishi, perhaps. It wasn't able to hurt me, and the remains are with the Fourth now, but I can't get him out of my head. Kayashima told me that, in the ancient times, they threw prisoners in the Dangai. I can't shake the feeling that's what this person was. Only he was young, and he was frightened, and he had someone he loved - someone he was calling out for. I think...that's what I was running away from. Or towards, as though I was looking for his wife. I saw it again, coming out of the bathhouse, and then...it's all a funny blur until I came here and you startled me out of it."

"You were looking for his wife, and you found me," Shizuka clicked her tongue against her teeth. "I wonder what I should read into that."

"Shizuka-san! I'm serious!" Kohaku reddened again, and Shizuka grinned, squeezing his arm companionably.

"I know, but I think you're dwelling on this encounter too much," she said honestly. "I know there was an incident at the border camp, as messages were sent around to look out for similar incidents and to be on our guard. One apparently also happened in Sixth District, and it was very similar to what you just described."

"In Sixth? At the same time?" Kohaku was startled, and Shizuka shrugged.

"Maybe. This afternoon, certainly, because it disturbed the memorial rites and Guren-sama was apparently angry enough to send every Division a memo about it," she agreed. "Why? Is it important?"

 _Katsu-nii saved me this afternoon. If he was with me, he wasn't in District Six. That means he can't be involved in this...not that I thought he was, not really.  
_  
Kohaku let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head.

"No. I just didn't know, that's all."

"Well, it sounds creepy, dead people falling out of the Dangai," Shizuka grimaced, giving a little shudder. "And, if it was leaking reishi, you probably did pick something up. That's probably all it is, though. You are sensitive to that stuff, but you can blow it out of proportion. If you did see that guy's past, and it was horrible, then that's sad...but it's not your past, and you can't change it. There's nothing to be done for him now except figure out how he came to be at the border camp - and that's a concern for the living, not the dead. You understand what I mean, don't you? You can't let yourself get bogged down in this stuff. Leave the investigations to the Third and the Fourth and focus on the things right in front of you. What about those recruits? Ketsui said you'd been assigned to work with them this time?"

"Yes...I suppose I have," Kohaku nodded, "and they're okay, but they don't mostly know about my heritage. Not yet. It's put me on edge a bit. I discussed it with one of them, and he was fine - but I don't really know how to bring it up or if I even should."

"It sounds to me as though your brain is protesting because you are trying to think too much at once," Shizuka observed, and Kohaku managed a wry smile.

"Funny. Kyouka says the same," he told her. "That I think too much, and don't do enough acting."

"I didn't think I'd ever agree with your crazy zanpakutou, but I guess it knows you better than I thought," Shizuka grinned. "Well? Here we are. Home sweet home. Do I need to come in and sign you in with a responsible adult, or can you manage from here?"

"Don't tease me. I'm fine, now. Whatever it was, it's gone," Kohaku shot her a dark look, stifling a yawn. "Also, running riot in my nightclothes has made me sleepy, and I'd rather not get a black mark for breaking curfew. I'll make my own way back, and you should go report to Shindou-san. He'll be waiting for you."

"So he will," Shizuka agreed with a sigh. "All right. Good night, then, and sweet dreams. Try to relax and don't worry about Katsura. You can't fix everything, and you know that, if he is taken prisoner, Ukitake-taichou has your back and will not let him be killed without a proper trial."

"I know." Kohaku nodded, and Shizuka grinned, leaning across to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

"Be good," she teased, as he stared at her in surprise. "I'll try and come by tomorrow, schedule permitting. I want to see Ketsui anyway, before he scampers off to the Real World again, so I'll expect to see you hard at work and in one piece still!"

With that she was gone, disappearing into a shunpo that made Kohaku envious. He stood there for a moment, touching his finger gently to his cheek. Then, very slowly, he turned on his heel, making his way across the cobbles to his chamber. So engrossed in his thoughts was he that he did not notice a face at the window of the recruit dorm, nor the intent pair of eyes that watched his progress across the cobbles to the safety of the building. Oblivious to the fact he had been observed, he quietly let himself into his chamber, removing the robe and hanging it on the hook over the door. Then, as quietly as he could, he slipped back into bed, closing his eyes and burying his head in the pillow. Thanks to his conversation with Shizuka, sleep came more easily this time, and he knew nothing more until the sound of the morning bell.


	20. Mitsuki's Patient

**Chapter Nineteen: Mitsuki's Patient**

The sun was rising over another glorious Spring day in District Four.

From the window of the small dormitory, a young woman gazed contentedly out the haze of different colours that illuminated the horizon in a veritable rainbow each day. It was getting lighter, earlier, and from her window, she could see blossoms on the trees barely concealing the dark shapes of bird-nests in the boughs. Occasionally, she would see a swallow or a skylark fly in and out, a branch clasped in its beak, and this promise of new life made her feel that, at that moment, there was nowhere in Seireitei more beautiful than District Four.

It was six months now since Edogawa Mitsuki had been offered the chance to deploy to the research hospital taking shape in the heart of the Unohana's hereditary lands, and she had immediately jumped at the chance, eager for an opportunity to spread her wings and escape the stifling atmosphere of Inner Seireitei life. While it had been difficult, explaining to Juushirou that she was once again undertaking a potentially long term deployment, she knew that she belonged out here far more than she ever would at the heart of shinigami power. Her previous deployment had taken her to Rukongai, a long-term station in the ill-fated Spiritless Zone that had ended the night Katsura and his sister had killed her comrades, but despite the brutal way that mission had ended, she had missed the direct contact with ordinary people, and the personal interaction it had allowed her in their regular lives. A Kuchiki by birth, she knew that she had moved as far as was possible now from the life of a pampered Clan _hime_ that she had been born into, but she had no regrets. Her vocation had always been healing, and, in a place like this, in the peaceful atmosphere of a stable District in a time of overall peace, she had begun to carve out a new niche.  
 _  
Besides, we're here working at the cutting edge of medicine. Healing kidou, techniques, new medicines. Trying to crack some of the most impossible diseases Seireitei has to offer. Maybe, one day, something like this will help to eradicate haibyou, too. Maybe we'll find a cure. Maybe one day, Juushirou won't have to fight against his body and his health to do his job. Not that I'd ever consider him weak because of it, but I do wish I could stop it. If a place like this exists, maybe I can. Maybe we'll finally find it - that elusive cure for the Ukitake family's curse._

"Edogawa! Edogawa, are you up?"

A call from the hallway beyond, followed by a heavy knock on the door reminded her that she was far too busy to spend her morning watching nature, and she hurriedly checked that her _shihakushou_ was neatly in place, pulling her dark hair back into its usual braid and sliding her zanpakutou through the loops of her obi with a firm pat. Her room was simply appointed, thus easy to keep neat, and with a cursory glance to make sure nothing had been left out of place, she hurried to the door, sliding it back and bowing her head to acknowledge the officer who had called her name. He was waiting in the corridor, and she hurried to join him, closing her bedroom door behind her and fastening the lock in place.

"You called for me, sir?"

"I did, and you're up, which is good," the older officer cast her a warm smile, gesturing for her to follow him along the narrow halls of the residential complex and down the winding stairs that led to the main doors. "I hoped that would be the case. Those two children in the general wing are getting restless, and I hoped you might calm them down. They seem to listen to you - an old man like me is far too far from their awareness to make much impression, I'm afraid."

"I'm sure that's not the case," Mitsuki returned the smile with an amused grin. "If you mean the two scamps who managed to break their arms in the ravine trying to pick buds off tree branches, then I don't suppose anyone could keep them down for long. I wonder how their mother manages to handle them. She must have the patience of a saint."

"Or she's just too worn out to notice much any more," the old man laughed. "Well, if you could look at them, I'd be grateful. You have a way with the children, and I'd like to cut them loose, but someone ought to examine their splints and make sure they're up to it first."

"I'll do that," Mitsuki promised. "Don't worry, Saionji-san. I was going to check on them this afternoon, anyway. If they're being turbulent this morning then I can always throw them out a little early. It isn't as though our hospital here is meant to be taking care of such mundane injuries, anyway - I'm sure they'll knit up just fine, and they don't need to stay any longer."

"Well, the Captain set up this place to investigate rare and incurable diseases, true enough," Saionji Teiji, Fifth Seat of the Fourth Division and one of the Unohana Clan's elder statesmen nodded his head reflectively. "She gave over responsibility for its running to me, but at the time she did that, she said that I could use my discretion to deal with the local people. A lot of the folk around here are not wealthy enough to pay for local medics or even apothecary treatment, so I don't mind giving over that wing to treating them, if we can help. The trouble comes when a couple of scamps like this think it's fun to play hide-and-seek around the beds of the other patients."

"Is that what they're doing?" Mitsuki looked thoughtful. "I see. It certainly sounds as though they could use a dose of unpleasant tasting herbal medicine, and then a firm discharge. Can we get in touch with anyone from their family to come get them? If they can prance around beds, they can go home...but I was under the impression their mother had a couple of smaller kids to look after, and she might not be able to come here."

"I'll send word to their uncle. He's the one who brought them here in the first place," Saionji assured her. "If you can just calm them down a bit and check they're ready to go, I'll see to the rest. I know you're busy, but they seem to listen when you tell them to do something."

"I can't think why," Mitsuki mused. "I'll try, though. They can't be disturbing other patients. Some of the people in that ward are still quite unwell."

"You don't have your own children, do you?" Saionji asked, and Mitsuki reddened slightly, shaking her head.

"It's a little bit complicated," she said slowly, "but no, I don't. I came here because I didn't have any of those ties. I'm not married, you see, so it's easy for me to move around and be deployed long-term wherever the Captain wants me."

"I see," Saionji rubbed his whiskery chin thoughtfully. "I was under the impression from the Captain that you were promised to someone? I had wondered if you had maybe some personal maternal experience."

Mitsuki faltered, stopping dead in her tracks, and Saionji sent her a concerned look.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked anxiously. "I'm sorry, my dear. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh, you didn't. I just didn't realise the Captain was paying so much attention," Mitsuki sent her superior officer a rueful smile. "It's complicated, like I said. We both have goals and work aims, and it means that formalising anything is difficult for us both. I would say it's true that there is...someone important to me. But I'm not married, and we have no children. I don't suppose we ever will."

"If I may say, that's a shame. You're a natural with the young ones," the old man reflected. Mitsuki shrugged.

"What will be, will be. I don't mind how things are," she admitted. "Juushirou - the person I care for - he has a habit of adopting strays who have nowhere else to go. I suppose I've become involved a couple of times with that. Maybe that's where it comes from. I'm not sure. There's a young lad he considers to be like an adoptive son, and I admit, sometimes I feel protectively maternal towards him, too."

She pushed open the door, stepping out onto the grass and then holding it open for her companion. "He's had some unsettled health, and I treated him for a long time some years ago. He's not like the little scaramouches I'm going to see now, though. Quite different, in fact. I'd say that, when we have a pair of lively ones running riot around the place, I feel more and more happy that they're not mine to deal with longterm."

She laughed sheepishly.

"Perhaps I'm not really that maternal. Or maybe it's just that I don't see any room or time for children when I have so much to do as a healer. This is where I belong, Saionji-san. I've tried Inner Seireitei, and it doesn't work for me. I struggle, there. I don't fit in. I mean, I have Juushirou, there, but...although I have him, and I have friends...there are rules and codes and practices that I just don't understand. I spent too long in Rukongai, I think. It changed me...so when this opportunity came up, for deployment here..."

"Well, it's my gain. The Captain said you were a good young healer looking to widen your experience, and I believe she's right," Saionji said comfortably. "It's hard to believe, sometimes, that you aren't a blood Unohana - you may look the part of a Kuchiki, but I must admit, you certainly seem at home here."

"I think I am," Mitsuki reflected. "District Four is beautiful, and peaceful, and I like that. I'm glad I came. And I'm glad I can be of help."

"Well, see to the two imps in the general ward for now," Saionji told her. "I'll go contact their relatives, but when you've done that, I want you to go to Special Admittance. I've decided to send a full report on the new patient there to the Captain, see if she has any ideas, and as you've been the one taking care of him mostly, I'd like you to write it. I'll shift your afternoon duties to another officer, so I'd like you to devote your time today to our mystery guest. Can you do that?"

"With pleasure," Mitsuki assured him. "Leave it to me. Maybe I'll get him to wake up, this time. I'm sure his vital signs are growing more stable, so you never know. Today might be the day."

"If anyone can, I'm sure you can," Saionji assured her. "Fine, then I'll see you later. If you need anything, send a word. I'm going to be in the office most of the morning, but I know where everyone's duty is today, and I'll be able to send you back-up if necessary."

"Thank you, but I hope it'll be fine," Mitsuki crossed her fingers with a grin. "Like I said, I think he's improving. I don't think we're going to have another critical episode...though I agree, it doesn't hurt to be prepared, just in case. He presents as something of an enigma, and those can often cause unexpected surprises."

With that she bowed her farewell to the older man, turning and hurrying across the grass to the small out-building which had originally housed supplies, but which, since Saionji had taken over, had been converted into a simple treatment ward given over for use by the local people. There were strict rules about this area of the hospital, and its position away from the main building was for the benefit of both sets of patients. Local communities often suffered with bouts of different contagions, some of which were more serious than others. In those cases, special Unohana squads were deployed to deal with the disease on the ground, bringing relief in the form of medicine, clean water and food to the stricken areas. Quarantine in these situations was paramount, and so the local settlements knew that in such a situation, they were not to let anyone leave their local boundaries. Each village had a flagpole at the edge of that boundary, with a red flag they could fly in cases of emergency. The raising of the flag was enough to keep other locals away, and bring in medical help, and it had so far proved successful in preventing the spread of diseases between communities. For this reason, though, patients of such plagues were forbidden to enter the hospital grounds, for fear that they might infect the whole invalid population. Instead, the general wing mostly treated minor injuries, chronic diseases that were not contagious, and, more often than not, malnutrition or neglect. Most of those kinds of patients were homeless beggars who had wandered over the border from Third or Fifth, and had ended up at the hospital more by luck than good judgement. In those cases, the Unohana tried to work with the local communities to integrate each stray into a way of life that prevented a recurrence of their poor health, but this was not always possible, and there were two or three older individuals who, each winter, would be admitted for lack of food, water or warmth.

The appearance of the naughty five year old twins from the village over the rise was therefore a matter of consternation for many of the lower ranked healers employed by the hospital. Used to dealing mostly with elderly patients and the occasional forest worker falling from a tree, it had not been easy for them to manage the children and their incurable energy for mischief. When they had first been brought by their worried uncle, the pain of their broken bones had been enough to keep them relatively subdued, but young bones healed quickly, especially with the expert Kidou on offer, and they were already full of beans and ready for their next adventure. Normally, admitting them would have been unnecessary, but their mother had been widowed over the winter, and, with two more smaller children to take care of, she had begged the hospital to hold onto the twins until they no longer needed regular bandage changes and careful monitoring. Saionji was a kind old man, dedicated to caring for every single patient with the same amount of warmth, and so he had agreed, promising the boys' uncle that they could stay.  
 _  
Now, though, I think it's time they went home._

Mitsuki paused at the annexe door, washing her hands in the well that stood adjacent. From inside, she could hear the cries of excited children, followed by the occasional thud and one worrying crack, and she sighed, pushing open the door and marching purposefully inside. At the sight of her, the two little boys stopped dead, identical pairs of dark eyes staring at her like rabbits caught in headlamps. Mitsuki did not hesitate, crossing the floor quickly and deftly taking each youngster by his good arm, leading them back across the wooden floor and out onto the grass outside. Once there, she indicated for them both to sit down, squatting opposite them and glancing from one to the other.

"This isn't a playschool," she said softly. "People here are resting. They're still unwell. You know that, don't you?"

The two boys exchanged looks, but didn't answer.

"Saionji-san is getting your uncle to come get you," Mitsuki eyed them both keenly, taking in their expressions. "I'm going to look at your arms, now, but I think you've proven you're well enough to go home. Don't you?"

"We were only playing," one of the boys protested, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I know, but sick people find that stressful, and you're not sick any more, so you don't need to stay," she said pragmatically. "Let me look - yes, you first."

She ran her finger lightly along the splinted arm, nodding in satisfaction. "I can't sense any issues. Did that hurt? Even a little bit?"

"It doesn't hurt any more," the boy assured her firmly, and Mitsuki smiled.

"Good. Now let's see your brother? Yes, you're both doing great. That means it's home time. I'll take you to the office, where you can wait with Saionji-san for your uncle to come."

"Does he have to?" the younger boy pouted.

"You don't want to go home?" Mitsuki sent him a startled look, and the child shrugged.

"It's weird there, now," he said honestly. "Since Papa died, Mama is tired, and cries a lot, and Uncle is there and he tells us off and everything is not fun. Here it was fun, because nobody was like that. That's all."

"I see," Despite her annoyance, Mitsuki's eyes softened, and she gave both boys a gentle hug. "I'm sorry about your father. I know you must miss him. It hurts a lot, huh, losing a parent?"

"Did you lose your Papa too, Mitsuki-sensei?" the older boy asked, and Mitsuki shook her head.

"No, but my mother died when I was young," she replied. "I do know how odd it feels. But your mother needs you both very much right now. You have to look after her. Your uncle can't do it all the time - he has his own family to take care of, doesn't he? You two are the men of the house, now. You have to look after your mother and your sisters. If you stay here, how can you do that?"

The two boys exchanged looks.

"I guess that's right," the younger one hazarded. The older one nodded.

"We have to go home and look after Mama," he agreed. "I'm sorry we were naughty, Mitsuki-sensei. We'll go and wait in the office with Saionji-san and we'll be good, I promise."

"Then it's all fine," Mitsuki laughed, patting each boy on the head and ruffling her fingers playfully through their dark hair. "Well? Shall we go there, then? Your arms will be fine with a bit more time, but no more climbing in ravines and making your mother worry, all right?"

"All right!" the boys agreed, and Mitsuki linked one hand in each of the boys', leading them across the short distance to the central office. It did not take long to discharge this duty, and, leaving the naughty boys with her supervisor, she hurried off to attend to her other responsibility - the 'mystery guest' that Saionji had mentioned in their earlier conversation.

The little chamber tucked away at the back of the hospital main building was distinctly quiet, in direct contrast to the noise of the boisterous twins, and Mitsuki sighed, running her fingers over the reiatsu-sensitive lock, and waiting for the door to slide open. The room was empty, save for its one patient, and she closed the door gently behind her. There was a definite chill in the air, and she moved to close the window, pulling the curtain across to shield the sleeping individual from the direct glare of the morning sun. He did not respond, apparently still lost in sleep, and she moved to stand at his side, gazing down at him.

From his physical age, he appeared to be in middling years, with dark brows peppered with grey, and a few lines marring an otherwise attractive and unblemished face. His hair was a shock of white, reminding Mitsuki of Juushirou's own lank white locks, but all the general tests for diseases such as _haibyou_ had come back negative. Who he was and where he had come from was unknown, the only clue to his identity the sword sheath that had hung at his belt when he had been brought here. It had been a shinigami _zanpakutou_ , which had created a significant stir among the District-based Unohana, who had begun to assume it was an officer from one of Inner Seireitei's upper echelons. It was true, Mitsuki reflected, that the robes he had worn when he had arrived had not appeared to be the usual garb of local peasants, and the _zanpakutou_ suggested a level of higher spiritual training and ability that would not have been available to a District-born individual when he would have been young and training to hold his sword. If he was truly middle-aged, then he would have learned during a period of Clan dominance, but Mitsuki's experience in Inner Seireitei meant that she had quickly been able to rule out an officer in active service. He was not an Unohana, and the colour and cut of his rich robes had not resonated with the Clan colours of any family in Seireitei in her knowledge. The insignia embossed into the fabric had also been unfamiliar, and so he had become the 'mystery guest', the man with no name, from a non-existent Clan, with an unidentified sword at his side.

Mitsuki had not been there when the man had been first found, although with the complexity of his case, she had quickly been assigned to take charge of his care. As Seventh Seat of the Fourth Division, Mitsuki had been sent to the hospital to act as a second-in-command to Saionji, and, well aware by now of her natural healing skills, Saionji had instructed her to do whatever she could to help him. Mitsuki had taken that duty seriously, but although several days had passed, there had been little change in his condition.

She sank down at his side, moving a hand to brush stray strands of thick white hair from his face.  
 _  
When they found you, you were frozen cold and blue at the lips and fingers. I thought it was a case of hypothermia, or that you'd fallen in an iced river or lake somewhere, but I didn't see any of the usual effects when I bathed and dressed you in our robes. Your heart rate is still slower than I'd like, but it's steady, and stable, and it was only right when you first arrived here that I thought you were going to go into cardiac arrest._

She slipped her hand into his, feeling the coolness against her own skin.

 _No matter how many blankets we give you, you never do feel quite warm. In that situation, your blood should show serious signs of lack of oxygen, but the samples are pretty normal. You show no signs of fresh nutrients anywhere in your system, yet you don't seen malnourished or underweight. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were hibernating - but that's silly. People don't hibernate, and shinigami least of all._

She turned, reaching over to pick up the sheathed tachi that leant up against the window. The sword itself was unremarkable, a zanpakutou much like any other, with few distinguishing marks in its sealed form to give any clue to its name. The style of the sword indicated it was of some vintage, for _tachi_ swords were unusual among zanpakutou, but, as Mitsuki had reasoned to herself right from the start, both her own Captain and Juushirou's grandfather, Kinnya held _tachi_ blades, so it was far from unique. The scabbard had offered the one single clue to his identity, for it had been embossed with two characters in rich silver plate - another sign that whoever the owner was, he was someone of some means.

 **「氷山」**

" _Hyouzan_ ," Mitsuki read the word out loud again, glancing at her patient pensively.

 _Iceberg. We find you, frozen solid, and your sword scabbard says 'iceberg' on it. I wonder if that's a coincidence, an unfortunate irony, or something I should take more note of? Maybe your sword misfired and you got caught in its blast - but I've already had someone check the zanpakutou records for the last three hundred years, and there isn't a single sword listed that's both a tachi in its sealed form and has ice capabilities. The only ice sword in recent record was Hirata's grandfather's gyrfalcon, Hijirobaya, and Shouichi-sama has been dead a long time. Besides, this is...different. I don't know how, but it is. It's hard to explain, but it reminds me of Kohaku. It reminds me of Kyouka Raigen. I don't know why, because it has nothing in common with that weapon at all. Yet there's still something in the aura that makes it feel...the same._

She set the sword aside, turning her attention back to her patient and touching an index finger to his throat, feeling for his pulse. It was still slow and sluggish, but persistent, and if she scrutinised him carefully, she thought that some colour had begun to return to the pale cheeks.  
 _  
If I knew what name to call you, maybe I could wake you up, but as it stands, I don't know anything. No wonder Saionji-san wants to make a report to the Captain. How can we treat you if we don't even know who you are, let alone what's wrong with you? I want to help you, but I don't know how. I only hope the Captain has some fresh ideas._

* * *

It was a little after dawn as Shirogane made the short walk through the heart of Inner Seireitei towards the central complex where the Vice Captains and Captains held their meetings. It was unusually quiet, though a few stray division members were already up and about, busily preparing for the day ahead. A cluster of what Shirogane assumed were probably recruits were crowded around the entrance gate of the Fifth, and from the ladders and buckets that were dotted around the cobbles, Shirogane guessed they were on cleaning duty that morning. He nodded to them as he passed, gaining an acknowledgement salute in return, and he smiled, reflecting on the fact that, since the death of Aizen Keitarou, there had been a more collective spirit between squads. Shirogane did not spend much time socialising with the Fifth, but in the heat of battle, five years earlier, he and Yunosuke had worked together to save their then Vice Captain's life from a dangerous injury, and since then, his neighbours had always treated him with the utmost respect. It had been the ultimate proof of the vision Yamamoto Genryuusai had instilled in him as a young man at the Academy - a united Seireitei where Clans put aside their differences for the greater good. Shirogane had always been proud, independent-minded and loyal to the Kuchiki above all others, but over the years he had learned that working together was often stronger than working alone, and so he had done little to rebuff such interaction, even with the lowest and newest members of the neighbouring squad.  
 _  
Keitarou failed because he thought we were a divided army, but we weren't as divided as all that. In the end, we prevailed, and we must prevail again. Teamwork is the answer here, too - if the enemy be his son, or something else._

He took the turning between the Fourth and Fifth Division complexes, taking the short cut behind the two divisions and crossing the grass quickly towards the meeting chamber. As he reached the door, a voice called his name, and he turned, seeing the broad, strong figure of his Thirteenth Division comrade striding across the lawns towards him. Enishi, never one for particular formality, raised his hand in a wave, and Shirogane waited until the other man reached him before pushing open the door, ducking inside and leaving it ajar for his companion.

"I heard you put in paperwork for this morning's meeting," Enishi moved to the Thirteenth Division seat, removing his zanpakutou and propping it up against the table before moving to the window and stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. "Rum coincidence, since Taichou had me do the same, and I know Kitabata was going to follow suit, as well. I wonder if we're all thinking the same thing right now - would be helpful, if we did."

"I think the word you are looking for, Houjou, is 'miracle'," Shirogane remarked dryly, crossing the empty chamber to his own seat. "Open the window, would you? The room is dusty and a little stuffy. I think maybe we've not met recently enough - it certainly looks like it."

"It does feel like a while," Enishi did as he was bidden, poking his head outside to draw in a deep gulp of morning air. "It's a crisp day, but I think it's going to be sunny. That's good. I suppose that with everything being quite peaceful, there just hasn't been a need. I mean, we've all been busy, but...it's been an internal kind of busy."

He turned, leaning up against the window-frame. "Taichou said you'd gone off to Sixth, though. I heard about what happened there. Guren-sama must be pretty cross, with the memorial and all."

""Oh, that would be an understatement of the highest order," Shirogane sighed, sinking down into his seat and resting his chin in his hands. "Angry...no. Apoplectic? Closer to the mark. But for my part, it was a good excuse to come back to Inner Seireitei earlier. I don't mind paying my respects to a dead kinsman, Houjou, but I do dislike that grove. Guren-sama feels it's now tainted, but it's always been like that for me, and I was not sorry to leave it behind."

"Ribari-sama, huh." Enishi's expression became one of comprehension. "I suppose people deal with things in different ways."

"That they do," Shirogane acknowledged. "You can guess what matter I'm bringing to the table, but I have to ask, what about you? The order came from your Captain? What does Ukitake want us to discuss?"

"Beats me, really," Enishi sauntered across to take his seat, sinking his large frame down into it with a grimace. "I mean, yeah, there's all these random corpse invasions that people keep talking about, but since you and Kitabata both have far more evidence and information about them than I do, I don't really know. I think Hirata asked Ukitake for the reinforcement, so I did as I was told, but I'm not sure I have much new to add to the discussion."

"I see," Shirogane's eyes became thoughtful slits. "Well, it doesn't matter, really. Three Vice Captains putting in papers for a meeting makes it look more urgent. Hopefully we'll get a good turnout. I'd like everyone here, since coordination seems to be the key to dealing with these things."

"Well, coordination is one of my Captain's many middle names, so I won't argue," Enishi grinned. "I'm game. I'm a little sorry I haven't had the chance to sharpen my blade on any of these monstrosities yet, to be honest. I've been bogged down in recruit work, mostly, and while I don't mind, and they're good kids, I'd like some proper action. It's been a while since I had a patrol which required anything more than house repairs or child rescue."

"You really don't want to see this kind of atrocity. Believe me, I polished Ginkyoujiki for hours that evening, and he still isn't completely talking to me," Shirogane sent his sword a resigned glance. "I understand his feelings, too. I've never been a huge fan of decay, but having it right in front of me...definitely not to my taste."

"There's an irony in that, Shirogane-dono, given that your name is Kuchiki, and unless I miss my kanji, 'kuchi' means decay," Before Enishi could respond, the door of the chamber slid back to reveal Kai, who sent the irritated Kuchiki a mischievous grin before bowing his head to acknowledge Enishi. "Hi, Houjou. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"If all you're here to do is take jabs at my name, Shihouin Kai, you can go back to your maggots," Shirogane said acidly. "For one thing, the "kuchi" in my family's name comes from a legend about substance beyond appearance, as I'm sure you well know, not the ugly decomposition of unburied corpses lurching out of black holes in space. And for another, I'll remind you that my birth name was not Kuchiki at all, so even though I have the honour of the name now, you are wrong on both counts."

"Consider me educated," Kai chuckled, not noticeably put out by the scolding. "I'm guessing that's what this meeting is about, though? Oneesama is dead keen to find out whether any of this business is going to lead her to our missing Onmitsukidou, so she cut me loose for the morning. I don't suppose it's going to be that easy, though?"

"I know nothing about your disgusting little turncoat, as it happens; unless he's done a fair bit more rotting since the last time you saw him, he wasn't at Sixth," Shirogane said flatly. "Yes, you surmise correctly. Guren-sama is a little put out by what happened, and since there seems to have been another incident at the border camp, too..."

"Come to think of it, Kohaku was there. He reported on that to the Captain," Enishi rubbed his chin. "The kid's convinced that they're Dangai criminals returned from the abyss. Dunno if I agree, but it's a theory."

"Dangai criminals?" Kai looked thoughtful. "That's before our time. I mean, the Shihouin didn't oversee that kind of punishment. I think it was the Urahara, actually. The Shihouin only took over punishment duties a couple of thousand years ago, when, basically, nobody else wanted it. My ancestors were perfecting their assassin skills at that time, so one thing led to another, but I don't know anything about the Zaimon."

"Zaimon," Enishi repeated the word. "Literally 'Crime Gate', I suppose?"

"Orthographically, yes," Kai agreed. "but I think the sense was more that they were Punishment Gates - Gates designed for those who had committed crimes. You'll have to wait and ask Shiketsu-dono if he knows any more than that. I've just read the word in a book. I don't know anything about processes or if we even still have records in Seireitei regarding it."

"If there are records, we don't have them in our archive," Shirogane reflected. "But we should wait for the others to arrive. There's no sense in having to repeat everything as people trickle in."

"I saw Yamamoto, as I left barracks," Kai reported. "He was giving a bunch of brusque and opinionated orders to his recruits, but he saw me and said he was following behind, so not to begin without him."

"That's good," Shirogane acknowledged. "I don't suppose we know of anyone else who'll be here?"

"If Kitabata put in paperwork, he'll be here," Enishi pointed out. "I don't know about anyone else. I came straight here. Shikibu has my share of the recruits this morning, and I wanted to make an early start."

"It's that time of year again," Kai mused. "New intake and all. They're probably going to wonder what they signed up for, if we keep having random incursions of the not so very dead all over Seireitei."

"And Rukongai," Shirogane pointed out. "The one at the border camp was on the Rukon side of the divide, I believe."

"It certainly doesn't seem to be the case that they're limited by geography," Enishi agreed, rubbing his hands together. "I'll just hope that the next incursion happens to fall in line with my lot."

"You have a morbid sense of duty, sometimes, Houjou. Did anyone ever tell you that?" Souryou Kanshi, the Vice Captain of the Tenth pushed back the door and stepped into the room, the Twelfth Division Vice Captain, Michihashi Aoi in his wake. "I, personally, don't fancy cutting apart any dead people this year. If I wanted to do that, I'd work in the Fourth's forensic retrieval department."

"Is Eriko-dono planning on coming?" Aoi wondered, taking the seat beside Enishi and sending his neighbour a grin. "If she is, it will be interesting to hear what she has to say. A lot of whispers have been going around the Twelfth, but nobody is completely sure what is what."

"Michihashi, you're an Urahara," Kai said thoughtfully, and Aoi started, looking surprised.

"I am," he agreed cautiously, "but if you want to know something technical, you're asking the wrong person. I'm an Urahara, yes, but my job is making sure the Twelfth Division doesn't explode, implode or burn down, and occasionally I manage to run a patrol or two inbetween. I stay out of things at the main headquarters of the Clan - and these days, although Taichou works a lot with Nagesu-sama still, Twelfth is not considered a subsidiary of Third. We're autonomous."

"A nice, fancy word for 'out of the loop'," Kanshi supplemented. "Tenth are the same, though there's not a lot that the Shiba have to say about walking dead."

"I find that hard to believe. The Shiba communication network is legendary," Shirogane objected, and Kanshi shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe, but it doesn't extend beyond this life, apparently," he said flippantly. "The Shiba prefer to deal with the living, and leave the corpses to others to worry about."

"Shiketsu-dono and Eriko-dono are on their way," Kai reported, glancing across the room towards the window, where his seat afforded a view of the path. "That's good to know. We might get some more specific details from them. Arai is with them too, I think. Who else does that leave?"

"If Yamamoto is definitely coming, and we assume Kitabata is, because he requested the meeting, then we're still waiting on Mikihara, Shindou and Ikata," Kanshi counted the missing Vice Captains off on his fingers. "Though if Ikata doesn't come, it might be a quieter meeting."

He rubbed his ear plaintively.

"I don't like to complain about it, but I sit next to him, and I swear, I'm going deaf in this ear because of it."

"I'd rather everyone was here, if possible," Shirogane admitted. "I thought so before what happened in Sixth, but now I think it even more. Kitabata and I were already discussing working together on this, but now I'm certain it should be a bigger operation, and as many Divisions as possible need to be involved."

"Ikata may be a thug, but he can be a team player," Aoi reflected. "He's loud and rude and annoying, but when it comes to this kind of thing, he pulls his weight."

"He has plenty of it to pull," Kanshi muttered.

"Good morning, everyone," before anyone could respond to Kanshi's cheeky comment, the door slid back again to reveal Shiketsu, Eriko and the Fifth's Vice Captain, Arai Haruki, in tow. Arai was the newest appointment among the Vice Captains, having only been promoted to the position the previous spring. It had taken the Fifth a while to work out their administrative arrangements following the resignation and return to the central Clan of his predecessor, Kyouki's son and heir, Ryuusei, and so Arai had not been officially inaugurated into the role until a year before. A quiet man, dedicated and industrious, Arai was an effective officer within his own workspace, but he was still finding his feet among his adjutant peers, and, glancing at him, Shirogane wondered whether he would be able to make his voice heard in the often noisy and boisterous setting that was the Vice Captain's meeting.

"Shiketsu-dono, we were just discussing Punishment Gates," Kai returned the subject to the earlier topic, eying the Urahara with curious eyes. "I suppose you know something about those?"

"Very little, but more than I did before the incident at the border camp," Shiketsu looked pained, but he nodded, moving to take his seat and nudging the Fourth Division's seat back to allow Eriko access. She offered him a smile of gratitude, making herself comfortable and resting her hands on the table.

"I have things to report as well," she added. "I have come with my Captain's summary of the autopsy findings. I believe it will be of use, although there are still many more questions than we have answers."

"Well, I can see Mikihara, Kitabata and Shindou, coming up the path," Kai observed. "And unless I miss my guess, Yamamoto's right behind them. We're still missing Ikata, but I guess we can begin the meeting. If he's late, then he's late, and he'll just have to catch up."

"Who is chairing?" Enishi asked.

"Well, since the application came from the Sixth, Seventh and Thirteenth, it should be one of the above," Aoi suggested. "You could chair it, Houjou."

"Not me," Enishi shook his head. "I put in the paperwork, yes, but I don't have much to report on."

"Then I suppose it's over to you, or to Kitabata," Kanshi cast Shirogane a glance, as the door opened a final time to admit the four Vice Captains. "Kitabata? Do you want to chair the meeting? Or are you going to leave it to Shirogane-dono?"

"I don't mind," Hajime took his seat briskly and with the minimum of fuss, glancing around the table. "Everyone's here except Ikata, and that's a good complement of Vice Captains. That's more important to me."

He sent Shirogane a hawkish glance.

"You're welcome to chair it, if you wish," he added, and Shirogane shrugged, nodding.

"Then I will do so," he agreed. "But I think it will be more of an open discussion, given that much has happened and we need to pool information and resources."

"The only report I've had is something crazy about dead people coming out of holes in the ether," Yamamoto Akira, Vice Captain of the First said frankly. "We've had the notice about Aizen Katsura, of course. Is the assumption that these two things are connected?"

"My Captain certainly believes so," Hajime acknowledged. "As you all probably know, he has been actively trying to track down Katsura for some time."

He sighed.

"Unfortunately, the last time I encountered this criminal was not decisive," he said regretfully. "If it had been, we might be spared this, but the Seventh are committed to doing what they can to capture him and remove the threat he poses."

"This is what we know so far about the business," Shiketsu interjected slowly. "Firstly, Keitarou's tomb was broken into. Some of you know this, I think, but originally Taichou wanted to keep it to Captain level. All of this has made that irresponsible, however, so I have permission to bring it here. The tomb was not vandalised, but carefully disturbed and then the stones returned, as if to hide the fact it had been tampered with."

"What kind of person goes digging around in their father's tomb?" Kanshi wrinkled up his nose. Shindou snorted.

"Someone who's messed up in the head," he said bluntly. "But do we know for sure that was Katsura?"

"Sekime-taichou and I took what samples we could from the scene," Shiketsu said gravely. "They were contaminated, but Sekime-taichou is a smart woman and she persevered. We managed to get a partial match between the reiatsu in the tomb and that released in Rukongai. We don't have Katsura in custody, so we can't be certain, but some members of the Seventh have positively testified that the reiatsu in Rukongai was his."

"I wasn't there, but I'll vouch for my officers," Hajime agreed. "Kikyue-hime and Ohara are both credible witnesses and I trust in their judgement on this. They both encountered Katsura before, and I don't think they'd both be mistaken."

"So he was definitely at the tomb and the attack scene in Rukongai?" Enishi let out a low whistle. "That doesn't look good for the lad, I have to admit it."

"Well, it's not for us to make it look good or bad. Just to see it how it is," Kai pointed out. "I know it's tough for you, Houjou, as you have his brother to manage, but it seems pretty clear-cut. Katsura's tomb hopping, burning up Rukon people...is it a stretch to connect him to the corpse army as well?"

"You can add sword theft to that list," Shiketsu said darkly. "Chudokuga was taken from the tomb, and concealed within the border camp. We have not found traces of his reiatsu there, I admit, and so we haven't released that information to the rest of the Division, let alone the Gotei - but I am sure that the odds of two mad people raiding Keitarou's tomb in a short space of time is low."

"How is Kohaku dealing with this?" Shindou asked. Enishi shrugged.

"He's not liking it, but I think he understands that it's serious, and he's reported everything he's been able to Taichou or myself so far," he reflected. "He's a complex kid, Kohaku - I admit, I like the lad, but I leave the difficult stuff to the Captain to handle. Why?"

"Well, he was sleepwalking around Inner Seireitei the other night, and pretty much ran into one of my patrol," Shindou explained. "You can take this as off the record - It was after curfew, but I don't think he knew how he got there. He looked very dazed and out of it, so I sent Shizuka back with him to the Division gates. She reported that he seemed all right, when she left him, but she did say that he didn't remember leaving."

"I see," Enishi looked grave. "Maybe it's affecting him more than he's letting on. I'll keep an eye on it, Shindou. Thank you."

"Not a problem," Shindou grinned. "He was quite amusing, really, roaming around in his nightclothes. Gave us something to laugh about on the way back to the Eighth, after a dead boring patrol, so don't punish the kid. I just wanted you to know, in case it happened again."

"I'll make sure of it," Enishi promised. "Breaking curfew is firmly against rules, but Kohaku has a track record of sleepwalking amnesia, so I don't suppose it'll be a big deal."

"Are you sure he's not at all in cahoots with his brother?" Akira demanded, and Enishi nodded.

"Wouldn't manage it," he said simply. "He's a busy lad, Akira. I know that your brother still has reservations about his recruitment, but he's no trouble, not really. And he's pretty much always with one or other of the Division. He's even been with Third," he added, and Shiketsu nodded.

"Yunosuke told me he was very helpful," he agreed. "We had no problem with him, and it's thanks to his report that we recovered the sword. He's also the one who raised the idea of the Punishment Gate with Kamitani, and that's why I've begun to look into what records the family has."

"Isn't it a really long time since people were thrown into the Dangai as punishment, though?" Arai's brow furrowed in consternation. "I'm sure we're talking about centuries. If not milennia."

"The act was passed to ban it by the then Regent exactly two thousand, nine hundred and eighty three years ago," Shiketsu said dryly. "You're quite right, Arai. It's not something in recent memory. Probably not even in living memory. Genryuusai-sama might be able to recall it - but I doubt there's anyone else."

"How old is Sensei?" Kanshi wondered. "Akira, Houjou, do you know?"

"We don't really go around discussing the ages of our senior statesmen," Akira arched an eyebrow, and Kanshi grinned.

"Yes, but I've always wondered, and this is relevant to the investigation," he said blithely. "You must have some idea. Don't you?"

"I don't know, exactly," Akira admitted. "As I said, we don't discuss it. But Shiketsu-dono's probably right. It probably is just about in Sensei's living memory. Though I think he'd have been quite young. I can't remember precisely, but I think Father once said that Sensei was around during Heaven's War, and I'm certain that took place about three thousand years ago."

"Heaven's what now?" Kanshi blinked, and Shirogane frowned.

"I don't know the details, but I think it was a pretty major conflict, and it involved the Clans of the time," he said thoughtfully. "We're getting off the point, though. Whether Sensei does or doesn't remember Punishment Gates, they were operated by the Urahara. Not the Yamamoto. So the chances are he wouldn't know the specifics."

"Which brings us back to you, Shiketsu-dono," Kitabata concluded. Shiketsu nodded.

"We don't have a lot of records that survive from that time," he admitted. "I'm sorry to report it, but it's true. I found a record of the ban being put in place, and I found a few files here and there on Gate testing, modification and so on - but there are no records of named criminals consigned there."

"That doesn't sound very much like the Urahara," Mikihara Hyakken, the quiet Vice Captain of the Ninth interjected thoughtfully, drumming scarred fingers absently on the desk as he considered the problem. "Your Clan are well known for meticulous record-keeping of scientific projects and official duties. It seems strange that there should be so little remaining about these Gates."

"Well, there are a few hypotheses about that," Shiketsu sat back in his seat with a sigh, holding up his hand as one by one he counted off the options. "One, the records don't survive due to age. Natural disaster and fire do happen, and we are talking three milennia or more ago, when the Urahara was a different kind of family. That brings me to number Two, which is that the Urahara wanted to distance themselves from that part of their past, and so destroyed the records themselves. And then there is Three, which is perhaps the most plausible to me...that the records were stolen at some point in time - most probably, some hundred and fifty years or so ago, when my cousin, Keitsune-dono, was arraigned for his experiments."

"You think they were stolen by the Urahara that fled into exile?" Akira asked sharply, and Shiketsu nodded.

"A lot of material relating to Senkaimon science was uncovered in the village in Seventh District, where Keitarou once had a base," he said heavily. "True, information about Zaimon wasn't found among those papers, but one thing is clear. These Gates seem to link to Keitarou's actions. Kohaku also reported that to us - the Gate at the border camp reminded him of his father's Gates. It's more than possible Keitarou found this information among scientific data stolen to protect researchers and their families, and then applied it to his own work. What happened to it then, I don't know. Probably it was destroyed - perhaps in one of the fires during the purges in District Seven at that time. It's not clear. But that would be my favourite hypothesis, and when I suggested it to Father, he agreed with me."

"Well, either way, it means we don't have the data, so we can't investigate a connection," Kai looked dissatisfied. "All right. So what else do we know about this? How can we connect Katsura?"

"These corpses are definitely puppets of some kind. They're not alive," Shirogane said thoughtfully. "I remember that Katsura could make puppets of Hollows. Is that a connection?"

Eriko raised her hand.

"If I may, I would like to speak now," she said softly. "I realise that there is some urgency over the Katsura issue. However, I feel it important to report on what we've found, and my Captain's hypotheses. Retsu-sama doesn't believe that we should assume a connection between Aizen Katsura and the corpse incursion."

"But we've matched his reiatsu to the first scene," Shiketsu objected. "And to his father's grave."

"I am not disputing that he stole Chudokuga from his father's grave," Eriko said calmly. "It may well be that a connection is there, but it cannot yet be proven firmly. My Captain is concerned about the appearance of the dead who emerged from the Gates. I think she agrees with the hypothesis that they are Dangai dead, but she is troubled by what may have caused this. She believes that it is a level of power beyond that exhibited by Aizen Katsura in his encounters with the Gotei so far."

"So Unohana-taichou thinks Katsura is innocent?" Arai looked confused. Eriko shrugged.

"We all know that innocent is not the correct term. He is a murderer, and that is unchanged," she said evenly. "All I can say is that thus far, our findings do not support unequivocally the idea that Aizen Katsura was solely responsible for the events we are discussing. My Captain wants me to emphasise with you that there are multiple unanswered questions surrounding these incidents. If Katsura is involved, he must have an accomplice, as it would be difficult to unleash two separate attacks simultaneously within Seireitei and Rukongai. If so, that accomplice is unknown, but, given the evidence relating to the border camp, it must be considered possible that this person is a shinigami. Shiketsu-dono, you did say Katsura's reiatsu was not found at that location?"

"That is true," Shiketsu agreed reluctantly. "We've not been able to make a match there, or, as yet, anywhere in the vicinity."

"Then if he took the sword, it is possible someone else brought it to the border camp," Eriko nodded. "Alternatively, Katsura's presence at the original scene may be a red herring, and his theft of the sword driven by some other motive - perhaps a desire to have a memento of his father."

Shindou uttered a string of unrepeatable words.

"Some memento," he reflected. "Taichou put himself through hell and back to ensure that Keitarou was dead and buried, sword and all. To go in there, dig it up and run off with it...then bury it like some treasure hunt in an area with vulnerable people awaiting resettlement...I'm sorry, but that alone is disturbed enough for me. It doesn't matter if he's involved or not with the corpses. He's clearly missing a few screws, and we should probably be looking to take him out of circulation just in case that situation gets worse."

"Shindou's right," Akira nodded. "Whether we can prove it or not, there is good circumstantial evidence connecting him to the scene, and separating those events makes no sense. Not finding his reiatsu proves nothing. Keitarou concealed his presence very effectively. So did Shihouin's missing Onmitsukidou. There's no reason to think Katsura isn't capable of doing the same."

"But if he was traced at the tomb and in Rukongai...?" Kitabata looked doubtful. Akira shrugged.

"For whatever reason, he used his spirit power to attack in those locations," he said pragmatically. "It would be hard to make an attack without leaving some trace of himself behind. I don't think it matters whether we can place him in the border camp or not. Placing him at the tomb is enough for me. We don't have any evidence of his good character, or that he is particularly safe. Isn't this the guy who stormed Seventh Division, threatened its members and demanded that he be allowed to kill one of Hirata-dono's men? I don't think we need look any further for proof of instability."

"Be that as it may, I can only reiterate our findings," Eriko's tones were still level, and she smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "If he is involved, he is not working alone, and we need to fill that gap in our knowledge if we want to stop him. If he is not involved, then our job is even greater. But our examinations do suggest the bodies are very old," she added. "It seems very possible to me that, whyever they emerged into Soul Society the way they did, they are probably Dangai corpses. We retrieved old swords and a battered naginata from the bodies, and the style of clothing worn by all of them is not contemporary with our society. It is damaged and most crests are faded and worn away. One individual was robed as a mountain monk, however, and it has been several centuries since there were last mountain temples, let alone warrior monks."

"Ryuu and I thought that strange, too," Shirogane admitted. "Neither of us are familiar with when the mountain temples began to decline, but it's been a long time, that's for sure. And Ryuu definitely took out a man with a naginata. He did look like a warrior monk."

"Then perhaps we are looking at this Heaven's War, after all," Hyakken suggested. "If the Zaimon were banned almost three thousand years ago, and this was a large conflict that happened some twenty years before this ban, it may well be the last time that criminals were condemned to the Dangai. If nothing else, it might help with dating the corpses and their clothing. If any are robed in costumes more recent than Heaven's War, then surely we can rule out the Dangai punishment as their origin?"

"Fashions don't change so very quickly, so it would be difficult to draw a line," Hajime objected. "I'm also not sure how knowing where they originated helps us find out who is controlling them. If they are Dangai dead, then the most recent might have come from Heaven's War, but there's just as likely to be individuals from the centuries and milennia before that. None of that tells us who is causing the incursions. Only Genryuusai-sama is old enough to even remember the Punishment Gates - and so whoever is doing this is not someone who was alive then. That renders the date of the corpses somewhat pointless, in my opinion."

Before anyone else could reply, there was the sound of thudding footsteps, followed by the clatter of the sliding door being thrown back, and Shirogane sighed, rolling his eyes at Enishi, who gave a sheepish shrug.

"Did you start without me?" Ikata Jintarou thundered into the chamber, clearly out of breath, as though he had run all the way from the Eleventh. "Taichou insisted on running a stupid and unnecessary drill before he'd let me leave, so I hope you didn't make any decisions about anything yet."

"We were simply discussing our options, and sharing information," Eriko cast Ikata a warm smile, gesturing for him to sit down. "Now we have everyone, I'm sure we can start to make progress. Don't you think so, Shirogane-dono?"

Shirogane sighed again, but slowly, nodded his head.

"Eriko-dono is right," he said wearily. "We've discussed the problem. Now Ikata's here too, let's see if we can't start to work out some practical solutions for canvassing hotspot areas and tracking down Aizen Katsura."

There was a moment of silence, then, slowly, Arai raised his hand.

"If I may," he said slowly, "it seems to be that the place we ought to be investigating is the Dangai, as it is the one common theme we can draw together in all of these incidents."

"The Dangai?" Akira sent Arai a quizzical look. "Do you mean search parties into Senkaimon, or...?"

"I'm not sure I mean that," Arai frowned. "Just, listening to everyone's comments, and the doubts Eriko-dono has about proving Katsura is involved, it struck me that, if we could investigate the origin of these so-called corpses, then maybe we could settle those two elements together. First, how they are being unleashed, and second, whether or not Katsura is the mastermind, or has some accomplice in the shadows that we do not yet know."

"Ikata, I assume you're up to date with the news on the incidents in Sixth and near the border camp?" Shirogane cast the burly Eleventh Division Captain a glance, and Ikata snorted, nodding his head.

"I'm late, not stupid, Kuchiki," he said bluntly. "I read the report, just like everyone. Sounds twisted, but I guess multiple reports means it's true. I don't know anything about Aizen Katsura, aside what happened five years ago, but Arai's suggestion makes sense. If they're coming out of the Dangai, we ought to go in and take a look around."

"I hate to say this, but I'm going to agree with Ikata and Arai," Kanshi pressed his lips together reluctantly. "I don't want to go poking around for dead folk, but the fact is, there are hundreds of possible places that incidents like this could occur. We can play cat and mouse with a fugitive, or we can go to the core source of the problem and try and tackle it head-on."

"I don't think that investigating Senkaimon is much use, though," Aoi said helplessly. "We use those every day. Don't you think someone would have noticed, if they were full of dead folk coming back to life?"

"We don't know how far it spreads, and gaining access to Keitarou's Gates is not the easiest of things to do," Shiketsu put in. "Which brings us to another problem. We can't get those Gates open."

"No, we can," Enishi's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "We can, but I'm wondering whether Taichou would want us doing it."

"Meaning Kohaku, I assume?" Shindou sent him a sidelong glance, and Enishi nodded.

"He said he opened the one by the border camp just by touching it," he agreed.

"I can't see Ukitake agreeing to that," Kai said frankly. "He's protective of that kid, and, honestly, I'm glad he is. He has mad ability in that sword, and the more he's cosseted by Ukitake, the safer everyone is. I don't like the idea of using someone so potentially unstable to open something even more unstable. And do you really want to do this right by the Urahara border camp? If it went wrong, then there'd be mass slaughter, and that would play into the hands of anyone who had taken up an anti-Seireitei position."

"Meaning, if Katsura is not directly involved in this, he could still benefit from our fallout," Hajime said blackly. Kai nodded.

"Aizen are opportunists. We know that," he said evenly. "Even Kohaku, to an extent, although his opportunism has only gone so far as to get him a new life as a shinigami, and I can't begrudge him that. I don't think I fancy taking the risk, and I'm certain Nagesu-sama would agree."

"I think so," Shiketsu nodded. "The same problem exists in the outer Rukon, too. We can't put Rukon people at risk again. It would destroy any trust we're building there."

"That leaves the Gate in Sixth, doesn't it?" Shirogane sighed. "I suppose that means I need to go talk to Guren-sama and hope he doesn't cut my head off for suggesting it."

"You think that Arai's suggestion is right, then?" Ikata looked pleased. "Good. In that case, let's not worry about formalities. This is a military job. Guren-sama will have to authorise it. You can't tell me he's going to put his precious sakura above us sorting out this problem and showing whoever is behind this that we don't want their corpses?"

"The attack in Sixth took place in the area where Guren-sama's son, Ribari-sama, was essentially murdered," Hyakken chided his comrade gently. "He was very upset - understandably - by what happened."

"Again, 'upset' is what we call an understatement," Shirogane buried his head in his hands, running his fingers through his thick curly hair with a groan. "I know he won't like it, but Ikata is right. The reason the attack in Sixth was not really dangerous was because we happened to be there. Three strong shinigami were no match for six or so dead zombies - but if we hadn't been? It could've ended a lot differently. Guren-sama is angry, but he is a Clan Leader and a District ruler first and foremost. I think he will accept it, if I put it to him like that - but we all have to be agreed as to what we want to do before I try. I need a clear plan of action to put to him, and that includes finding a way to open the Gate."

"Using Kohaku, or not?" Enishi asked. Shirogane shook his head.

"Not," he said decidedly. "If Katsura is involved in this, it might be just what he wants. For all we know, this whole mess may be a ploy to get us to bring Kohaku into his control and power - and that's a weapon I think we need to keep on our side."

"Kohaku isn't a traitor," Enishi objected.

"No, but he loves his brother," Shirogane cast him a tired smile, "I know, Houjou, he's your man and I'm not questioning his intent or his loyalty. But sometimes, ties of blood are hard to avoid. I'm against his involvement in this. He's only what, Eleventh seat? It's below his rank notice in any case."

"Twelfth," Enishi corrected. "I suppose I see your point. Truthfully, I'm not sure Ukitake would go for it, anyway. All right. I guess that's Kohaku out."

"Then that means we have to find a way to force the Gate in Sixth to open," Shiketsu cast Aoi a glance. "Do you think that's something Sekime-taichou might be able to do?"

"She might," Aoi reflected. "I'll put it to her, when we go back. She's bothered about this, like everyone, so she might already have thought about whether there's a way. She seems to take everything involving Keitarou personally, like she's still trying to make amends for being under his control five years ago...so if I ask her, I suspect she'll try."

"If anyone can, Sekime-taichou can," Kanshi observed. "She's mad as a hatter, in my view, but she is very clever."

"She's not as mad as you might like to think," Aoi said candidly. "What happened five years ago really hurt her. I don't think she's put it behind her, no matter how hard she works."

"I don't suppose many of us really have, not completely," Hajime said gruffly. "But we're getting off point. If we're going to send a mission into the Dangai, I want Seventh involved. Katsura is our prey. If he's there, I know Taichou would want us to bring him back."

"Steady on, Kitabata. Eleventh aren't being pushed out of the action," Ikata objected. "I want to send...no, I want to _lead_ a mission into this. Seireitei's been dead dull for the last few years, and nothing to do means spending much more time with the Captain, dealing with his bad temper and mundane paperwork. If this is a chance to be involved in a good fight, count me in."

"I don't suppose we need to all send representatives into the Dangai, do we?" Kanshi asked pensively. "I know it sounds cowardly, but I really don't fancy it."

"If Seventh and Eleventh send parties, I don't think we need anyone else," Shirogane shook his head. "Guren-sama will probably want to keep out of it, being that the area is so personal to him, and I don't know how safe the Gate will be, anyway. It might be risky," he glanced at Hajime, who nodded.

"It might," he agreed. "That's what being a shinigami is, though. Isn't it?"

"Well said," Ikata observed approvingly. "It's settled, then? If we get clearance from the head honchos, Eleventh and Seventh are going to take this beast apart?"

"Anyone objecting to following Arai's suggestion and sending investigators into the Dangai?" Shirogane glanced around at the assembled Vice Captains, but there was no dissent, and he smiled in resignation. "Well, Ikata, I guess you get your way. I'll talk to Guren-sama when I return to base, and Michihashi, if you can approach Sekime-taichou about a way to force this Gate open, then that would help. If this goes ahead, it'll be co-run by the Seventh and the Eleventh."

"Wait," Ikata held up his hands. "I want to make something clear. I intend to lead this. I don't mind if the Seventh come along, but I want to be in charge. Is everyone clear with that?"

"It's not as if you have any particular connection to any of it," Hajime looked irritated, and Ikata grinned at him insolently.

"Exactly," he said triumphantly. "I'm neutral. I'm objective. We're going in there looking for any and all trouble, not just to hunt out your fugitive. I don't care about him, but if I find him, I'll take him in. I think I'm better placed than the Endou to take charge in this situation, since I don't have ulterior motives."

"No, you just want to go and fight things," Hajime muttered, and Ikata shrugged.

"What's wrong with that?" he demanded. "Well, Kuchiki? Aren't you going to take a vote on that, too? I'm going to lead this mission."

"Kitabata, do you have a formal objection to it?" Shirogane sent Hajime a questioning look, and Hajime grimaced.

"I do, but I'm going to be overruled, aren't I?" he said flatly. "Nobody else wants to go, and Ikata is right about one thing. He's disconnected from all of it."

"So you'll send your people under my overall command?" Ikata looked hopeful. "Or if you don't want to send anyone, that's fine. I'll go just with mine. I can do that."

"Ikata, even if you lead it, Seventh will be accompanying you," Hajime said acidly. "Keep that in mind."

"But you won't be, because you hold the same rank as I do," Ikata said belligerently. "You've not been a Vice Captain as long as me, and you don't have the same amount of experience, so I'm not having you along to tell me what to do and how to do it. Send some officers if you like, but I don't want you involved. This is going to be my mission, and I'm going to run it the way I want to."

Hajime let out a heavy sigh.

"I'll talk to my Captain," was all he said, however. "We'll make arrangements once we know that the Captains approve our idea."

* * *

"You sent for me, sir?"

Shinobu slid back the door of the Captain's office, pausing to bow properly before his senior officer before stepping into the chamber. It was later that same day, and he had been busy in the training gym, polishing swords and cleaning bokken with Morata and Kawakami. They had not been directly supervised, a level of trust placed on them to do the work thoroughly and well, so it had been a surprise when Atsudane had poked his head around the door, casually casting the trio a grin and telling Shinobu that he was wanted by the Captain for some purpose. The light-hearted manner of the message made Shinobu sure that he wasn't in any particular trouble, but even so, being singled out particularly by the head of the Division was an unnerving prospect, and he had hurriedly brushed dust from his uniform, anxiously asking his companions whether he looked presentable. Morata had found his flustering funny, but for once he had ignored the other recruit's playful humour, hurrying off instead to answer the call. Whether it was an errand, or something else, he didn't know, but he was in no mind to make a bad impression.

Juushirou nodded now at his words, offering him a smile and beckoning for the young man to come and kneel before the desk. Shinobu did so, carefully closing the door behind him and moving to obey the instruction.

"I did," Juushirou regarded him pensively. "I wanted to have a talk with you about something that has come to my attention."

"Sir?" Shinobu raised his head, a glitter of apprehension in his eyes, and at his expression, Juushirou hurried to reassure him.

"You are in no trouble. It isn't a talk of that nature. On the contrary, since you have been here, I've heard nothing but positive words about your level of effort and your willingness to join in and work. In fact, Enishi was just telling me this morning that he thinks you're going to make a very effective squad member, given your focus in drill and your endeavour on patrol."

"Thank you, sir," Shinobu flushed red with pleasure at this unexpected praise. "Fukutaichou is demanding, but I like working with him. He explains things clearly, and sometimes it seems hard work, but I've realised that, really, what he says is right and it's helping me to improve my own skills."

"He was quite impressed that you didn't balk at crawling through mud and grime on your first patrol trip," Juushirou chuckled. "Sometimes recruits are precious about that, coming from the Academy and a position as Seniors, where they are relatively protected from the reality of the Gotei. You didn't seem to have any hesitations, though. I think he liked that. I rather expect that means he'll want you on his patrol for the long term, when such things are settled - and you should take that as a compliment. Being singled out by a Vice Captain so early in your career stands you in good stead for the future."

"I'll keep working hard, sir," Shinobu said earnestly. "Sensei always told us that the Gotei was a lot more demanding than what we learned at school, but I knew I wanted to do it from when I was a child, and I haven't changed my mind. I don't really like mud crawling, but in an emergency, who knows what might happen? And I wanted to be in the Thirteenth, sir. I know what your Division did in my District, and it makes me proud, being a part of it."

"Enishi was there then, too, you know," Juushirou eyed the young man keenly, and Shinobu nodded.

"Yes, sir. He told me so," he agreed sombrely. "He said he was glad that District Seven's people were now able to fight back and make their own choices about things like this."

"Then I assume you won't object, if you find yourself on more of Enishi's mud treks in the future?" Juushirou asked. Shinobu shook his head.

"I won't, sir. Being a recruit is about learning how to make a difference. I already know it is going to take me a lot of time and work to reach the top level, but I am determined to do it, sir, and I'll work as hard as I need to to get there. I want people back home to know and to see me and to think that they can follow suit, so I won't slack."

"Well, Hirata said that he wanted more shinigami from Seventh in his own squad, and you seem to have got him thinking about the potential," Juushirou admitted, and Shinobu's eyes widened.

"Hirata-sama did, sir?"

"He did," Juushirou nodded. "He cares a lot about your District, you know. He always has."

He sighed heavily.

"You know, I met Hirata at the Academy, and he was fifteen years old then - the same age you were, I believe, when you began studying there?"

"Yes, sir. I wasn't allowed to go before that. Sensei said fifteen was the youngest he took students," Shinobu confirmed. "I didn't know that you and Hirata-sama were both at the Academy together, though. I knew you were friends, but..."

"You thought we met after I was deployed to Seventh?" Juushirou asked. Shinobu nodded. "No. It was a longer acquaintance than that. Hirata may have a fearsome reputation now, with his Wind Hawk, but even as a young man he put his life on the line time and time again for what he believed was right. District Seven has suffered a good deal, and I saw that with my own eyes. But, when I see Hirata and remember everything we've both done over the years, I have hope that there's a future beyond all that darkness. That maybe, just maybe, Seventh District can lower the curtain on the past and look forward."

"I'd like to hear more about Hirata-sama, and the things he did in the past," Shinobu admitted, "but I suppose that's not what you wanted to talk to me about, is it sir?"

"Not really, although I'm sure that Hirata wouldn't mind you knowing how he put himself in the firing line on more than one occasion to try and help bring about the District you now live in," Juushirou mused. "He's a very brave man, and brave men often face sacrifices. Five years ago, he lost his son and heir. You know that too, I think? You must do, as it impacts on your people too."

"Souja-sama? Yes." Shinobu's eyes darkened. "He was murdered by Aizen Keitarou's daughter, Sakaki, in Rukongai."

Despite himself, he could not keep the edge out of his words when mentioning Keitarou's name, and Juushirou's hazel eyes became grave.

"Yes, I see you do know the details," he remarked softly. "Hirata also told me that your family had met a lot of hardship at the hands of Aizen Keitarou. I see from your eyes that it's true, Yatsubashi. I'm sorry for it."

"He did damage to a lot of people. Everywhere. Not just in my District, or to my family."

"No, that's true," Juushirou agreed. "Did you know that other members of this Division were also forced into becoming refugees during that time? Hikifune Kirio and Kotetsu Ketsui both had to flee from the purges of that Endou administration, and grew up as a result in different Districts, sometimes without their kin. Ketsui lost his father, and Kirio was separated from her whole family. My own family took in a young girl whose parents were killed by the Endou purges, too. There are probably others, too - those who don't want to talk about it."

"Hikifune-san?" Shinobu was startled, then, "I didn't know there were other people from District Seven here. People who escaped, then, and who are shinigami here now."

"Well, they are people like you who share the goal of a better Seireitei going forward," Juushirou reached out a hand, resting it lightly on the young man's shoulder. "For that reason, I want you to listen and understand what I am about to say. You believe in Hirata as a leader, don't you? You don't hate him, in any way, for the loss of your family in the past?"

"No, of course not!" Shinobu stared. "Everyone in District Seven knows that Hirata-sama and Misashi-sama are different. They've helped change the District. They're people we respect, people we look up to. They may be Endou, and the Endou may be hunters, but they protect us, and even though things are still poor in some places, they're getting better. Of course I don't hate him. Why would I? He's never done anything to hurt us at all!"

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," Juushirou smiled, lowering his hand. "because what I'm about to talk to you about is, perhaps, similar. If you can see that distinction, maybe you can see this one, too. I don't know."

He paused, and Shinobu eyed him carefully, unsure what his Captain was about to say. There was a long silence, which threatened to stretch on indefinitely, and then Juushirou sighed.

"I know you hate Aizen Keitarou. You're not alone. A lot of people do," he said softly. "What he did is probably not ever going to be forgotten or forgiven. I don't suppose it should be, either. Preventing such a person from being able to do such things again is important to me - to everyone here. But at the same time, I want to be able to live in a world that is no longer under Keitarou's shadow. I want that for you, too, Yatsubashi. You show such great promise, but I can see it, in your eyes and hear it in your words, how much you still resent him. And it's not that I don't understand, but I don't want you to become fixated on a past that is over and done with."

Shinobu started, staring at his Captain with new eyes. Suddenly he understood the reason he had been called here, and he instinctively tensed, clasping his fingers close to his palms as he struggled to keep his composure level.

"Sir?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Kohaku," Juushirou admitted. "You've spent a little time with him, I think? On the border patrol, and during initiation, and so on?"

"Yes, sir. I know Kohaku-san," Shinobu kept his voice even, though his heart had begun to pound in his chest. "He has been kind to us - but I haven't had a chance to talk to him much on my own."

"No, well, he's been busy, as have you. Such is Division life," Juushirou reflected, clasping his hands together in his lap. "What I'm going to discuss with you is something that isn't a secret, but that, given your particular history in District Seven, I felt it best I addressed with you directly. You see, Kohaku came here to us, five years ago, following Keitarou's death. He is a very talented young shinigami, with a lot of potential for the future, just like you. But his situation is unusual...perhaps exceptional, one might say."

"I see," Somehow Shinobu kept his poker-face, meeting the Captain's gaze with a calm one of his own.

"Kohaku is Keitarou's son, Yatsubashi," Juushirou said gravely. "He was not involved in Keitarou's rebellion, and he has committed no crimes against Seireitei. He chose to come here, after his father died, and the Gotei chose to accept him. The Council of Elders approved his enrolment here, and he has been under my auspices ever since. I wanted you to know now, so you could ask me any questions, because I don't want you to bother him about it. It's something painful in his life, too, and as I said, I believe in looking forward. I want you to understand the situation, and to know why Kohaku is with us."

Shinobu was silent for a moment, his heart still pounding at this clear confirmation of what he had overheard between the two Captains the previous day. Another silence spread out between them, as the recruit worked out what best to do. Juushirou had given him the opening to express his worries and his doubts, but something held him back.

 _The Council of Elders ratified this. Taichou took it on. It's bigger than I thought, which means that there really isn't anyone I can talk to about it. Nobody at all. Kohaku-san is an Aizen, and they play games. If I'm going to root out what his game is, I need to be under the radar. I need to make them feel it's fine with me. Otherwise they'll watch me, and he'll find out, and that'll be that. Whatever Aizen Kohaku is planning, I'm going to be the one who figures it out. And I can't do that if I tell the Captain how I feel, because, somehow, the Captain's also been deceived._

He let out his breath slowly, meeting Juushirou's gaze once more.

"Thank you for telling me, sir. I appreciate it," he said at length, injecting a note of false calm into his words. "It's a surprise, I won't pretend it isn't, but...but...I don't really know Kohaku-san yet. And, well, I'm just a recruit. I don't know what happened here five years ago. If the Council of Elders think it's all right, and you do, Taichou, it's nothing to do with me."

"I see," Juushirou's expression became one of relief, and he smiled. "Then I can rely on you not to mention it unnecessarily, or worry Kohaku about it?"

"It's not my place to do so, sir. I'm new here, and I wouldn't speak back to a superior officer, especially about a personal matter," Shinobu said frankly. "Keitarou is dead, and it's as you said, sir. We should look forward. That's why I came here. I wanted to make a better future. I don't want to live in that past."

"Good lad," Juushirou spoke warmly, getting to his feet and reaching across to haul the recruit to his. "In that case, you can consider this discussion over. I'll let you return to your duties, but I'm glad we had an opportunity to speak like this. It's put my mind at rest, knowing that you feel that way."

"I'm fine, sir. I just want to work hard and make sure you don't regret recruiting me," Shinobu said firmly, and Juushirou laughed.

"I said it before, but I don't think I've ever regretted recruiting anyone," he replied. "I'm quite proud of that fact, and so I'm sure you'll go from strength to strength. Just keep working hard."

"Yes, sir." Shinobu bowed to the Captain once more, then withdrew from Ugendou, closing the door behind him and hurrying down the little wooden pathway until he reached the grassy stretch of land that separated the offices from the main building. Once there, he sank back against the wall, clenching and unclenching his fists.

 _I think he believed me. I hope he believed me. I don't want them to worry about me, but this is worse than I imagined. Keitarou was clever, and he got into the Endou Clan and caused a lot of trouble. He came here and he controlled people...what if Kohaku-san did something similar? What if he manipulated it, to get here like he is? Taichou wouldn't argue if the Council of Elders approved it. Why would he? But I don't care what anyone says. Taichou might believe Kohaku was innocent, but I don't believe that. Hirata-sama opposed his kinsfolk and acted against them, even at risk of his life. What did Kohaku-san do except run away here when his father was defeated?_

His eyes narrowed.

 _In District Seven, people know about Sakaki. They know about Katsura. They know about the damage they both did. But nobody ever mentions a Kohaku. Nobody knows about him. Why would a son of Keitarou's suddenly change sides and join the Gotei, after doing nothing at all to help or oppose Keitarou up to the point he died? Of course he's in it for revenge. I wonder if the Captain knows he was sneaking around outside after dark last night? I didn't see who came back with him, but he was breaking curfew all the same. He probably thought nobody noticed, but I did. I saw him coming back. Living in peace as a shinigami, is he? I doubt it. Sneaking out right after the Division gets word that all patrols are to be on alert for the actions of his no-good, murderer brother? There's not a chance that there's no connection between that and Kohaku-san being here, biding his time. Something is going on, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Nothing else makes sense. I really don't want to live in that past again, but nobody's going to listen if I try to tell them, so I'm just going to have to do this myself. I'll watch, and wait, and I'll find it. And then I'll expose him, as the traitor Aizen he is!_

* * *

 **Author's note: Zaimon**

Zaimon (罪門) literally does mean "crime gate", as Enishi describes it. The reason I went with this name is because, in Japanese, the word for a criminal is "zainin 罪人", or "crime person" = person who commits a crime. Zai is the on'yomi or compound reading of the Japanese word 'tsumi' 罪, which translates roughly as 'sin'. The Zaimon, therefore, is the gate where crime is punished. It could have been a Batsumon 罰門, which would have been a literal "Punishment Gate", but since 'batsu' doesn't in my view carry the same dark connitations as "tsumi", I chose to do it this way. For most people this probably isn't a huge issue, but for those who speak Japanese, and were wondering, that's why.

I really enjoy writing the Vice Captains, but the feeling of this meeting was somewhat different from those in Sukuse. I kind of missed Sora being there, although now she is, of course, a lofty Captain. But some things never change, and I thought that Ikata's late entry pretty much summed that up...


	21. Roaming Wild

**Chapter Twenty: Roaming Wild**

The border town on the edges of Fourth District was bustling with life and energy that morning, as Katsura and his small companion made their way over the hill and down towards the river that wound between Third and Fourth. It had not been easy to leave the border camp without attracting suspicion, for, although Katsura was a frequent figure going in and out, he had had to take special care to make sure none of the residents saw Homare with him, and as a result he had had to bundle her up in old blankets, carrying her in his arms as though he was going in search of fresh supplies. Even so, his heart had pounded in his chest fit to burst as they had passed the shelter inhabited by the friendly old man who had often kept an eye on the small girl during Katsura's extended absences. Once through the divide and into the Rukon proper, he had set Homare down, refolding the blanket to form a makeshift cloak to protect her from the elements in their long trek ahead. She had not cried, nor showed the slightest sign of fear at the adventure, and, as he had carefully wrapped the worn cloth around her small body, he had been aware of the excitement glittering in her eyes. Perhaps it was because she did not truly understand the danger of what they were doing, or perhaps it was just his own foreboding, colouring the experience. Katsura had not been sure, but she had asked no questions about the back route he had chosen to take, nor the fact that, as the first morning rays of light had begun to rise over Seireitei, they had taken a diversion into the thick woodland of the Third District.

Homare's first impressions of Seireitei had been both poignant and heartwarming. She had exclaimed at the bright green colour of the grass, skipping excitedly between the trunks of trees to examine this leaf or that insect, and every so often she would turn to her guardian, demanding to know the name of a particular spring blossom. Rukongai was not as barren a place everywhere as the area Katsura had grown up, and the border camp itself had been sited on the Seireitei side of the divide, but the huge demand placed upon it to provide for the transient residents had taken its toll on the nature, making the lush, fresh landscape that they now walked through something of a novelty for the young Plus soul. Homare's feet had become damp with dew, but instead of complaining, she had bent to touch the blades of grass, feeling the ground between her fingers and expressing how she was now like the plants that grew there - 'properly' part of the Seirei.

They had emerged in an area of Third District that Katsura knew was mainly rural and filled with farms of different types, backed together into a sort of informal village but with enough space between the land divisions that the locals did not come together often, except for market days. This was land belonging to the main manor, although it had once been under the control of a branch of the Urahara called Kusokawa, who had since died out. Keitarou had known this family, and although he had never explained to Katsura the history of that connection, he had told his eldest son that, following the death of the last lord there, the manor had reverted back to the main house. At enough distance from the central Urahara court to make visits from the Clan few and far between, Keitarou had made sure Katsura was familiar with the terrain, and Katsura had used it many times during his visits to Sereitei in the past. Although the environment was new to his companion, he had already decided that crossing from Third into Fourth was the most sensible decision for Homare's sake, for although he had killed healers, he knew that the Unohana were bound by a vow not to shed life. If he was caught there, he would be arrested, but there was no immediate risk of violence and no chance of Homare being put in danger of her life. It was an irony, he reflected, that he should be making for the land where his victims had grown up, but he understood now what he had not known before about the family of healers, and he had had no choice but to put this to good use.

It had been a long walk, and the sun had reached the midpoint in the sky, telling him that they had been walking across Third District for six or seven hours together. Homare was unused to such physical exertion, but she had not complained, and, although her original enthusiasm had quieted slightly as the journey had continued, she was still soldiering on, resolutely keeping pace with her tall, rangy companion. Katsura had debated using the hit or miss shunpo that he had learned from his father for self-protection purposes, but thus far he had held that skill in reserve. Shinigami were looking for him, and any expulsion of reiatsu could leave an unnecessary footprint on their trail. He had mastered shielding his presence and the art of not leaving a trace of his movements in the past five years in hiding, but he had not yet worked out how to use his spirit power without leaving residue behind, and it was too great a risk.

"Oniichan, is that where we're going?" at that moment, Homare broke the silence, pushing back the folds of the blanket and tossing her head slightly to free her tousled waves of hair. "It's warmer now, and we've been walking a long time. I see a town down there. Is that where we're going to?"

"We are," Katsura nodded. "That town is a border town, and there's a lot of trading there. Right now, we're still in the land the Urahara own. You remember I told you about the different Districts?"

"I remember," Homare gazed around her pensively. "This is the place that the Urahara shinigami want to try and find people places to live in? It's nice. I think it would be nice to live here. Don't you?"

"Well, I am not the most popular person with the Urahara, so maybe not," Katsura said wryly. "I don't think I told you, but my father was an Urahara."

"Keitarou-san?" Homare looked startled, and Katsura nodded his head.

"From what he told me, his father did something that made the Clan turn against him," he said sadly. "Whenever Father talked about Grandfather, he was always angry and always sad. I think it hurt him a lot, seeing his father treated like that. Father hated the Urahara a lot...and they didn't like him much, either. It's not really safe for me to stay on their land, so I think we'll be safer when we reach that town. Most Districts have borders with guards and checkpoints, but the Fourth don't have that with the Third. This town allows people to come and go, because the Unohana Clan don't arm their borders. They don't mind people moving in and out, and so they don't try and stop it."

"The Unohana," Homare tried out the strange word, then, "It's a pretty name. Is it really a flower, Niichan? It sounds like it."

"It is, and we'll probably see it bloom, when we get deeper into Fourth District," Katsura agreed. "We'll stop at the town first, though, have a rest and get some food. I have a few coins," he reached into his sash and produced a handful of copper, "and it should do to buy some fruit at the very least."

"Can I see?" Homare begged, and Katsura held out the coins, allowing the young girl to examine them. She picked one up, turning it over curiously.

"People give you food if you have these?"

"Yes. That's how it works, in Seireitei. That's how, when I bring you food at the border camp, I get it," Katsura agreed. Homare's brow creased in confusion.

"I don't understand why. It's really ugly and not very useful looking," she decided critically, handing it back. "Why do people want them? If it was pretty and shiny, that would be one thing, but it's so dull."

"They've been well used," despite himself, Katsura was amused, and he patted his companion on the head. "In Seireitei, you see, people give these in exchange for items they want. The sellers don't mind receiving them because they can use them to buy other, different things. It's not like doing a trade or bartering something with a person you know. You can take this coin," he flipped the coin up in the air, catching it deftly in his other hand, "and give it to literally anyone selling something, and if the price is the same as the coin, you can take that thing home with you. So we don't have to know people in this town. So long as we have these, we can buy food from them and they won't mind."

"I see," Homare looked thoughtful. "Then I suppose they are useful. But where do you get them, Niichan? You don't have them in Rukongai, so why do you have them now?"

"Well, when my Father died, the shinigami cleaned out a lot of his stuff, but not all of his resources. He kept a lot of money buried in sites around the Rukon settlement, and the shinigami didn't look for it. Maybe they didn't know, maybe they didn't care, but I've been using it ever since," Katsura said with a shrug. "It's not enough for everything, of course. Father wasn't that rich, not after he left the Clan. But I also help other villages in Seireitei, too. I'm quite good at getting rid of Hollows, you know."

"Katsu-nii can fight Hollows too?" Homare was surprised, and Katsura started at the nickname.

"What did you just call me?"

"Katsu-nii," Homare frowned. "Why? Do you not want me to? I know you don't want people to hear your name, but it's not like there's anyone else with us."

"No, it's not that," Katsura sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind. You can call me that, if you like, so long as there's nobody else around. I just didn't expect to hear it. Come on. A little further, and we'll be able to get food. I also want to find out what the best and least suspicious way to send a message to Inner Seireitei is, and as the Fourth are generally the most relaxed people about everything, I think this might be a good opportunity to do that."

"All right," Homare shrugged. "I'm coming, Niichan. This is exciting, you know. It's my first time visiting a proper Seireitei town, and I can't wait to see how you use the coins to buy us food!"

With that she skipped on ahead of him, and Katsura watched her for a moment, a bittersweet expression on his face.

 _I haven't been called Katsu-nii for a long time. Not since I parted company with Koku, I guess. Hearing it was a bit strange...nostalgic. Especially as I'm hopefully going to reunite with my brother again soon. I need to make sure that Homare is safe, though, no matter what I do. The village I'm heading for is remote and there's a good amount of woodland nearby, so we can arrange a decent and private meeting - but sending a message is still risky, even if I use the name Gorou. I'll just have to hope for the best, I suppose, and figure out the safest way to get it to my brother without us being found out._

"Niichan, are you coming?" Homare paused, turning back to glance at him quizzically, and Katsura nodded.

"I'm right with you," he assured her, moving hurriedly to catch her up. "Let's go find something to eat, and a nice place to sit and enjoy the spring Seireitei air!"

* * *

"...and so that's the way that things ended up."

Hajime concluded his report of the Vice Captain's meeting, sinking down onto one of the cushions in the Captain's office with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, sir. I tried to press the issue, but Ikata wasn't being moved on the subject, and the other Vice Captains basically just wanted someone else to clean up the mess. Ikata's ruled me out of the mission and I can't contest the vote."

It was later the same afternoon, and, as the Vice Captain's meeting had drawn to a close, Hajime had hurried back to the Seventh, quickly clearing the last of his paperwork from his desk in his own office before making his way down the long hallway to where his Captain did all his own work. Kikyue and Ohara had already been there, and Hajime realised by their presence that Hirata had expected a report, summoning them in advance to discuss what would happen next. Hirata had not always run the Division in this way, for in the past, he had mostly relied on Souja to convey his wishes down the ranks, but, since the death of his son, Hirata had decided that Seventh's actions and policy ought to be decided more broadly by the upper seats, with his own final casting vote making the ultimate decision, and it had proven to work very well. As Third and Fourth Seat, Kikyue and Ohara were regular contributors now to Division policy, and so Hajime had wasted no time in outlining what had occurred in the adjutant's discussion. He was still angry, deep down inside, but he had quelled his feelings well, knowing that, at the very least, his current companions would understand what the other Vice Captains had not about the hunt for Katsura being taken out of their hands.

"Well, there's a reason we have democratic decision making in the Captain and Vice Captain meetings, though I admit, in this particular instance, I'm not impressed," Hirata tapped his fingers absently against his desk, considering the content of his adjutant's report carefully. "If it wasn't for the possibility of Katsura's involvement, I'd say that it would be better for the Seventh to pull out entirely - but there's still that possibility, and I don't like to let it go."

"Eriko-dono doesn't seem convinced that Katsura is involved in this, despite the evidence we have that he was in both Rukongai and Keitarou's gravesite," Hajime said darkly. "Apparently the Fourth are keeping an open mind. Ikata also said he didn't care about finding Katsura, and he's not the most particular of officers. I'd like to send people with him, if we can, sir. I may not be able to go, but I don't really want to leave this to the Eleventh to handle alone."

"Nothing should be left to that moron Ikata to handle," Kikyue muttered, dropping down onto her own cushion with very bad grace. "Bad enough someone made him a Vice Captain, without him telling the rest of you how things are going to be worked out. It's none of his business, and he shouldn't get to take charge just because he throws his weight around."

"You are talking about another division's adjutant, Kikyue," Hirata chided her lightly, and Kikyue shrugged.

"I'm talking about Ikata," she said unrepentantly. "We all know that he's Vice Captain at Eleventh because nobody else wanted the job."

"He did rather irritate me this time," Hajime admitted. "I am not usually bothered by anything that happens in these meetings, but he decided to pull longevity on me, and I did think for a moment about drawing my sword on him."

"I'm glad you didn't," Hirata arched an eyebrow. "Longevity? In what sense?"

"He's been a Vice Captain longer than I have, and so his experience overrules mine," Hajime said bitterly.

"He said that to you?" Ohara, who had remained silent up to that point opened his eyes wide at the blatant insult. Hajime nodded.

"I hope you told him that it's not about experience but calibre," Ohara snorted. "I'm sorry, Taichou, but I agree with Kikyue-hime. Ikata is an unpleasant and uncouth individual and his rank choice is only a matter of clear fortune on his part - or perhaps, misfortune on that of Minaichi-taichou. Surely you aren't going to allow him to run roughshod over our business and talk to your adjutant in such a way?"

"If I got angry over every single implied or direct insult the Endou ever received, practically nobody in Seireitei would still be alive to cast their democratic vote," Hirata said dryly. "Hajime's a big boy, he can deal with it himself without my intervention. But I agree, it's inconvenient," he added, glancing at Hajime. "If that's how the meeting settled, there's nothing we can do except send a team in support and follow Ikata's lead - at least outwardly."

"I see," Ohara's eyes narrowed. "Ikata is foolish enough that he wouldn't notice if you sent officers on their own auspices. So long as they didn't make themselves openly hostile to his leadership, he'd believe that he was in control."

"Sometimes subtlety is the best option, especially when dealing with a colleague who has none," Hirata agreed. "Hajime, I know you're annoyed, but I have another assignment for you, as it happens, and I think that its as well you take charge of it. I'll look at personnel for the Dangai mission, but I suppose we can spare six or seven at most, no more."

"If I may, Taichou, I'd like to offer my services," Ohara raised his hand, but Kikyue shook her head.

"No. If someone's going, it's going to be me," she said bluntly. "Katsura is my prey. He's been my prey from the moment he ambushed our Division, attacked me and said unforgivable things about Niisama's death. If the Endou are going to search the Dangai for him, I'm going to be leading the charge."

"Kiki..." Hirata eyed his daughter in consternation, and Ohara frowned.

"Hime, we don't know what might be inside that place, except, possibly, more of those disgusting decaying monstrosities," he pointed out. "It might be dangerous, and Ikata is not someone to be trusted with your safety. Please reconsider. I am quite happy to take the duty, unpleasant as it will be to listen to that loudmouth bark orders, but I would not wish for you to come to harm because of his inattention."

"I am quite capable of defending myself, Ohara," Kikyue snapped, and Ohara bit his lip, his eyes becoming clouded.

"I wasn't meaning to question that, hime. I just..."

"Ohara is paying deference to me, Kikyue," Hirata said softly. "He knows, as you do, how much your safety means to me and how easily you might be targeted by an enemy of the Endou for that reason. Katsura knows our weaknesses and he may well have read your mind in that encounter. If he finds you, what do you think he'll do? His sister killed your brother. I won't have it repeated."

"My life is much more dispensable than yours, hime," Ohara added, somewhat recovered by Hirata's support. "I am not your equal in terms of swords or power, but I am insignificant to this fugitive and thus placed better to tackle him, should the opportunity present itself."

"I don't really like the idea of either of you going, if I'm frank," Hajime admitted. "Katsura's my prey too, because he escaped my blade that night, but I've got the same concerns about safety as Ohara has. I'd rather the Endou were able to co-command the mission, and I am still not happy about being forcibly ousted from that possibility. I told Ikata we'd send people to his patrol, because I don't want to leave it to him alone, but I'm not sure anyone in this Division is well-suited to kow-towing to another Division's ego. It isn't in the nature of the hunter to be subservient to another, and sending either of you would imply we were doing just that, with the Captain's best wishes. Surely sending lower ranked officers would be more appropriate, rather than letting Ikata think he could command the higher seats of the Seventh as though they were his own?"

"But you said yourself, the Vice Captains ruled that this is Eleventh's duty, and you can't go," Kikyue pointed out. "I don't see what we can do about that, except defy Ikata openly, which would cause problems."

"It would create ripples and I would rather not have the Captain of the Eleventh visiting me with a grievance," Hirata admitted. "We could simply pull out, of course. That is an option. Perhaps one we should consider seriously."

"I still think we should go. I should go," Kikyue stood her ground. "I'm not an idiot, and I'm used to leading my own patrol. People here will follow my lead, and Ikata's stupid. He never takes me that seriously, because I'm Taichou's daughter, and joined this Division when I was still pretty young, compared to a lot of the others. If he thinks Hajime-dono is inexperienced, given they're about the same age, he probably thinks I'm still teething."

"I am fairly certain nobody thinks that, hime," Ohara murmured. "I'm sure if they did, you would soon set them to rights."

"But my point is, Hajime-dono said that none of the Endou high seats would react well to orders from a lowborn Yamamoto, and its true," Kikyue reminded him. "If we only send low seats, though, they won't be innovative enough to follow their own interests without alerting Ikata to the fact they're doing just that. Even if we sent Masaoka, for example, he'd still find it hard to defy another Division's Vice Captain. If I go, I'd being going with the intention of fulfilling our interests, and anyone with me from Seventh would follow my word, not Ikata's. I'm Third Seat of the Seventh Division, and I don't really care what Ikata Jintarou thinks of me. If we found Katsura, he'd be my target, and if Ikata doesn't care much about Katsura, then he'd probably not mind if I focused our attention on that. It makes the best sense."

"Then at least allow me to go with you?" Ohara asked. Kikyue shook her head.

"No. That would definitely pump up Ikata's ego, if he had both the Third and Fourth seat with him," she said pragmatically. "I'll take Takasugi. Hashimori too. And a couple of the others. That should be enough. Takasugi is from my patrol and I know how to work with him, and Hashimori's pretty by the book with his adherence to orders. They should be fine."

"What about Kotetsu?" Hajime asked.

"Is Kotetsu allowed into the Dangai?" Ohara frowned. "What are his conditions of parole again?"

"He's not allowed into the Thirteenth, or near that girl he assaulted, but I don't think he's debarred travel in and out of Seireitei," Hajime looked thoughtful.

"You three seem to have forgotten that I'm here, and that final decision on all of this is mine," Hirata interjected at this moment, and the three other officers turned guiltily. "Yes, that's better. Happy as I am that the three of you function so cohesively together in these things these days, I am still the Captain, and you need my agreement for any and all of these plans of yours. I haven't given you authority to go yet, Kikyue, and as for Kotetsu Tenichi, he will be staying here. I said I had a job for Hajime, and it happens to involve Tenichi."

"Are you going to say I can't go?" Kikyue looked anxious. "Father, please. I can take care of myself, you know I can. I've worked hard since Oniisama died, and I'm not taking a careless risk. I won't go on my own, and I already said I'd take Takasugi and Hashimori to back me up. Sixth and Seventh seat should be enough without boosting Ikata's ego too much, and if I take some of the lower ranks as well I should be able to act quite efficiently even if Ikata is being a pain. We're only going to scout the Dangai, and the last time I met Katsura, I didn't know he even existed. Now I know what he is, and I'm not going to be taken off guard. I haven't forgiven him for what he said about Oniisama's death, and I want to find him, for the sake of the Endou Clan. I'm an Endou, just as Oniisama was, and just because I'm a girl and can't inherit it, it doesn't mean I don't care about stability or the future beyond now."

Hirata groaned, burying his head in his hands.

"I dislike when you use that angle of attack," he admitted. "You put the honour of the family in front of me and then I'm trapped. As your father, I don't want you or Sayuri in a position of danger. You know that, but you always wanted to be a shinigami, like Souja, and I didn't stop you. I don't regret it, because you have the natural skill to be one - just as he did, but maybe in a way, even more than Souja. You're a true hunter, Kikyue, and I know you can take care of yourself. As your Captain, I acknowledge your logic. Just remember, when you throw that rhetoric at me, that I have to manage it as your father, too, and that is not as easy as you might think."

"I know," Kikyue's eyes softened, and she got to her feet, coming to kneel before her father's desk. "I know, sir, and I promise, I will be careful. I'll find out what I can and if I find Katsura, he'll be coming back with me. Alive, if I can manage it, but if need be, I'll take his life and bring you his corpse. I'm not afraid of him, but for Sayuri's sake too, I need to do this. Oniisama isn't here to do it. There's just me now, so I need to."

She shrugged, looking matter-of-fact.

"I'm a shinigami, not a hime, not really," she added. "The Clan are already more interested in Sayuri when they talk about the future, because she doesn't wield a sword and act like a warrior, rather than a lady. In a sense, with Oniisama gone, I feel like I took on his mantle, too. I can't inherit, and nor can she. But I can help to make sure my sister is safe, just as Oniisama did for me. Katsura stands in the way of that goal, so please, Otousama, let me go with Ikata and hunt the ingrate down."

Hirata did not reply for a moment, then, slowly, he raised his gaze to look at her. He sighed, then slowly, he nodded.

"You have my permission," he said quietly. "But keep in mind that I will worry about you, no matter how talented I know you are. And Sayuri would cry again, if you were killed, not to mention that it would finish your poor mother once and for all. Remember that, and make sure you don't take stupid risks. I would sooner Katsura escaped again than lose you. That's an order. You are to put your life as first priority. Understand?"

"Taichou?" Ohara looked perturbed, and Hirata sent him a sad smile.

"Kikyue is right. Her logic is sound," he said wearily. "Don't make it harder for me by protesting, Ohara. In her absence, I'll need you to take charge of the regular patrols. They'll have to run a little abnormally, because I want Hajime to take Tenichi and Nakata and do some scouting around Seventh District."

"Seventh? For what, sir?" Hajime was taken aback.

"Tenichi was left in Seventh District by Keitarou, which means there's a Gate there," Hirata said frankly. "If this really is linked to Keitarou's Gate network, then that's worth investigating. Tenichi probably has more exact knowledge than the rest of us, as the only one who went there to retrieve him was Souja. I'd like you to go and investigate the scene. Identify the Gate, if you can, and discover if it's been at all used."

"And look for traces of Katsura in the vicinity?" Hajime asked. Hirata nodded.

"You and Nakata have both met him, and Tenichi knows where the Gate is," he agreed. "It makes sense to send the three of you, to cover all bases."

He glanced at Kikyue.

"You should go and brief Takasugi and Hashimori, if you intend to take them, and select your other officers," he told her. "Ohara, you, too. There are still patrols to run, and you'll have to patch together whoever is left from Kikyue and Hajime's patrols to run them. Are you all right with that?"

"Yes sir, of course," Ohara cast Kikyue a troubled look, but raised no demur, bowing his head towards his Captain. "I'll go now and look at the lists."

"Then the both of you are dismissed," Hirata told them, and with identical salutes, the two officers withdrew from the office, leaving Captain and Vice Captain alone. Hajime gazed towards the door for a moment, then,

"I agree with Ohara, sir. I have concerns about Kikyue-hime going into the Dangai."

"So do I, but she's right, and I can't fault her argument," Hirata said heavily. "Stopping her would be me acting as a Father, not a Captain, and the moment that happens is the moment I make Kikyue's rank here untenable. I can't stand in her way this time, Hajime. She is part of this Clan too, and the burden is as heavily on her as it is on Sayuri. I've never heard her talk like that, in terms of shielding her sister, and I'm glad to hear it - but I have to give her her way sometimes. This is a risk, and I know it, but I can't stop her."

He rested his arms on the desk pensively.

"More encouraging, though, is how indignant Ohara seemed to be about Ikata's insult towards you. I trust you noticed that. He seems to have completely overcome his earlier prejudices about your birth level and your position within the squad."

"Ohara has been a much less annoying officer all round since the business five years back," Hajime said thoughtfully. "He was a thorn in my side then, especially with...when Souja-dono...but since then, everything has changed. I think we've reached an understanding...but it's true. Ikata and I are much of the same line of birth within our respective Clans. It's somehow nice to know that my Fourth Seat is on my side, even if by birth he outranks me by a long way. I feel that if I give an order, now, he will obey it without my having to chase him up, and that is welcome relief."

"Juushirou suggested him as a candidate to marry Kikyue," Hirata observed, and Hajime started, then offered an amused smile. He nodded.

"I think Ohara may be the only man in the Endou Clan with the right line of birth and prospects who isn't terrified by her," he acknowledged. "I'm not sure that Kikyue-hime is thinking on those lines, sir, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ohara's dedication to her might come from more than just Clan loyalty. With respect, sir, I've felt for a long time that he's very much smitten with her, and not just in terms of the lucrative possibilities of marrying into the central Clan."

"Well, he might have to be patient for a long time. It may be an eternal wait, knowing my daughter," Hirata said resignedly. "His concern for her safety reassures me, though. As a father, have I become too protective, Hajime? I made you my Vice Captain five years ago and it was the right choice. Kikyue was still too young and knew it herself, but it surprised a lot of people that I didn't choose my daughter after my son. This may sound harsh, but the truth is that I wanted a Vice Captain I could trust to do the job without being constantly worried about their safety. Having Kikyue in uniform is still a challenge for me, since Souja died. The idea of her going into Katsura's direct path frightens me...maybe to the point I stop being an effective Captain."

"If I had been able to go, it would have been better," Hajime reflected. "I'm not offended by your words, sir. On the contrary, I understand the honour of my current rank and my duty to the Clan and to this squad. I think Kikyue-hime is capable of undertaking this task, and probably more capable than Ikata of leading it effectively. But with respect, sir, five years is a very short amount of time to expect the shadows to fade. Souja-dono is still here, even though his ashes long since scattered over Seireitei. His loss still affects even me, and I was merely his squad second. I think that it is very soon to imagine that any of us have really moved on...and that is the part that concerns me. It's not that I think you are overly protective, sir, but just aware of the reality. Kikyue-hime may be the strongest shinigami outside of yourself to be a member of this squad, and she may be one of the most naturally talented fighters in all of Seireitei. But I am not sure she can be rational when it comes to facing Katsura, and, I suppose that is the biggest test in all of this."

* * *

"Taichou?"

Aoi knocked lightly on the door of the his Captain's office, waiting for a moment before sliding it back to let himself in. His time as Vice Captain of the Twelfth had taught him that, at times, waiting for a summons could take all day, as Mareiko had a habit of deeply engrossing herself in her work. This had always been the case, but, since the events of five years earlier, Mareiko's dedication had all but doubled, as though by intensifying her workload she could somehow erase the memories of the day Keitarou had invaded Seireitei.

Around Seireitei, Mareiko had a reputation for eccentricity, and her elaborate experiments into Kidou research often approached dangerous conditions. In spite of that, though, she was also known for her intelligence, and Aoi felt some pride inside of him when he ever heard someone refer to his Captain as a genius. It was true, he reflected now, taking in the hunched form stooped over her desk, oblivious to his presence. Nagesu was an intelligent and well-educated Urahara, but there was a quicksilver thread of innovative intellect that ran through the Urahara bloodline, and Mareiko had inherited it in full. Without her contributions, Aoi suspected that Nagesu would have made much slower progress on several of his projects, and although the Twelfth were no longer subservient to Urahara overlordship, the scientific relationship between the two Divisions had remained largely unchanged.

Aoi was more of a warrior than a scientist, with a strategic brain for the battlefield rather than an aptitude for the lab, but the balance between his authority and Mareiko's brilliance had allowed the Twelfth to become a thriving Division. In spite of that, though, as he regarded his Captain now, Aoi knew that Mareiko was still haunted by the past, and he sighed, closing the door behind him and crossing the lab floor to put a light hand on his leader's arm. At the contact she started, swinging around to stare at him in surprise and consternation, and at her reaction, Aoi sent her a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I did knock, but there was no answer."

"Aoi," Mareiko recovered herself, pushing stray strands of wild blond hair back from her face and offering him a weary smile in return. "I'm sorry. Nagesu-sama sent me the notes he received from the border camp incident, and I was looking them over. I had a few things I wanted to check out, so..." She paused, reaching over to rest a hand on the large pile of dusty books that stood in a precarious tower at the edge of the cluttered desk. "I suppose I became engrossed."

She sat back, gesturing for him to take a seat, and Aoi carefully moved a box of papers onto the floor, settling himself on the narrow space of cushion he had created.

"I suppose you came to report to me about the Vice Captain's meeting?" the Captain asked now, and Aoi nodded, impressed that, for once, his leader had remembered where he had told her he was going when he had left barracks that morning.

"The opinion of the Vice Captains is that we ought to be investigating the Dangai itself, rather than trying to find Gates all over the place," he agreed. "While we all think that there's probably a link between the network of Gates that Keitarou used and these incidents, there's no link that I can see to Keitarou himself, so we're stuck at scratch. We agreed that the safest Gate to investigate is probably the one in Sixth, if Guren-sama gives permission. The problem is that we have no way of opening the Gate directly...so I was sent to ask you if you had any ideas on how we might achieve that."

"Investigate the Dangai?" Mareiko pressed her lips together, her fingers absently compiling together stray leafs of paper. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Is there a reason why we shouldn't?" Aoi looked surprised. "The source of the problem is clearly inside the Dangai somewhere, and..."

"I'm not sure if that's true," Mareiko looked troubled, her brow lined with what Aoi realised was a mixture of weariness and consternation. She had probably not been sleeping right again, he realised with a jolt, and he made a mental note to ensure that, that evening, she locked up the lab and withdrew to her own quarters at a reasonable hour. "I mean, yes, it's the Dangai, but..."

She sighed, pulling at her hair once again, then turning her attention to the paperwork before her.

"I don't really know what it is," she admitted, frustration lacing her tones. "The readings that Yunosuke-dono brought back don't match with what I expect from a Dangai scene. That bothers me, especially if these are Keitarou's Gates."

"I'm not sure I understand," Aoi's brows knitted together, and Mareiko pulled together the pile of paper, spreading them out so that he could see them. They were covered with elaborate diagrams, annotated with his Captain's familiar spidery squiggles, and as he stared at them, trying to make out what his leader wanted him to see, Mareiko tapped the nearest sheet with a long, slender index finger.

"When I investigated scenes following Keitarou's death, the readings were pretty typical of a Dangai Gate," she said slowly. "The mechanism was not the same, of course. He'd tampered with that to suit his own ends. I strongly suspect he had other Gates we didn't find yet, but since he's no longer alive, I didn't give it much thought. I've only begun to do research on that since the notice about Katsura, since he's probably using the same network."

"That makes sense," Aoi acknowledged, picking up the nearest sheet of paper and gazing at the notes with a frown. "I'm sorry, Taichou, I don't understand the nuances here. I get that the readings Yunosuke-dono brought back were anomalous, but beyond that..."

"The Urahara, historically, operated the Punishment Gates. Zaimon," Mareiko told him. "You're familiar with that?"

"It came up at the meeting today," Aoi admitted, "but even Shiketsu-sama didn't seem to have all the facts on that. Apparently there are a lot of missing records. Things such as who was consigned there, and where a lot of them were. It's been a very long time since they were used, and although it was discussed that the dead that came out of them might have been Dangai condemned, some of the Vice Captains felt that was unimportant, as nobody but Genryuusai-sensei is alive now who would have even remembered a time where the Zaimon were in use."

"The difference between a Zaimon and a Senkaimon is simple," Mareiko said pensively. "A Senkaimon connects you to another location. A Zaimon was never meant to do that. It was an oubliette, if you like. A place into which condemned criminals considered too dangerous to even be executed in Seireitei were consigned. Like Shiketsu-sama, I've done some research on these in recent days, and he's correct. The records are very incomplete. I managed to supplement some of the information with data from Daigo-sama's notes. He used to be in charge of the Clan prisons," she added, sending Aoi a sad smile. "The Zaimon were never used for punishment purposes then, of course, but Daigo-sama did know about them. I wondered, with hindsight, considering the experiments he performed on some of those poor inmates, whether he debated using the Dangai system to rid himself of the bodies...but then I realised that he had no need to do so."

She shrugged, reaching to pull down a folder from a shelf, creating a huge cloud of dust that set both of them coughing. Aoi wafted the dust away hurriedly, and Mareiko offered him a rueful smile of thanks.

"This is his ledger from that time," she said, setting the folder down atop her notes. "Because he was in charge of dealing with the Urahara prisons, and a lot of those prisoners were condemned to death, he had no need to conceal bodies. People died in prison. Nobody was particularly troubled by the fact. The ledger accounts for all of the Urahara and their disposal. There's nothing missing."

"So the corpses in the Dangai aren't Daigo-sama's experiments?" Aoi took the ledger, flicking through it and running his finger down the column of names and signatures that marked the sad fate of a generation of Urahara prisoners. "I suppose I see why you were looking at that, given the three creatures in the Real World who attacked the Gotei on Keitarou's instructions. They were Daigo-sama's work, weren't they? It would make sense that similar entities might be in the Dangai."

"It would, but I have ruled it out," Mareiko shook her head. "I'm relieved that that's the case, but it brings me back to my original point. Zaimon were never intended to connect to anything, so nobody tried to connect them. Keitarou seems to have manipulated some of them into the Senkaimon system, where they were never meant to be. Nonetheless, the spiritual emissions at the opening of the Gate near the border camp are not consistent with a normal Senkaimon. I don't know how he connected them, but I think their being connected like that may have always been dangerous. This may be the first time we've seen that danger, but it is possible this could have happened at any time."

"Meaning that this is a coincidental anomaly?" Aoi paused, glancing at her in surprise, and Mareiko shook her head.

"Nothing is a coincidence," she said firmly. "No, I don't think so. Something caused this to happen now. What, I'm not sure yet. I don't know, either, if it matters how old the Dangai corpses are. I can't perform any proper spiritual dating test on them because of the location they came from. Dangai atmosphere warps any hope of properly performing spirit dating - but I tend to agree with the assumptions of the Fourth and the Third that these are probably older corpses, from the time the Gates were used this way. Perhaps because Keitarou connected the Zaimon to the Senkaimon, the one has started to leak into the other, making it possible for something like this to happen."

"Meaning that corpses could start appearing in the normal Senkaimon network as well?"

"I think it's a high probability," Mareiko agreed, "and I've already sent a message to the Thirteenth telling them that, in my opinion, they should postpone their trip to the Real World. While our official internal Senkai Gates don't appear to have had their integrity breached, the ones to the Real World are always more tenuous and the danger more pressing. Especially..."

She paused, as if trying to figure out how to phrase the next bit, then sighed.

"Aoi, did Keitarou's son get mentioned at all at this meeting?"

"Katsura? Yes, of course. Why?"

"No...I didn't mean Katsura," Mareiko looked troubled. "I meant Kohaku."

"Oh," Aoi was confused. "Yes, I think, briefly. Houjou mentioned that Kohaku was able to reopen the Gate at the border camp, by accident. Also that he picked up something there that suggested to him the corpses were Dangai condemned. But although he could open that Gate, we ruled against using him to do so. It's dangerous, and the consensus was that, if this was an elaborate plan by Katsura to lure his brother away, we shouldn't play into it."

"I see," Mareiko was silent for a long time, and Aoi shot her a quizzical look.

"Taichou? What about Kohaku? Do you think we were wrong?"

"No...no." Mareiko shook her head. "I confess, I still find the power that boy has troubling, but I don't think he's a traitor to Soul Society. No, it was more that fact itself - his ability to make the Gate react."

"He's Keitarou's son, though. If Keitarou connected the Gates, that makes sense? He'd want his children to be able to move."

"No..." Mareiko chewed on her lip. "It's more profound than that. I can't open the border camp Gate at present, but I can detect where it is. When I do that, I pick up distinctive reiatsu signals. One of those is Kohaku's. Because I know he fought there, I didn't think much of it. But, when I reviewed the trace evidence retrieved from the Sixth and the outer Rukongai site, the same signals were present. I know that Kohaku isn't directly involved," she added, as Aoi opened his mouth to comment, "because at the time those two events happened, Kohaku's whereabouts are clearly noted. So why is his reiatsu at those locations?"

"I have no idea," Aoi admitted. "My only argument is the Keitarou connection, but..."

"I extended my study to include Senkaimon," Mareiko said softly. "I began at Third, where that Gate has been rebuilt following its destruction five years ago. There, too, Kohaku's reiatsu is present, lingering at the scene."

"His sword destroyed it," Aoi remembered, and Mareiko nodded.

"That Gate was the hub for the whole network," she said grimly. "I wonder if destroying it had additional consequences that none of us foresaw. The Gates may be responding to Kohaku because he destroyed the key to the whole Dangai, here in Inner Seireitei. The Gate at Third was chosen - and Third's barracks chosen - because it was the ancient Gate used by the Urahara in their initial studies, back when Inner Seireitei was just a gathering of Clan representatives arranging political trade agreements. I didn't think of it at the time, but destroying that Gate may have sent shockwaves through the whole network. Because of that, I don't want anyone going to the Real World, at least not imminently. If Kohaku's reiatsu did create an instability, I would like to get to the bottom of it."

"So you think that we shouldn't have people going into the Dangai?" Aoi asked. Mareiko shrugged.

"I couldn't guarantee it being safe," she owned. "I am working on a way to open the Gates already, and since I know that it connects to Kohaku's reiatsu, I think I can fashion something to achieve that. But I am also looking at ways to destroy the anomalous Gates once and for all. They are risky so long as they exist here. Whether the antagonist is Katsura, or something else, or whether this is just fallout from five years ago, we can't have things happening like the attack in Rukongai. A party into the Dangai might be able to resolve the gaps in our knowledge. I just...don't know if it's safe to risk personnel inside one of these compromised Gates."

"I think we all understand the danger," Aoi frowned. "Nonetheless, I think what you've said makes it more important to go in. I don't know Kohaku well, but I don't think he'd be very happy if he knew that something he did to save everyone might have had this long-term effect. For that reason, I think we should try and resolve it. Preferably so that he doesn't think he should use that spirit power again in some way that makes it worse."

Mareiko shot her Vice Captain a bittersweet smile, and she nodded.

"I think so, too," she admitted. "If you'll help me, Aoi, I'll do my best to put the remaining pieces in place. I think we can get one of these Gates opened...I just hope that the individuals going in are prepared for what they might find inside."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ohara and Kikyue**  
I remember people asking me in Sukuse if this was going to be a thing, and I said no, and people were happy. But my brain keeps making it happen like this, at least from Ohara's perspective. So right now, I can't totally rule out a long-term Ohara and Kikyue ultimate pairing as easily as I did in Sukuse. Characters do their own things...


	22. Retsu's Hunch

**Chapter Twenty One: Retsu's Hunch**

"I think that's enough for this morning."

At Ketsui's command, the assembled group of officers let out a collective sigh of relief, each exchanging rueful glances with one another as they sheathed their swords and dusted themselves down. It had been an intense dawn workout, triggered in part by Ketsui's frustration at the embargo placed on the trip to the Real World. Since returning to Seireitei, the creature he had encountered in the ice had weighed heavily on his mind, but so had the safety of the local people whose shrine they had desecrated, and although he had not enjoyed the original mission, he had been eager to return to make sure no major damage had been done. The previous night, however, a missive from the Twelfth advising all shinigami to remain in Seireitei had put paid to any idea of a quick deployment over the Dangai, and so Ketsui had decided to fill his free time working his annoyance out on some of the lower seated officers. As unofficial _shishou_ for both Kohaku and Izumi, it had been easy enough to recruit both Kayashima and Furuta to the same errand, and, as a consequence, the four middle seated officers had spent a gruelling two hours being put through their paces. Izumi in particular was flagging, the irritation at the interruption to her science clearly glittering in her silver gaze, and, as he gazed at her now, Ketsui realised that she too was put out by the embargo on their travel. As a scientist, Izumi had wanted to investigate the scene for herself, and now her fun had been spoiled by the safety concerns of their neighbour.  
 _  
But Sekime-taichou is an expert and a genius, and so Taichou had no option but to adhere to her advice. I know it was for our sake, but that doesn't make it any less bitter a pill to swallow._

Ketsui sheathed his own sword, stretching his arms over his head with a sigh. Five years had changed a lot, he reflected, for he had originally been shy of training with other officers in this way. Now, spending the last few years working with Kohaku and Izumi, he had lost the last of his inhibitions, and, according to Naoko at least, was becoming a decent kind of trainer. As he surveyed his companions now, he realised that he had really pushed them to the limit, and he smiled dryly, remembering how he had felt after one of Naoko's stringent and demanding sessions.

"Ketsui-san, are you trying to kill us?" Furuta rubbed his arm ruefully, examining the bruises that were beginning to form there. "I'm sure it's not our fault the Real World mission isn't running, so you could take it more easily."

Izumi nodded her head emphatically, casting a reproachful look at their self-appointed trainer, and Ketsui sighed, leaning up against the barrier fence and folding his arms.

"You're all still standing, and nobody's lost a lot of blood, so I don't know what you're complaining about," he said frankly. "We might be in a peaceful situation right now, but being prepared is important. Furuta, your sword hold is getting lazy. That's why I disarmed you so easily. You need to take it seriously - any fight could be a fight for your life. You know that, right?"

"I do, but I'm not trying to kill you, sir," Furuta replied evenly. "If I was, I'd be more forceful, but I think that killing a senior officer is still against Division rules."

"I don't mind the training. I'm just beat," Kayashima admitted. "I'm probably guilty of being a little rusty, too. We haven't had much to do on patrol lately, that's the problem. We hear these stories about roaming corpses or whatever they are, but it's not as though Thirteenth has had any military action for a bit. I'm not looking for trouble, of course, but Furuta has a point. It's hard to keep our skills sharp when there's not a lot going on."

"Koku, what about you?" Furuta cast his friend a glance. "You've been quiet most of the morning, and your arms are as raw as the rest of us. Don't you have any complaints?"

"I'm not sure I do," Kohaku sighed, sinking down onto the cobbles. "I was at the border camp, remember? I saw those things - or one of them. The trouble is, I'm not sure how much working on my sword skills will help me. It took me off guard because it flooded my senses - and that's a lot harder to recover from than a couple of bruises."

"You knocked it out though, didn't you?" Kayashima pointed out, and Kohaku hesitated, then shrugged.

"It could have been a lot nastier," he replied evasively. "I've seen a lot of death in my dreams and visions over the years, but having it roaming around in front of me was an entirely new and not pleasant experience."

"They don't sound like a particular threat to us, though," Furuta said comfortably. "Shinigami seem to be able to take them out pretty easily. They're not nice, but we can probably fix it. Sekime-taichou is working on it already, isn't that what the Captain said? That's why the Real World mission got delayed, but it's not as though it was cancelled outright. It will still happen. They just want to clean things up first. It's not a general crisis. Just a bit of a mess."

"Do you think they're really dead people from thousands of years ago?" Kayashima wondered, and Izumi's fingers fluttered quickly in response. Ketsui looked across at her.

"I'm surprised nobody has asked you to go examine them," he admitted. "Given the complex nature of whatever it is, and your skills, I would have thought you'd have been able to help."

Izumi shrugged her shoulders, and Ketsui grinned.

"So even you have your limits, huh? Poking around in corpses long since gone rotten is beneath a hime's pride?" he teased. Izumi pulled a graphic face, but there was amusement in her silver gaze too.

"Izumi-chan is sensible, in that case," Kohaku shivered. "I wish I hadn't seen it. It still gives me the creeps."

"Are you having nightmares again?" Furuta eyed his friend apprehensively, but Kohaku shook his head.

"I don't think so," he said cautiously. "I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I don't think it was a nightmare exactly."

"Apparently you went sleepwalking around Inner Seireitei," Ketsui commented, and Kohaku flushed scarlet.

"Did Shizuka-san tell you that?"

"Yes, but it's been doing the gossip rounds, since apparently a whole bunch of Eighth Division found you wandering in your nightclothes in the street," Ketsui's eyes danced with humour, and Kohaku groaned, burying his head in his hands.

"Great. Now everyone has another reason to think I'm a weirdo."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Kayashima patted him on the back. "Most people who know you already know you are. So it's a done deal. No damage sustained."

"Kayashima!" Kohaku glared at his friend, and Ketsui chuckled.

"He's probably right, though. It'll just be put down to one of your Kohaku moments, and then it'll be forgotten and everyone will move on," he reflected. "You didn't do it on purpose, and nobody's going to penalise you for breaking curfew if you didn't know you were. Forget about it and focus on this. Your sword skills are generally good, but sometimes they're a bit haphazard, and I worry that you're still going to lay yourself open to an enemy if you aren't careful."

"You did some training with a recruit, didn't you?" Furuta asked, and Kohaku nodded.

"Naniwa-kun," he agreed. "It was good, actually. I didn't know what to expect, but he gave me a good match, and we talked a bit afterwards. It was a bit funny, because he was asking me advice. Sort of like I was his senpai. But it seemed fine. I mean, it made me want to improve my skills so that I can spar him again and know he won't come and beat me."

"Seems like a logical attitude," Ketsui reflected. "Furuta, Kayashima, you should probably follow suit. The recruits are here, they're eager, and they're a little raw but they're still well-drilled in all of Sensei's rhetoric and advice. Kohaku's approach makes sense. If you don't want to get rusty, start working with them. If you do that, you'll want to avoid being disarmed by a recruit, and so you'll work harder at your own skills. They aren't at your level of training, but they have all the enthusiasm and determination to prove themselves that new squad members usually have. And, if I'm honest, from what I've seen, they're all decent additions to the Thirteenth. So if you get lazy," he glanced at Furuta, "they might overtake you in the ranking and then they'll be giving you orders, not the other way around."

"Message received and understood," Furuta sighed, but saluted the instruction with a good-natured grin. "Koku really only trained with that kid by coincidence, but I guess that logic makes sense."

"I'd thought about doing it anyway," Kayashima admitted. "I like working with recruits. I like new intake. I have fun, teaching them stuff, and finding the things they don't know. I don't mind being seen as a senpai," he cast Kohaku a sidelong glance, "and you shouldn't, either. It's what you are."

"I'm not," Kohaku said emphatically. "I didn't go to the Academy. They've all done more years training than me. How can I call myself senpai? I might have been here longer, but not training as a shinigami overall. The only thing I'm 'senpai' in is age. That's it. I'm not like the rest of you. Izumi-chan and I are both special cases."

Izumi's fingers twitched again, and Kohaku frowned.

"I don't think that's true," he objected. "If I was more of a special case than you, I'm sure you wouldn't be constantly summoned by Nagesu-sama to help with important scientific research."

Izumi shrugged, flicking her fingers casually in his direction, and Ketsui laughed.

"In either case, you're both their senpai because you're both here in Thirteenth and have been for the last five years," he reminded them. "Both of you have experience that they don't have because of that. Share it with them. Years training in a school environment is not the same as active service. Don't do yourself down, Kohaku. I'd encourage you to keep working with this recruit, or others. I think it'll help you see the holes in your attack more clearly - and you've improved, but you do still have them. It's not hard for someone to disarm you if they know how you fight - and if you work with the same recruit for a while, they'll learn to see those holes, too."

"He's only held a sword for the past five years. He does well, considering," Kayashima pointed out. Ketsui nodded.

"He does, but that doesn't mean he can relax."

"I stole most of my sword technique from other people's memories, anyway," Kohaku said bleakly. "Bits and pieces I picked up from visions, like when I learned to speak Izumi's sign-language without her teaching me. I don't think I have any native skills of my own. Just what I learned from those things I saw five years ago. The fights in Rukongai, the fights in Seireitei...I'm really just copying other people's abilities, rather than defining a style of my own. That's maybe my problem...but I don't really know how to separate what is theirs and what is mine. It's sort of all become mine now, in a big spiritual blur in my mind."

"I think that's a really neat ability to have," Furuta sighed. "If I could have a dream about someone fighting and then be able to emulate their skills even a little, I'd be happy. You shouldn't complain about it, Koku. Sure, it might mean you end up with a mish-mash style of skills, but it's definitely not a weakness."

"It could be, if you relied on it too much," Ketsui warned. "Kohaku's right. It was fine in the beginning, as it gave him a baseline, but now he needs his sword skills to be his, not other people's. I think that will come, by the way," he added, glancing at the troubled Kohaku with a smile. "I think I'm starting to see it, but it is still raw. Taichou wants you to train with recruits, though, and I suggest you continue to do that. You'll learn a lot from it. I certainly did from training with you and with Izumi."

"I already promised Naniwa-kun that we'd spar again, so I'll keep that promise," Kohaku assured him. "Maybe then I will feel less like I'm cheating, and more like a proper part of the squad."

"You mean you don't feel part of Thirteenth, after all this time?" Kayashima looked startled, and Kohaku shrugged.

"I do," he replied thoughtfully. "This is my home, my second family, and the first friends I ever made live here. This place is more precious to me than I know how to explain, and so are all of you. But in terms of being a good shinigami...I guess I still have a lot of doubts. Can I train people? Lead people? Pull my weight in a proper all-out fight? I don't know. I'm not naturally inclined to fighting, anyway. And since Fa...since five years ago, everything has been peaceful. I've learned a lot but not had to apply it in a real emergency situation. Then, at the border camp, I encountered that thing. It may not be considered dangerous to shinigami in general, but it endangered me. I couldn't handle the flow of decaying reishi it was spewing out at me, and it compromised my ability to react. The trouble is, if I release my sword, I have to drop those barriers and allow that to happen. I'm not confident in doing that, and so I suppose it's that element I feel I don't totally belong yet. You guys," he indicated Kayashima and Furuta, "grew up and knew you would be shinigami. Izumi and I didn't do that. It takes a while to get the mindset right, and I still feel I'm playing catch-up."

"Taichou doesn't think so, or he wouldn't have given you Twelfth Seat," Furuta objected. Kohaku sighed.

"I still don't know why he did that, over you and over Izumi-chan," he admitted, "but I don't want to lose it. I mean, I want to prove I can be Twelfth Seat and make Taichou proud of me. I just...I hate when we have intake, because I see them and realise what I lack. That's all. It's nothing personal. It's just my insecurity."

"Sounds like sparring Naniwa will help bash that out of you," Ketsui told him. "I'm glad you did that, and without being told to by a senior officer. Keep working at it. It's not something that comes overnight."

He looked rueful.

"We all have our moments," he added. "I almost dropped out of the Academy at one point, and when I came here, I didn't believe I could do anything useful. Ten-nii looked after me a lot at first. It's only in recent years I've felt that I know what I'm doing and have that confidence to do things like bruise you guys up with a spot training session."

"You almost dropped out?" Furuta stared, and Izumi's fingers twitched into life, surprise glittering in her silvery gaze. Ketsui shrugged.

"I got injured, missed a lot of lessons, got dropped back a year, and struggled in my new class," he remembered pensively. "Ten-nii always found stuff easy, at school, but I didn't. I felt overtaken by people who had less experience than I did, and it frustrated me. I think if Shizuka hadn't been jumped up a year into my class, I wouldn't have got through. I did, though," he added, glancing at Kohaku. "That's the moral of the story. You keep going and eventually it all makes sense."

"Is Tenichi-san all right now?" Kayashima asked curiously, and Ketsui frowned.

"I haven't seen him since his release, but Kirio-neesan says he is," he replied honestly. "I'm going to go with that for the time being."

"I'm glad he's all right. And free. And able to work with the Seventh again," Kohaku observed. Ketsui shot him a grin.

"Most of which is thanks to your intervention on his behalf, so don't think you don't have an impact here," he said warmly. "But that's enough chatting. You'll get cold in this chill air, and some of you have patrols later on today."

"That's not me, thankfully," Kayashima let out a gusty sigh of relief. "Koku, what about you? Are you assigned?"

"I'm not," Kohaku shook his head. "Seems Taichou still isn't decided about whether to send me to the Real World. That deployment might have happened today, but it's been postponed, so I'm at a loose end."

"Wish I was, but I'm out of barracks in about..." Furuta squinted at the sun, "an hour. Izumi-chan, you're with me too, aren't you?"

Izumi grimaced again, but nodded her head. She bowed in Ketsui's direction, her fingers pressing together in a mock-formal gesture of gratitude, and Ketsui laughed, reaching over to tap her affectionately on the head.

"Go and get changed, then," he advised. "You're nicely warmed up for a good brisk patrol, so no complaints!"

* * *

"I didn't realise that Ketsui-san had also had a crisis of confidence about becoming a shinigami,"

As Kayashima and Kohaku made their way across the cobbles towards the Division main building, Kohaku glanced back at their impromptu drill instructor, a thoughtful look on his face. "It's funny. I had a conversation with Naniwa about stuff like that as well. I suppose it isn't just me, who sometimes has doubts."

"Guess not, but I couldn't imagine Ketsui-san like that. He doesn't seem like that type," Kayashima agreed. "It's nice to know that your superiors aren't perfect, though. Don't you think? Means there's something realistic to aim for."

He clapped a warm hand across Kohaku's shoulderblades.

"You underplay yourself a lot, too," he added. "I've sparred you. You may make mistakes, but you're a demon with your reaction speed into defensive moves. If I didn't know better, I'd say you see the attack coming..."

He paused, eyeing his friend speculatively, and Kohaku laughed.

"Maybe I do, a little," he admitted. "I've worked on it, so I hope I can. I want to use the ability to read reishi change to my advantage, rather than just having nasty nightmares about things I can't fix. I might not have a perfect technique, but if I can buy myself a split-second of forewarning, then I'll do that. That is native to me, and so I don't feel bad using it."

"Well, I feel sorry for your recruit," Kayashima said bluntly. "He has no idea what he's sparring."

"He's not my recruit," Kohaku objected, and Kayashima shrugged his shoulders.

"He is, now," he said wisely. "Ketsui-san told you to continue, didn't he? And you said you intended to spar the kid again. So that's it, now. Unofficially, Naniwa is your recruit. But that's what Taichou wanted from us, isn't it? You're just living up to your ranking. It wouldn't hurt to take one of the others on, as well, since there are ten of them."

"Like Yatsubashi-kun?" Kohaku pressed his lips together, and Kayashima shot him a quizzical glance.

"Maybe. Something up with that kid I need to know?"

"No..." Kohaku shook his head. "He's said nothing and done nothing to bother me. Naniwa-kun told me that he has a real bee in his bonnet about Father, that's all. I don't know if it would be good to work with him closely. It might end up messy."

"I see," Kayashima's eyes narrowed to near slits. "You told Naniwa about Keitarou?"

"I did," Kohaku agreed.

"And what did he say?"

"Not much," Kohaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He didn't seem to care about it at all, actually. He said that I was clearly not like my Father, as I was here, and if Taichou trusted me, that was all he needed."

"I like this kid already," Kayashima grinned. "You see? Not everyone prejudges. And if Yatsubashi has a problem with you, you tell me and I'll bash him. But if his friend is fine with it, I'm sure he will be, too. If you don't want to train with him just in case, then you don't have to. Maybe I will. But think about taking on another recruit alongside Naniwa. Takahashi, maybe. He looks quite proficient. Or one of the girls. You shouldn't worry so much about how folk will react or what they will think. Time is passing. People aren't always going to look at you as the son of that man, you know. They're going to see you as a shinigami in your own right, so you need to make sure they can see that, too. Stop thinking about Keitarou. You don't want others to define you by that, so stop defining yourself with it. Start thinking about your duties here."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku said dryly. "Are you done with the pep-talk?"

"I am," Kayashima agreed, pushing back the main sliding door of the central building and saluting the shinigami on duty. "And, as we're both free, I suggest we sign our names out and go into Seireitei for a bit. What do you think? It's my free afternoon, and you're not tied to a patrol because of all this uncertainty."

"I don't mind," Kohaku agreed. "I still have to read Yamamoto-dono's book, but it wouldn't hurt to take a break from work for a while. It's heavy reading, and though it's interesting, my recent encounter with the Dangai dead makes me want to put a little space between it and me for a while."

"Amen to that," Kayashima said approvingly. "All right, then. That's what we're doing. We'll go into town, grab something to eat, and take a walk and see whether the market's in session. I need to get some polish for my scabbard, and I know you'll want to look at the traded books."

"You know me too well," Kohaku laughed. "All right. We'll do that."

"Kohaku!" As the two seated officers approached the ream of paper that acted as the sign out list, they were accosted by Kira, who hurried over towards them, a relieved smile on his face. "Ah, I'm glad I caught you, if you're going out. I'm already late for my afternoon drill, but as I was coming back, Atsudane-kun asked me to give you this."

He fumbled at his obi, pulling out a rolled up document, tied with rough District string. "Apparently when he was coming back from dawn patrol this morning, he bumped into some people from the Fourth and they gave him this to pass on. He had to get some paperwork to Fukutaichou before he leaves on afternoon patrol, so he gave it to me to deliver. I've been looking for you all over the place."

"A letter?" Kayashima peered over his friend's shoulder curiously, and Kohaku frowned, taking it and turning it over in his hands. It was a plain scroll, clearly made of the common pulp paper that was available at most District markets, and there was no clue on the outside as to where it was from. His name, written not in kanji but in phonetic script, along with the honorific 'sama' were written on the cover, but the handwriting was unfamiliar and appeared rough and clumsy. He glanced up at Kira in confusion.

"Why would anyone send me a letter?" he asked, non-plussed.

"If it's the Fourth, maybe it's from Edogawa-san?" Kayashima suggested. "She writes to you sometimes, doesn't she?"

"Yes, but usually I get those messages from Taichou," Kohaku shrugged, sliding the scroll into his obi. "It's not her handwriting, either. Whoever wrote this didn't use my name kanji, and anyone who knows me well would do that. I don't recognise this writing; I don't know whose it is."

"Atsudane-kun said that it came from a girl in a District village," Kira looked thoughtful. "He thought it might have been after one of your patrols there. You were part of a patrol he led there which helped a village rebuild after a fire, weren't you? That's the only time he could think of that you'd been in Fourth recently, so he thought it might be that."

"But Koku in particular?" Kayashima looked amused. "Oh, I bet I know what it was. If it's the village I think it is..."

He nudged his friend, giving him a knowing grin.

"You've attracted the attention of that pretty District girl whose embroidery you saved from burning. Do you remember? I said at the time you were her dashing knight. You should listen to me, I know things!"

"Kayashima!" Kohaku went scarlet at this, and Kira laughed.

"Well, you should read it," he suggested. "It's not unknown, to get letters from people grateful for our help. You should take it as a sign that you're doing the right thing, if that's what it is. I need to run, though. I'm going to get scolded if I dally here any longer."

He patted both lower seated officers on the shoulders, then hurried off in the direction of the training yard, and Kohaku eyed his friend apprehensively.

"You don't really think it's that kind of letter, do you?" he asked. Kayashima shrugged.

"We'll sign out, we'll go out, and we'll find out," he suggested, moving to pick up the writing brush and carefully sweeping his name across the page. He held the implement out to his friend, who hesitated, and then took it, neatly adding his name to the list with a sigh. Kayashima grinned, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards the main gate. Saluting the officer on duty, they headed out into the main Seirei concourse, cutting through the well-known and well-worn shortcuts towards the paths that led into each of the surrounding District areas. Inner Seireitei was, as Kayashima had once explained, rather like the centre of a wheel, with the borders of each District spreading out like spokes to the outer limits and then Rukongai. For that reason, it was easy for any squad to enter any District, and the border towns in all of the different areas were frequently patronised by off-duty shinigami. Relations between the military organisation and the local residents was thus generally good, as the shinigami helped to make the area prosperous. These days, all Divisions patrolled a mixture of areas, rather than sticking to their own Clan lands, and this meant that Kohaku had visited every District at least once since he had come to Inner Seireitei.

"We could go to Fourth," as they drew near to the boundary, Kayashima sent his friend a teasing look, and Kohaku shook his head.

"Nope," he said frankly. "You promised me markets and trading books, and the best for that is First. We'll go there and you can stop teasing me."

"Fine," Kayashima rolled his eyes, but nodded. "I suppose I don't mind. There's a stall that sells decentudon on market days in First, and I'm getting hungry after this morning's workout."

"The strawberry daifuku that obasan sells are nice, too," Kohaku agreed. "It's settled, then. That's where we're going."

An hour later, they had reached the bustle of the biggest of First District's border towns, buying food from the local vendors and greeting a couple of sellers who they had seen on previous visits. Despite himself, Kohaku felt his apprehension fading as he absorbed the warm and vibrant atmosphere of this busy District commercial hub. In the centre of a town a local minstrel was playing the flute, and children were dancing. From the glitter of copper around the man's feet, it seemed that the bright spring day was benefiting the flautist, who was doing well for his work that morning. The market was in full swing, and the voices of different vendors broke through the sound of bird-song and the haunting flute melodies. The enticing smells of the different food stalls made Kohaku feel that, whatever odd things might have happened at the border camp, the world as a whole was doing all right.

"I think that it would have been nice, growing up somewhere like this," he remarked, as they found an empty patch of grass beneath the spreading branches of a budding willow tree, settling themselves to listen to the flautist's performance out of the way of the children. "There's plenty of food, and people are happy and safe. Was it like this, in Fifth, where you grew up?"

"Probably not quite as prosperous, but we did okay," Kayashima reflected, leaning back on his elbows. "I'll take you, one day, and you can see. Of course, my Dad caused his fair share of annoyance," he grimaced, "but you know that story. We got by. I think it's all relative, really. You don't think about it until you have something else to compare it to."

"I suppose so," Kohaku pondered. "I never thought about Seireitei as a child. When I did think about it, I was scared of it. I didn't want to come here and when I woke up here, the first thing I wanted was to go back to Rukongai. But, thinking back, there was nothing there. Nothing at all. I can't even fathom those thoughts now...it was just fear of the unknown, I suppose."

"I think we all go through that some. I mean, going to the Academy, coming here - those are culture shocks, too," Kayashima observed. "Yours might have been a more acute one, but I'd like to think that it's been worth it, now you've settled. You said all that stuff before, but we all see you as a proper part of the squad and none of us think you're cheating. I'm serious when I say you should try and think more that way. God knows your Father dictated your life for long enough, but you're twenty-six and more than old enough to decide your own future."

He offered a grin.

"Taichou is a far better role model," he added. "He believes in you, so damn well believe in yourself."

"It's not that easy, but I'll try," Kohaku sprawled out on his stomach, resting his chin in his hands. "I've probably just got my obi all muddy, but I don't care. I like it here. I like eating local specialties at market stalls and trying all the flavours when the vendors bring new spices or try a different theme. Someone is often here playing pretty music, too, and the atmosphere is always friendly. Plus, I've got two new books," he reached over to pat the wrapped bundle that lay at his side, "and they weren't even that expensive. Ketsui-san gave me advice about not spending too much money frivolously, and I try to save what I can, but," he shrugged, "books make me happy, so buying one here and there can't be that bad. Especially not at that price."

"The seller knows you, so gave you a deal, that's all," Kayashima chuckled. "He knows you buy all the obscure books he'd never shift otherwise, so it's a win-win for him. You're so interested in dusty history and old forgotten Clan legends, that I'm sure he's begun putting them aside in anticipation of your coming."

"If he does, I don't mind," Kohaku was unrepentant. "I like books and I like reading. There's nothing wrong with that."

"In that case, I suggest you read your letter," Kayashima gestured lazily towards his friend's obi. "You're lying all over it and squashing it flat, but you haven't mentioned it since we came here. Even if it is from a strange girl, you should do the writer the courtesy of looking at what they wanted you to know."

"I'd forgotten," Kohaku admitted, rolling onto his side and extracting the crumpled letter from his obi. He sat himself up, untying the knotted string and setting it down on the grass. "I hope it's not what you said it is. That would be awkward, especially if I went back there to patrol. I don't think about those kinds of things."

"No?" Kayashima arched an eyebrow. "Don't lie to me, Koku, that's cold. It's not that you don't think about them. It's just that you've already filled your pretty girl slots with Magaki-san."

"Kayashima!" Kohaku dropped the letter, swinging around on his friend in dismay. "Please, don't start with that again! Shizuka-san and I are friends, that's all."

"A friend you went sleepwalking to? Sounds very platonic."

"I never said that I did. Just because she was there, it doesn't mean..." Kohaku was scarlet, and he shook his head impatiently. "It's not that. I was hallucinating. Sleepwalking. Whatever it was. I was in the head of that guy I saw at the border camp. He was scared. He was running. He was looking for his wife, and then I..."

"Ended up running into Magaki-san," Kayashima nodded solemnly. "I agree. Very innocent."

"Oh, stop teasing me," Kohaku's eyes glittered in frustration. "Shizuka-san is my friend. I haven't thought about it any other way, and I'm sure, nor has she. You might, but I'm not looking for anything like that. I'm still learning way too much to worry about silly things like dalliances or flirting with girls. Shizuka-san is older than me, anyway. And if you dare suggest these things to her, Kyouka and I will be having words with you!"

"It's interesting, you know, the things that make you angry," Kayashima was not noticeably perturbed. "Fine, I'll drop it, but I suggest you read the letter and see what it says. Women do exist, you know, and even if you aren't looking, they might look at you. You're not ugly, and you're not psychotic, and not everyone is as obsessed with worrying who your father was as you are."

Kohaku shot his friend a dark look, but, realising to make any kind of response would be wasting his breath, he turned his back on his companion, unrolling the plain sheet of paper that had been used as a cover. There was nothing written on this except his name, inked in the clumsy, messy kanji of an unfamiliar hand but, as he unfolded the creased inner layer, he let out a little gasp, his eyes widening in dismay as he realised the internal content was written in a quite different hand. The outer layer had been a distraction, a cover to make it look like a message from a stranger, and he had been completely fooled.

At the top right hand corner of the paper was one single character, the kanji for 'black', 黒.

 _Koku.  
_  
At the sight of this one simple character, memories flooded his mind. When he had lived in Rukongai, he had not been acknowledged by Keitarou in public circles as his son, and so he had adopted the nickname Koku, using the kanji for 'black' to distract people away from his real identity. Most people assumed on hearing it that his name, Kohaku, meant 'amber', but it was correctly written with the characters for 'river willow' and 'white', and so the 'black' alter-ego had been the brainchild of his brother, an inside joke that had become Kohaku's identity. Now, although many people still called him Koku, nobody wrote it with the character for black, and the sight of it, there on the page, took him back five years to another time and another life.

Even before reading the rest of the contents, Kohaku knew that this message was from his brother. Numbly he scanned the rest of the communication, hardly able to believe what he was reading.

 _Koku_ , [the letter said]

 _I need to speak to you. It's urgent. Come to Fourth District, when the moon is at its highest. I'll be in the forest, south of the village by the old well. Trust me. I need your help._

The letter was signed with the name Gorou, the name that Kohaku now knew for sure his brother had been using in the border camp village, but drawn crudely with black charcoal across the bottom of the sheet was the image of a tree, a hidden clue to his brother's real identity. Katsura had not felt safe putting his own name on the paper, but the handwriting was unmistakeable, and Kohaku knew that, after five years of silence, his brother was now reaching out to him, wanting to reform that broken bond.

 _A girl gave it to the Fourth Division member, in a village somewhere. Nobody said that girl was an adult. I wonder if that was the girl from the border camp - Homare-chan. I bet it was, which means he's put her at risk and taken her with him. She was questioned by the shinigami, so maybe he thought they were getting too close and decided to take her out of their range in case they realised and came back to ask her more. That means she probably knew more than she told me...stuff he considered a risk. I worked out that he was hiding there, so other people could, too. And I suppose it would be to his benefit, if she was there with him. Katsu-nii couldn't give a shinigami a message like this, but a little girl? Who'd suspect anything strange about that?_

"Koku?" Kayashima had clearly sensed the change in his friend's demeanour, and Kohaku started, staring at his companion as though seeing him for the first time. In his shock, he had forgotten that he was not alone, and that even holding a letter from his missing brother was potentially dangerous for both of them. He agonised for a moment on what to do. He trusted Kayashima, but telling him would potentially bring him into trouble, too. Not telling him, though, would mean lying - and he had never lied to Kayashima about anything in the entirety of their five year acquaintance. Kayashima was that precious thing to him - a first real friend his own age who had always seen and accepted him just as Kohaku, not as the son of a traitor or the possessor of unnatural spiritual abilities. The idea of deceiving him now made Kohaku's heart clench in his throat.  
 _  
Kayashima is part of my family. Thirteenth are my family. I can't be communicating with my brother...but he's communicating with me. And...and...I don't know what to do._

As the silence threatened to become prolonged, Kayashima sighed, getting to his feet and moving to pluck the letter from Kohaku's grip. Too late, Kohaku realised what he had done, reaching up to grab it back, but Kayashima put his free hand out to hold his companion back.

"That's mine!" Kohaku objected, and Kayashima nodded.

"And it upset you, so I'm reading it," he said matter-of-factly.

"It's not your business!"

"I know, but I'm still going to," Kayashima shot his friend a stern look. "I know you, Koku. I know that all kinds of weird things trigger you off, and I'm used to it. But that look...that reaction...no. I don't like it. If it was a letter from a girl, you'd have blushed and ripped it up, maybe, but you didn't. That means this is something serious. And if it's serious, you're not going to tell me about it. But I'm going to read it myself, so you don't have to. And then you don't need to worry about whether or not to tell me."

"Give it back!"

"I will when I've read it, so pipe down."

"Kayashima!"

"Kohaku," Kayashima fixed his friend with a warning look. "I'm serious."

"I never read your private mail!"

"And I don't have an outlaw brother sending me secret messages under the cover of a lie," Kayashima shot back. Kohaku reeled as if stung, staring at his friend in horror, and Kayashima nodded grimly.

"Your reaction says it all," he said softly. "I'm not stupid, you know. He's been on your mind a lot lately. Everyone's looking for him. It's not so odd that he'd try and contact you. In truth, I was sort of waiting to see if he did."

He waved the letter.

"And I'm right, aren't I?" he challenged. "This is from him. It's not from the Districts at all."

Kohaku gazed at his friend in dismay for a moment, then he sighed, sinking back down on the grass. Defeated, he nodded.

"Did you realise that, when Kira-san gave it to me?" he asked, and Kayashima shook his head.

"No. I didn't twig anything, and clearly, nor did you, because when you read it just now, your reiatsu spiked. It sent a chill right through me," he said honestly, sinking back against the tree. "Are you going to let me read it now? I think you should. I know he's your brother, but you know the risks of communicating with him. If I read it, it would be better."

"I don't want you to get into trouble because Katsu-nii is trying to contact me," Kohaku said honestly. "If you read it, then..."

"I already know that he is, though, now, don't I?" Kayashima pointed out. "It's a bit late to worry over semantics."

He waved the letter again. "Well? Can I read it?"

"I suppose so, since you have it," Kohaku sighed heavily. "Truth is, I wasn't expecting it. It was a shock...but maybe it shouldn't have been."

"What do you mean?" Kayashima scanned over the short contents, frowning and then handing it back.

"I didn't tell you," Kohaku looked guilty, taking it and folding it absently between his fingers. "I didn't lie, but I just didn't tell you. I didn't fight that thing at the border camp. I was overloaded on its reishi, and it would've killed me. Katsu-nii was there. I didn't see him, or speak to him, but he blasted the thing, not me. I sensed his reiatsu at the scene, and I thought I heard him, speaking to me over the psychic connection we used to have."

He touched his brow lightly.

"I couldn't respond to him, and he had gone before I knew what was really happening, but I know it was him. He saved me from that corpse doll, and I covered his tracks by using kidou to make it look like I did it, so that when the Third examined the scene, they wouldn't pick it up. Just like Kyouraku-taichou did to cover my tracks and fool Father, five years ago."

Kayashima slid down onto the grass once more, shaking his head slowly.

"You should've said so earlier," he reproached. "We're friends, aren't we? You don't think I would have ratted you out?"

"No, but Katsu-nii is a wanted fugitive. If I'd told you, and you didn't tell Taichou, you might've been punished too."

"Well, I know now, so that's academic," Kayashima said matter-of-factly. He jerked his head in the direction of the letter. "Well? Are you going to go meet him? Or are you going to ignore this?"

Kohaku hesitated for a moment, then sighed. He murmured the incantation for a kidou spell, allowing the red flames to lick at the paper letter until it was reduced to nothing more than spiritual ash.

"I'm going," he said softly. "He saved me the other day. I don't know what he wants, or what kind of relationship we have now. But Shizuka-san said that, if I believe in him, I should just believe. I shouldn't let distance make me question whether or not he and I are still brothers. At the least, I need to know how much of this he's involved in - and give him a chance to explain."

He sent his friend a troubled glance, waiting for the other shinigami to try and talk him out of it, but instead, Kayashima just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, then I'm going too," he said evenly. "You shouldn't go alone, and it might matter, having a witness present. I already know about this, so it would be stupid for me to stay behind. Tonight, we'll both go to Fourth District. And if your brother wants to get you in trouble, he'll realise you have friends who are going to stick up for you and fight your corner, so he'd better be on his best behaviour."

* * *

The hospital was brisk and busy that morning, and Retsu paused for a moment at the side gate, taking in the bustling staff and the small gathering of local people who were patiently waiting in little groups on blankets spread across the grass outside. A couple of lower ranking healers were tending to them, flitting from one to the next and carefully taking notes of everything they said. In the main building, Retsu could sense the varied presences of the higher ranked members of her organisation, and she felt a little swell of pride swirl up inside of her body at their dedication.

Healing was not just about mending wounds on the battlefield, but also mending the spiritual and medical damage caused by disease, and trauma of a different kind. Finding a cure for every single one of Seireitei's ailments was, perhaps, a little optimistic, but Retsu had always taken her duty as Unohana Clan leader to mean that she was bound by honour and tradition to try, and, since she had assigned care of the hospital to the reliable Saionji, she had heard nothing but positive reviews of the work being carried out there. Saionji was ageing, and not the kind of Clansman who would ever look to enter active battle, but he was a wise and kind old man, dedicated to the healing cause and willing to go the extra mile for each one of his patients. Retsu had not objected to his decision to broaden care to the poor in the local vicinity, and this, along with the use of the Quarantine alert flag, had helped to boost life expectancy in even the most struggling villages in the District over the past several years. The Unohana did not restrict movement in and out of their land, and nomadic peoples frequently spent part of their year there, bringing trade and gossip from other regions into this peaceful, thriving region. Travelling folk also brought the risk of disease, however, so Retsu had been quick to approve the flag alert system and prioritise the treatment and prevention of contagious ailments in order to foster more positive relations between her populace and those that visited from outside. Fourth was a rich and prosperous land, as, unlike all the other areas of Seireitei, it had not seen conflict for milennia together, and improved conditions meant that crime was at a record low. People were always welcome to come to Fourth, and, if they wished to, settle, but Retsu's influence and reputation was not just of a kind healer, but also a Clan leader with a strong will and determination to keep her land safe. For this reason, people did not tend to come to Fourth District in order to create a disturbance.

 _Because of that, we can run projects like this._

Retsu pushed open the gate, stepping into the compound and making her way carefully across the grass towards the main building.

 _We are relatively lucky in our neighbours, as neither one is inclined often to war. The Shiba are a strong, stable family, and dealing with the Urahara has been easy under Nagesu-sama's leadership, whatever internal issues they may have had. My family have worked very hard here for generations to create exactly this environment...I just wish that I wasn't coming here with a sense of foreboding that all of that was about to be put in jeopardy._

She sighed, resting her hand on the door of the hospital building.

 _A fleeting thought at the back of my mind. An impossibility, and yet one I can't shake. I don't know what to do about it, and I have nothing at all to suggest that I'm right. Just this hunch...this curling feeling of discomfort...that all of this has happened somewhere before, and that the answers might well be right here, under my nose._

She pushed open the door, stepping inside and heading up the back steps towards the rear of the complex. As they passed her, healers bowed to acknowledge her arrival, many of them greeting her with warm exclamations and respectful greetings. While she tried to visit her native lands as often as possible, it was not always easy to disentangle herself from the needs of her squad and her Inner Seireitei patients, and so she stopped to ask after each individual she met, listening to their news and their recent achievements with the warm patience she had always tried to deploy as leader of the Unohana Clan.

At length, she made it through the crowd of subordinate healers, pushing back the sliding door that led to the most restricted part of the complex. Here, it was far quieter, for this was the section of the hospital that was given over to patients in serious conditions, requiring isolation, quiet and special intensive care. There were six or seven chambers in this part of the building, and most of them had a neat kanji label on the outside identifying the resident sleeping within. Retsu paid no attention to any of these, instead heading directly for the furthermost chamber, where the white label on the door remained completely blank. She knocked on the wooden surface gently, hearing the light steps of the healer on duty crossing the floor and then the sound of the latch being released. The door slid open, and Retsu smiled, greeting the individual that stood before her with a slight nod.

"Mitsuki-san - I had hoped you would be here."

"Retsu-sama!" Mitsuki pushed the door back fully to admit her Captain, allowing the older woman into the small, sunny chamber. "Saionji-san said that you were planning on making a visit, but I don't think I expected it quite so soon. I only submitted my report to him two days ago, and I didn't expect you to have read it that swiftly."

"I felt it was important that I did, seeing as I was the one who assigned you here," Retsu swept across the chamber to stand beside the bed of the patient. "Any patient that emerges with an unusual presentation is a potential danger to the whole of Seireitei, so naturally I wanted to ensure that this newcomer was not incubating some disease that might create havoc within our peaceful hospital arrangements."

She gazed down at his unfamiliar features, pursing her lips thoughtfully. He was probably middle-aged, she decided, though his straggly white hair gave the initial impression of older years. His face was lined, but not scarred, and his skin was largely smooth and unblemished. His eyes were closed, concealing their colour, but there was nothing in the facial structure that reminded her of her own family line. Mitsuki's report had stated that he was not an Unohana, she remembered, and that assumption was probably correct. A quick glance at his hands told her that the man had callouses on the fingers of the right, indicating he had trained with a sword, but otherwise there was no indication that he had lived a life of hardship, thus corroborating the assumption that he must have been of comfortable birth. He was robed in the simple white shift of a hospital patient, but even the white of the fabric did not conceal the pallor of his skin.

"Truthfully, Taichou, I can't find anything wrong with him at all," Mitsuki sighed, sinking back down onto the seat on the other side of the bed and reaching across to squeeze the patient's cool fingers absently. "He's been unconscious since he was brought here, and his pulse is sluggish, but steady. His body temperature is still lower than I would like, but it has slowly risen in the time he's been in our care. His colour is improving, but none of the blood tests we've taken have indicated anything that might be causing this. They've all been normal, so far as that goes, and there isn't even evidence of lack of oxygen in his blood. He's breathing more slowly, true, but he's not starved of air. He has reiatsu, but it's neither overloading, nor feeble. It seems stable and steady, and I can't sense any pain from him, either. He hasn't eaten since he's been here, but I don't see any indication of malnutrition, so I'm not sure how he's keeping so stable - but he is."

"I see," Retsu placed a delicate hand against the man's brow, frowning at the coolness of his skin. "And when he came in, he was colder than he is now?"

"I would say nearly frozen," Mitsuki agreed. "I mean, he couldn't possibly have been, but the report came from near one of the local villages that we sometimes go out to, to innoculate against disease. Apparently he was found by the wife of one of the craftsmen in the area, and she immediately reported it to a healer on site, who sent for reinforcements. The place he was found was forest, and there was no water or anything around to suggest he'd fallen in and got hypothermia from a frozen lake. We didn't really know what to make of him, and we still don't."

"In your report, you said he had a _zanpakutou_ with him?" Retsu asked, and Mitsuki nodded, bending to retrieve the sword from its safe storage location and handing it carefully across the bed to her companion.

"I tried to identify it, but I couldn't," she agreed. "It's a tachi, but that's all I can really say. The sheath has a word on it - Iceberg - but that's all. I wondered whether his condition related to his sword, but, based on his apparent physical age, I couldn't find anything in the records that matched to an ice sword that was also a tachi. I came up blank, Retsu-sama. I feel like I'm failing him, so I'm glad that you're here."

Retsu pressed her lips together, turning the sword over in her hands until the silver embossed characters became visible. At the sight of them, her eyes widened.

"Hiyama?"

"Taichou?" Mitsuki stared at her Captain's sudden and uncharacteristic reaction, and Retsu raised her gaze, sending her Seventh Seat a troubled look. Slowly she handed the weapon back.

"I believe the characters say 'Hiyama'," she said softly. "You aren't wrong, reading them as Iceberg, but I don't think that's what it means. I think this is his name, Mitsuki-san - or at least, it is the name of the person who owned the sword. Whether that is this person or not," she glanced at the sleeping man once again, "I cannot be sure."

"Hiyama?" Mitsuki frowned, looking at the characters again and lightly tracing her finger over them. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think that it could be read in that way. I assumed...but I've never heard of a family called Hiyama. The clothes he arrived in were quite well made, although I didn't recognise what family they might belong to, but given his age, he must have trained as a shinigami in a time before District shinigami were allowed. That would make him Clan. Is there a Hiyama branch to the Unohana that I didn't know about?"

"To the Unohana? No," Retsu shook her head, her brow creasing in consternation as she considered the possibilities. "No, I'm not aware of any shinigami active under that name now, either. It is possible this weapon does not belong to this man, or is, perhaps, some kind of heirloom that he carries as a souvenir, rather than as his own blade. He doesn't look old enough..."

She glanced at the man's face again, trailing off.

"I've only encountered the name Hiyama in history books," she admitted. "I believe they married into the Yamamoto family and thus died out as an independent lineage. I may be wrong, though. Or this individual may be a Yamamoto from that direct descent...it's hard to be sure, but I think that the current core of the Yamamoto family have Hiyama heritage somewhere in their bloodline. It's possible that this individual is thus a Yamamoto who carries the sword as a relic of that past."

"But the sword doesn't feel dead, Taichou," Mitsuki murmured, glancing at it again before returning it to its safe storage place. "It feels like a living sword. I assumed it was his sword, but if you say that Hiyama no longer exist..."

"I said that was a possibility, not that it was necessarily the case," Retsu sighed heavily. "I think its important not to make assumptions about evidence, but to look at the options and explanations available to us. It could be that this sword belongs to this man. It could be that the Hiyama on the scabbard is a memento of the past, and that it is the scabbard, not the sword, which is of considerable vintage. The man's physical age is, I would guess, at best two or three centuries. The assumption that it relates to ice, given his condition, is a logical one - but not the only potential answer. It might not appear in the Seireitei records because the sword itself is not ice related. Alternatively, it might not be a legal sword. It's hard to know for sure."

"I see," Mitsuki looked thoughtful. "When you put it like that, there are a lot of possible answers, aren't there?"

"May I see the clothing he came in with?" Retsu asked, and Mitsuki nodded, getting to her feet and moving to a cabinet that stood by the far wall. She pulled open the drawers, taking out the carefully folded fabrics and laying the robes out across the covers of the bed. As soon as she saw them, Retsu knew that they were old-fashioned, cut in a style and form that had not been seen in Seireitei for some generations. Nonetheless, the clothing was clearly expensive and had probably been made to order for this individual's use. Soft sapphire riding _hitatare_ trousers were complemented by a gentle silver-grey upper robe, the sleeves threaded with pale blue _sodetsuyu_ threads, and the general wear and tear these showed indicated the owner had probably often used them to tie his sleeves back, in order to facilitate riding a horse. At the throat of the garment were _munahimo_ ties in the same shade as the _sodetsuyu_ , and though these showed little damage, they curled across the cloth in such a way that Retsu knew they had probably been knotted when the man had been found, unfastened only when cleaning and redressing him for medical care. The thin fabric _hitatare obi_ was a bold blue shade, ornately embroidered with silver thread, and Retsu could see evidence of the loops that resembled those on her own military sash, in order to enable the unique sheathing style of the heavier and longer tachi blade. There was no clear family crest embroidered on the breast of the upper garment, as was common with present day Seirei Clans, but a repetitive and simple insignia was woven through the embroidery of the waist sash, and the same image was repeated in the printing across the _hitatare_ cloth. It was the image of a curled serpent, maybe a dragon, depicted in straight, bold strokes that gave it an elegance and simplicity not seen in the more complex badges preferred by the modern Clans.

Most families in Seireitei have added to and amended their crests over generations to depict and identify specific lineages and lords within that line. Only the Unohana has kept with the traditional image of their forebears, but even my family have added colour to the monochrome in order to make it stand out.

She reached across to finger the fabric gently.

This is a different kind of identification, though. It is an emblem worn as part of one's Clan attire, rather than a badge of identity woven clearly into our robes. I have seen costume like this from our own family past, but how deep into family artefacts would I have to go to locate such an example, and in such good condition?

"Taichou?" At Retsu's long silence, Mitsuki shot her a quizzical glance, and Retsu sighed, gesturing for her companion to put the clothing away.

"You are right that these are fine fabrics," she said slowly. "More than that I do not know."

"He didn't have any kind of family pendant or charm," Mitsuki did as she was bidden, carefully refolding the pieces of the outfit and neatly returning them to the drawer. "The sword sheath had a faint embossed pattern on it, like that on the _hakama_..."

" _Hitatare_ ," Retsu corrected absently, and Mitsuki started, looking confused.

"I'm sorry?"

"His attire is _hitatare_. Hunting and riding clothing once favoured by military nobles who fought often on horseback," Retsu offered her companion a faint smile. "Examples of this style are few and far between in our modern society. I do not believe any Clan still favours them, as warfare is not so commonly equine-orientated these days, but the style of the cut and pattern is quite distinctive. You saw the threads on the sleeves?" Mitsuki nodded. "Those were to tie them back out of the rider's way, so that he could command his steed and, probably, wield a blade or fire arrows at an enemy. Such was the war of our forebears, and, I regret very much that, in a time before the Council of Elders and defined District lands, such war was not an uncommon occurrence. This individual is more a mystery than ever - but he seems to have relished and deeply respected tradition in his chosen apparel. I do not know where he came from, but I think it is probably important that we find out."

Mitsuki turned her attention back to the sleeping man in the bed, and she crossed the floor towards him, gazing at him thoughtfully.

"Taichou, I'm going to say something that sounds a little crazy," she said softly. "I realise that it's very unlikely, even impossible, but you did say to look at the evidence. And I am...and so I think I should say it, even though I don't see how it could be."

"Go on," Retsu indicated for her to speak, and Mitsuki sighed, sinking back down at the bedside.

"Well, my first impressions of this man, when he came here, was that it was like he was...hibernating," she said, her cheeks pinkening as she aired her theory. "I know how that sounds, because he's not a bear or a hedgehog, but that was the only way I could explain his physical condition. I didn't know the name Hiyama, and I don't know anything about them, but you just said that his outfit is like that of ancient warriors, and the name on his sword is from a family who no longer exist. I don't suppose...you don't think that...he's well...been sleeping somewhere, and..."

She trailed off, her cheeks blazing, and Retsu offered her a wry smile.

"I don't know about shinigami hibernating," she said honestly, "but I do think that we should keep an open mind about his origins. For the time being, though, we don't know how he arrived here, or why he did. He might be simply a lost shinigami from another Clan, whose interest in his heritage has taken him to extremes of dress...I don't know. But I am going to go back to the main Clan lands now, to look up the name Hiyama. I may be incorrect about their extinction as a family, and I don't think we should jump to conclusions before we know all the facts. He may have loved ones who seek him, and, perhaps, I can find something that will help us to trace him."

"That sounds more plausible," Mitsuki looked sheepish. "I suppose we need him to wake up, really. I don't think he's dangerous, Taichou. He doesn't seem dangerous. He's not in pain, and I don't think he's afraid. I think...its slow, but I think he will wake up. Maybe then he can tell us the things we need to know...but I don't think he's a threat to our other patients. In truth, I like coming here...it's peaceful, and so is he, and that's something that you don't often get with invalids."

"I would like you to keep treating him as a priority," Retsu told her. "I am trusting it to you because I think you are best placed to notice the most subtle changes in his condition. I'd like you to make him your first focus over your other duties until such times as we can identify his origin and his identity. Are you happy to do that?"

"I'd like to keep treating him," Mitsuki assured her companion. "I want to know who he is,too. And find his family. It's sort of lonely, somehow, to be found without anyone knowing who you are and where you came from. I'd like to solve that puzzle, so that when he wakes up, we can help him go home."

"Then I shall leave it with you," Retsu turned towards the door. "I'd like regular reports on his condition, if you don't mind. I'm interested in this patient's progress, and I'd like to know how he is."

"I'll do that," Mitsuki promised. "You can rely on me, Taichou."

"I know I can," Retsu offered her a slight smile. "Thank you, Mitsuki-san. I will leave him in your tender care."

With that she left the chamber, pushing the door shut behind her, and letting out a heavy sigh as she made her way slowly back along the isolation corridor.  
 _  
I have not told you everything in my mind, Mitsuki-san. I would like you to treat him without prejudice and I would like you to keep an open mind. Leave the darker implications of this to me, and do your job as a healer. I have some research to do, and I must now do it with the utmost urgency._

She turned to glance back towards the door of the unknown patient's chamber, the blank white label seeming even more stark now she had seen him for herself.

 _The name Hiyama is an old name. An old family, no longer existing in Seireitei. Those robes were old robes, robes consistent with another time and space. But that sword..._

She shook her head.  
 _  
I don't see how such a thing is possible, and yet, I must not ignore the possibility. That sword I held in my hands was not a dead sword or a memento of a time past. It was a living, vibrant creature, sleeping in its sheath but waiting to be summoned to action once again. Such swords are unmistakeable in their aura and their feel. I felt the same pulsing energy whenever I studied with Genryuusai-sama, as a young girl. It was there, sleeping within Ryuujinjakka, and although I never saw it awake, I knew it was different from anything else I'd ever seen._

She pushed open the door of the complex, stepping out into the cool spring sunshine once again.  
 _  
I encountered it again when dealing with the Kuchiki, and on meeting Kuchiki Kinnya, when he came to defend the school during Keitarou's assault, some thirty years or more ago now. I felt it, that same pulsing spirit lurking inside the weapon, waiting to be unleashed. And now, again, more recently...raw and unpolished but definitely present in the blade of that young protege of Ukitake's - inside Kohaku's Kyouka Raigen._

She quickened her pace, slipping into shunpo and hurrying through the streams of light between the hospital and the main Unohana manor, her urgency giving flight to her movements.

 _Now I felt it again, inside that sword. The unmistakeable fragment of Royal reishi lurking within its core. Such a thing would not be obvious to Mitsuki-san, as she's never been taught about the Royal Swords in the way that an Unohana at the core of the Clan was, and had to be. And when I saw it, and felt it, I remembered. Everything Father taught me, everything Mother warned me about. Everything that I had hoped to come here to disprove._

She dropped out of shunpo at last, stopping to catch her breath against the trunk of a sturdy old tree. Across the green spread of grass she could make out a small stone building, set apart from anything else and surrounded by thick plantation of deutzia, and at the sight of it, her heart lurched in her chest. Slowly, and not without misgivings, she stepped carefully through the foliage, approaching the small structure and reaching up to place a hand against the door. Entrance to this place was forbidden for any blood member of the Unohana Clan, and, as a small child, she had feared it, afraid that a demon lurked inside. Now, as an adult, she knew that those stories were not true, for every year the servants of the main house entered to clean the shrine and make floral offerings to the spirit that was said to lurk there. But although she knew it was a story of the long past and a superstitious tradition, something about this place still made the adult Retsu uneasy.

She ran her fingers against the embossed plaque that was nailed onto the door. It was old, but polished and shining in the morning light, maintained by the dedication of the servants assigned to keep the building and its surrounds nice. The eight Chinese characters glittered more brightly than the rest, and Retsu gazed at them for a moment, a sad expression on her face.

 **『卯之花劔八八千流』**

The use of the old spelling for both the family name and the title reminded her once more of how long ago this place had first been built. The Unohana no longer wrote their name with the ancient Chinese graph 之, preferring the more contemporary katakana ノ. Retsu did not know when this change had first come about, but she suspected that it had been part of separating the old family from the new, when they had become healers, and left their military heritage far behind. Most Unohana did not know the true story of how that had come about, but Retsu was the Head of the Clan, and had been taught everything from a very early age. Unlike her kinsfolk, she was under no illusions. Whatever her family was now, she knew what they had once been, and it was a past she had no desire to return to.

The three words that made up the name were still clearly legible, despite the wear of the harsh winter weather and autumn rains, and Retsu traced them with her fingers, mouthing the name as she did so.

 _Unohana Kenpachi Yachiru_

A faint shiver went down her spine, and she turned away from the door, heading instead in the direction of the main house.

 _I do not believe in coincidence, which means I may have to believe in the impossible. It is always there, in the lessons of a Clan heir - the warning that one day, it might happen again. But still..._

She sighed.

 _Ukitake-taichou's officers detected an anomaly in the ice in the Real World. Now we have a frozen man, robed in clothing from a time long since past. We have dead coming from the Dangai, and in that moment, a person from a lost Clan emerges into the middle of Unohana territory. I do not know who this man is, but I do know the name, Hiyama. I have records I need to read through, and quickly, before this becomes far greater a problem than any of the rest of Seireitei anticipate._

* * *

It had been a good day.

Shinobu rubbed a towel casually through his thick dark hair, dropping it down onto the bench of the changing room with a sigh of contentment. It had been a hard, long patrol that afternoon, with Enishi leading his group of officers through three provinces of District Five before cheerfully deciding to take the long way back. The reason for the unscheduled diversion was because the big-hearted officer had wanted to check up on a village at the border of Sixth which had recently been badly damaged in a storm. Although he had been born a member of the Yamamoto Clan, and was still on good terms with all his extended family, it was a well known fact that Enishi felt more at home dealing with and supporting the needs of the lower echelons of Outer Seireitei ,and although he cut a hulking figure, he was a great favourite with many of the District families. While the duty of a shinigami was to kill Hollows, Enishi had always felt that helping to protect people from other dangers, such as floods, storms and fires was also within their remit, and Juushirou, always of a like mind, had never seen fit to prevent him from taking these humanitarian detours. The slog back had been tiring, muddy and, as they had crossed the border into Sixth District, some of the lower ranked seated officers had started grumbling about the fact it was getting dark, but Shinobu hadn't minded. Buoyed by the praise he had received from the Captain on his hard working attitude, he had simply knuckled down to the slog, getting his reward when they finally reached the local town.

Although Shinobu deeply admired Juushirou for the work the Captain had done in Seventh District, he had not known which area of Sixth District exactly the older man had come from. It had been a surprise to him, therefore, when, after leaving the village, Enishi had taken them across forestland, pausing at one point to indicate the breathtaking view across the lower valley. From that cliff edge, it was possible to see not only the manor of the local Kuchiki magnate who ruled the coastal province, but also the winding snake-like border that marked out the edge of Rukongai that lay beyond. Lapping at the edges of the Kuchiki land was the blue-green swirl of the District Six sea, with the tide beginning to come in. It had been worth the trek up there, and even the complaining seated officers had piped down, for they had witnessed the most beautiful sunset over the pink-speckled treetops of the sakura-kissed countryside. For Shinobu, who had grown up in the barren and recovering landscape of District Seven, it was without doubt the most dazzling thing he had ever seen.

As they had stood there, catching their breaths and admiring the view, Enishi had come to stand beside him, clamping a large hand down on the recruit's skinny shoulder.

"It's a long way back, but worth it at this time," he had said gruffly. "You're keeping up well, though. It's good to see a recruit with decent endurance."

"I've never been to District Six," Shinobu had replied honestly, and Enishi had grinned.

"You should all keep this place close in your minds," he had said wisely, raising his voice so that the other members of the patrol could hear him, and reaching out a thick fist to gesture at the surrounding land. "This is your Captain's District. This is his family's land."

"Taichou comes from here? From this exact place?" Shinobu had stared, and Enishi had laughed, nodding.

"He's very proud of it," he had agreed. "If you want to understand what Ukitake-taichou wants to protect, and why he worked so hard to become your Captain, you just need to take a look see at this place. I don't pretend that I'm a sentimental person, or anything like that - but I've been here a few times, since he became my Captain, and I have to say, when you see the sun rise or set over that horizon, it tells you everything good about Seireitei, and everything we shinigami are here to keep safe."  
 _  
And that's why I admire him so much. Because he cares about protecting us. All of us. And Fukutaichou might be Clan, but he's exactly the same._

Shinobu pulled his nightrobes over his body, tying them at the waist and scooping up his damp towels, moving to hang them on the rack to dry. Recruits would do the laundry in the morning, but although it wasn't his turn, he wanted to make sure he left his belongings neatly, so that he didn't create additional work for his friends. It was almost midnight now, and on the final leg of their journey back to Inner Seireitei, Enishi had authorised his weary warriors to stop in the local border town to buy food. It had been a merry atmosphere, walking back, and even though they had missed both dinner and the changeover with the evening patrol, Shinobu did not mind. He had visited his Captain's homeland, and he had seen a sight that he knew he would never forget. Enishi had been right, he reflected now, softly letting himself out of the bathhouse and making the short walk back to the recruit dormitory. It had shown beautifully the world that shinigami were there to protect, and Shinobu felt certain that, one day, District Seven would be just as beautiful a land, thanks to the involvement of the first District Captain.

He had almost reached the main building when movement caught his eye, and he turned, darting behind the corner of the wooden structure as he tried to gauge whether it was something harmless or something threatening. Two dark shapes flitted across the compound, and, as they ducked between the buildings and over the back wall, Shinobu caught a glimpse of the second individual in the moonlight. His eyes widened in surprise.  
 _  
Kohaku-san?_

He pressed himself close to the building, hoping that he hadn't been seen. As he did so, he recognised the young man's companion.  
 _  
Kayashima-san, too? What's going on? They're not on late patrol. Are they? But no, late patrol left before we got back. So what...?_

For a moment, he debated following them, but then he remembered that he was in his nightclothes and that if he left the barracks now, he would be breaking curfew. Whether the seated officers did or did not have permission to leave, he did not want to risk his disciplinary record, and he reminded himself that he had decided not to draw attention to his observation of Kohaku's behaviour. That would open himself up to danger, he reflected, and then it would be harder to catch the young Aizen off his guard.

Reluctantly he turned back towards his original destination, making his way down the long, narrow hallway to the small bedroom that had become his home since his recruitment.

"You're really late back this evening," as he softly opened the door of the dorm, a voice greeted him, and he frowned, turning to shut the door behind him and crossing the chamber to sit down on the end of his bed.

"I didn't know if anyone was still up," he admitted. "Where is everyone else, Hiroshi? Did you scare them off?"

"Morata and Takahashi are on late patrol," Hiroshi set aside the recruit handbook that he had been reading once more, leaning up against the wall with a grin. "Katou is trying to explain to Shikibu-san why he decided to go swimming in the koi pond, and Tanemura is with him, trying to explain why he pushed him. They were sent to change and then summonsed. Apparently what we were told about Shikibu-san is true. She doesn't like things she doesn't like, and if you get caught doing them, then you're going to hear about it."

"Idiots," Shinobu snorted. "It's too cold for that kind of horseplay. Even if it is Spring."

"And it turns out that the koi pond is a lot too reedy and fishy to really be fun to swim in," Hiroshi looked amused. "Kohaku-san told me that there was a tradition of people pushing each other in there when on recruit duty, but I'm not sure I expected Tanemura to do it. He's not usually that impulsive."

"It's always the quiet ones," Shinobu grimaced. "Speaking of Kohaku-san, are you going to train with him again?"

"I thought I would, if he's up for it," Hiroshi agreed. "Why? Do you have a problem with it? Don't tell me you're going to complain about him again."

"Actually, the opposite," For a moment, Shinobu had debated raising his concerns with his friend, but, at Hiroshi's response, he changed his mind, realising that it would be safer and better for the other recruits if they were kept out of his surveillance plans.

"The opposite?" Hiroshi arched an eyebrow, and Shinobu nodded.

"Taichou called me to his office the other day," he said slowly. "He wanted to talk to me. About Kohaku-san...and his family. His father. He thought, because I came from Seventh...I should know."

"I see," Hiroshi's eyes narrowed, and Shinobu judged his friend's reaction carefully. He pursed his lips.

"You already know about this, don't you?" he asked, and Hiroshi shrugged, looking sheepish.

"Maybe," he owned, "depending on what you think about it."

"Well, Taichou explained to me that it was something the Council decided, and the Council ought to know what's what, in my view," Shinobu sighed, stretching out on his bed. "I mean, I hate that man. Keitarou, I mean. I hate him with every bone in my body. But if the Council say...and, you know, Taichou says, then it's not my business to get involved. It's all right, Hiroshi. I'm not going to freak out about it. It's Kohaku-san's business. Not mine. I just like knowing what it is that I didn't know. Now I get why he was so upset when I mentioned Keitarou's name...and so I decided not to do it again."

Hiroshi let out his breath in a sigh, and from the relief that glittered in the other's eyes, Shinobu knew his friend had believed him.

"I'm glad," he owned now. "I was worried, when I found out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Shinobu, but it's probably better, coming from Taichou. I mean, I don't know all the particulars."

"Do you think the others know?"

"Probably not," Hiroshi pondered. "I only know because Kohaku-san told me about it himself. I don't think it's any kind of a secret, though. Everyone here seems to know about it, just nobody really discusses it. I guess that makes sense. I wouldn't like it, if people did. I think you're right. It's better not to talk about it, to him or to anyone, unless it comes up in conversation and it would be rude to ignore it."

"Kohaku-san...told you?" Shinobu had not expected this, and Hiroshi nodded.

"When we sparred, I talked to him about a few things, and it came up," he agreed. "I think it's probably hard on him, having to live with that hanging over him all the time. I told him it didn't bother me, and it doesn't. I like him, and I want to spar with him again. He has a really difficult sword style to define, and countering it is a challenge. I think that working with him will help me improve, and that's what we're here to do, right? Improve."

"You sound more positive," Shinobu admitted reluctantly. Hiroshi smiled.

"Kohaku-san gave me some advice, and I took it," he reflected. "I went to talk to Fukutaichou about my concerns, and he was great and listened without laughing or calling me a coward. We talked about when he had time free to go over some things with me. He also told me that if I found Kohaku-san easy to work with, I should keep training with him. He apparently likes recruits to do that - to work with seated officers on a regular basis, so I'm going to. If Kohaku-san is agreeable, of course. You should think of doing it too, Shinobu," he added, "since brownie points never hurt and Fukutaichou seems to like you."

"Fukutaichou is the type that says it as it is, and so he's easy to get along with," At this, Shinobu pushed aside his consternation at his friend's simple trust of Kohaku's motives, letting out a sigh as he allowed the subject to move on. "Taichou told me that, too, when I went to see him. Apparently Fukutaichou was impressed with my work ethic. Taichou thinks I might be on his patrol officially, when we've come through our probation. Today was a trek, but it was fine. We went to the edge of Sixth, and I saw the coast there. I've not seen the sea before, and the sun was setting, so it was really bright. Apparently Taichou grew up in that area. Seeing it, I understood why he became a shinigami. If I'd lived there, I'd want to do whatever I could to protect it, too."

"You went visiting Taichou's homeland, huh?" Hiroshi looked interested. "You were pretty much in my territory, then. Or did you forget that my family live in Sixth? Not that you ever came to visit me over a school break..."

He trailed off, adopting a wounded look, and Shinobu grimaced, picking up his discarded tabi and tossing them at his friend.

"You never invited me. You only ever went home for Winter break, and you told me that with five siblings running around the house, it was quieter staying at school, so I never went," he retorted. "Besides, this wasn't like that. You may live near the border, Hiroshi, but this was right near the sea. I mean, right near it. You could see the coastal manor, I guess the Kuchiki live there, and the line between Seireitei and Rukongai, and...you could see all the sakura, too. It was really beautiful. You never said your home village was like that."

"At this time of year?" Hiroshi pursed his lips. "Sakura? Yes. Sea? Not so much. We're a bit further north, so not quite in the Coastal Province. It's still quite pretty, though."

He grinned.

"I'm glad you had a good patrol. Less mud this time?"

"Probably about as much, but I don't notice when I know that Fukutaichou approves of my effort," Shinobu admitted. "Is that silly?"

"Nope. Makes good sense to me," Hiroshi said frankly. "Fukutaichou is a good guy, anyway. It doesn't hurt to get his approval early on."

"Speaking of approval, or lack of..." Shinobu's gaze flitted to the door, as it drew back, revealing the missing Katou, followed by a sheepish looking Tanemura. "You guys are still alive, then?"

"Barely," Katou groaned, dropping down on his bed. "I don't think the word 'joke' is in Shikibu-san's vocabulary, and I don't know why she laid into me so much. Tanemura pushed me in. I didn't choose to go swimming."

"Better hope you aren't on a patrol with her any time soon, then," Hiroshi grinned.

"I thought she was off to the Real World again?" Tanemura asked, and Hiroshi shook his head.

"General announcement. All Dangai transfers to the Real World suspended until further notice," he replied. "There's some kind of investigation going on in there, so it's a no-go. At least for now."

He stretched, stifling a yawn.

"We should probably go to bed," he added. "You two don't need any more trouble after today, and I'm sure Shinobu's beat after his patrol. I spent a long time today doing cleaning, kidou training and attempting to repair storage huts at the back with Morata, so lets postpone this discussion till a more reasonable hour. The others won't be back till the early hours, anyway. There's no reason to wait up for them."

"I second that," Katou said fervently. "Sooner this day ends and a new one begins, the better. Goodnight, all."

As the other recruits prepared for the night's sleep, Shinobu slipped beneath the blankets on his own bed, making himself comfortable. The atmosphere in the dorm was light and friendly, with cheeky banter going across the room as Tanemura searched for the sash of his night robes, but as he listened to his friends talking, he suddenly felt a sense of sad isolation.

 _Hiroshi knew Kohaku-san was Keitarou's son, and he isn't bothered by it. The others aren't even interested. I can make them believe I don't care, either, but I'm going to have to do this on my own. Before, it's not been like that, but if Kohaku-san has already got to my best friend, then I can't risk getting him involved. More, I don't think Hiroshi would listen to me, anyway. If Kohaku-san told him himself, of course Hiroshi's going to trust him. It's a typical, clever Aizen ruse to gain someone's loyalty._

He sighed, turning over and closing his eyes as Katou doused the light, plunging them all into darkness.

 _And where were they slipping off to this evening? Kohaku-san was out and about the other night, too. Was he with Kayashima-san then, as well? Or was it someone else? I wish I'd seen more clearly, but I didn't. Maybe they had an order to do it, but I somehow don't think so. You don't climb a wall to sneak out the back if you have permission or instructions to go somewhere. However I think of it, that was odd. There's nothing I can do about it now, but I'll remember it. I'll remember, and hopefully, eventually, it will all begin to make sense._


	23. Katsura's Message

**Chapter Twenty Two: Katsura's Message**

"And that's the third time I've won in a row,"

Shunsui sat back against the window of his office, taking a sip of sake from the white ceramic sakazuki and casting his companion a speculative look. "What's up, Juu-kun? It's not like you to let me walk all over you like that. You basically gave the last game away. What's on your mind?"

Juushirou sighed, gazing at the shougi board with a look of resignation. That evening he had been invited to the Eighth, rather than hosting his friend at Ugendou, and he had received a message from Shunsui telling him that his brother, Head of the Kyouraku Clan, had sent one of his generous gifts of expensive Kyouraku sake. For Shunsui, drinking alone was only improved on by drinking in good company, and Juushirou had been glad of the excuse to get out of his own workplace and spend a few short hours away from the conundrums that kept piling up in front of him. The shougi board had already been laid out waiting for him when he had arrived, beginning another round in their eternal, ongoing tournament. It was not uncommon for Shunsui to win, but in the normal run of things, Juushirou would always fight back, leaving them honours even by the end of the night. That evening, however, he had found it hard to concentrate, and, when Shunsui had swept his final piece across the board, making victory impossible, he had had to acknowledge that he was well and truly defeated.

"I suppose I hoped coming here would be a distraction," he admitted now, moving to collect up the pieces and returning them to the black lacquer box that stood at the side of the board. "Instead I've been distracted. I'm sorry, Shunsui. It wasn't my intention."

"Well, I'd suggest a game of go or sugoroku, but I suspect it'd have the same result," Shunsui reached across to refill his friend's empty sakazuki with a wry smile. "Something is eating you, so you might as well tell me what it is. It's what I'm here for, remember? You pour, and I absorb."

"Right now, you're doing the pouring," Juushirou indicated the sakazuki, and Shunsui snorted.

"Don't be stupid. You get to listen to my wonderful advice for free. I don't give that to everyone, you know. Don't waste the opportunity. Is it about the embargo on the Dangai, or Katsura, or has Mitsuki found herself a handsome healer at her hospital and stopped writing to you?"

"Sometimes I think you just say things to see if you get a reaction," Juushirou put the sakazuki to his lips, allowing the warm liquid to trickle down his throat. "The sake is good quality, though. Tokutarou-sama spoils you sometimes. What was the occasion, or wasn't there one?"

"He's overrun with gifts from prospective Clansfolk all hoping that his son is going to marry their daughter," Shunsui said blithely. "Tokutarou-nii, being the pragmatic opportunist he is, is not offending anyone's generosity, but leaving Haru to make the final decision. In the meantime, he decided to share some of the spoils with me. I did spend a lot of time training Haru, you know."

"In how to choose a wife?" Despite himself, Juushirou was amused. "Given your current bachelor status, I can't imagine that you'd have been much help."

"I'm not looking to marry," Shunsui dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "I never have been, you know that. But no, not specifically. In fact, Tokutarou-nii told me that it was fine to teach Haru sword skills and life skills, but not ones relating to seducing random women. I think he'd rather his son didn't follow in the footsteps of his brother or his father, if you get my message - though I think Haru is way too innocent, even now. He's old enough to have some notches on his belt, shall we say - but I haven't ever heard any rumours that that's the case."

"Your poor nephew," Juushirou rolled his eyes, and Shunsui laughed.

"Well, he started with such promise, raiding the laundry for women's underwear and pulling off the aprons of his nurses when he was just an infant," he reminisced. "I had high hopes of him then, but I suppose it wasn't to be."

"He's the heir to the Clan, so I should hope not," Juushirou pointed out. "And Tokutarou-sama's only son, so he ought to behave himself."

"Maybe that's it. Perhaps the influence of his sisters has broken him," Shunsui mused, and Juushirou chuckled.

"Probably better for the Clan if that's the case," he said. "I wondered why he hadn't married before this, but if he's shy of the whole courtship business, it makes more sense. Well, you can send him my best wishes, and Tokutarou-sama my thanks for his generosity with the gifts in question. I think I needed something warm and soothing, even if my mind hasn't been entirely on shougi."

He set the sakazuki aside with a frown.

"As for what's on my mind, I suppose it's a mixture. And it relates to everything you said, actually."

"Even Mitsuki?" Shunsui was surprised, and Juushirou nodded.

"Yes, but not in the way you think," he admitted. "I'm worried, Shunsui. If Hirata and Nagesu-sama are right and Katsura is the one behind these random and strange attacks, then he's starting to follow in his father's footsteps. Katsura should have died, five years ago. Kitabata certainly dealt him a blow that should have been fatal. The reason it wasn't was because Mitsuki healed him - but the only shinigami who know that at present, besides Mitsuki herself, of course, are you, me and Kohaku. We're all people who would never betray her, but Katsura also knows who healed him. Mitsuki thought that he'd turn over a new leaf and not cause any more trouble, and to be fair to her, he hasn't. He's kept his head down - till now. But the evidence suggests..."

He trailed off, rubbing his brow tiredly.

"I worry that she saved someone who's going to cause mayhem for a long while to come," he said slowly, "And, if we catch him, he has no reason to keep his mouth shut about it. If people find out what she did, well, it could be a problem for her."

"For you too, possibly. And me," Shunsui looked grave. "I'm not worried on my own account, but I can see why you'd be bothered about hers. You and I might weather the storm, because we didn't ever know where he was, and we found out after the fact. There wasn't anything really to be done, even if we did want to do it. Mitsuki, on the other hand, knew who she was healing when she let him go."

"Exactly, but being where she is right now, she probably doesn't know any of this is happening here," Juushirou agreed. "If she did...I know Mitsuki. She might decide to confess to someone, and I don't want her to. I don't want her in trouble, but I realise that's my personal bias getting in the way. If Katsura is a threat and she let him go, then that's serious. And when I evaluated my reaction to that, I realised that I also had to worry about Kohaku more than I thought. People keep saying that he's not a traitor, and he isn't - but he isn't objective, either. If Katsura is as manipulative as his father, then he is a threat to two people I care about. And I have to ask myself whether, by shielding them, I'd be an accomplice in Katsura's misdeeds."

"I think that's academic, since you'd shield them anyway," Shunsui said wisely. "You wouldn't sell either Mitsuki or Kohaku out, so it's not worth agonising over. You'd try to stop it from happening, but you wouldn't let them get hurt in the process, and I'd support you in that. Besides, it's not for sure that this is Katsura."

"Meaning?" Juushirou arched an eyebrow, and Shunsui shrugged.

"I assume Enishi reported to you on the Vice Captain's meeting? Apparently Eriko-dono gave some evidence that casts doubt on how much Katsura is involved."

"Yes, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have an accomplice, and it doesn't change the fact he was definitely at the Rukon scene," Juushirou replied. "I don't know. I don't know what to think, and now, with the embargo on the Real World mission, I feel I'm stuck. I don't want to channel all my resources into finding Katsura, but I have not a lot of choice right now. I'm deliberately keeping Kohaku off those patrols, but he's going to notice and he's going to get annoyed if he realises I'm not trusting him to go with his fellows. I gave him Twelfth Seat and I told him he needed to take the responsibility of that rank, but now I'm stopping him from taking it and that's not fair."

"It isn't him you're not trusting, and I can relate," Shunsui looked thoughtful. "Shizuka worries me just as much, you know. She has the tendency to do her own thing at times, which is a nuisance. And sometimes I realise I'm holding her back because I'm scared of losing her, which is just downright mortifying. I don't tell her this, of course. Just like you don't want to tell Koku. He might not be your son, Juu, but he's as good as an adopted one these days, so it's much the same thing. Bias just proves you have feelings. Don't take it so much to heart."

"As a Captain, though, I can't have that bias," Juushirou groaned. "And I didn't come over here to make the evening heavy with all of this. I just can't get my head straight over it. I can't complete the Real World mission. I have nowhere I can realistically put Koku without him getting suspicious of why he's not going on patrol, even if those patrols are looking for his brother. I am worried about Mitsuki and what she did five years ago, and I can't change any of it. I feel like Keitarou's dead but he's not. The shadow lives on."

"He was smiling when he died. He seemed sure that even without him, the chaos would continue," Shunsui said soberly. "I didn't want to believe him, but maybe I have to. I think I put it down to his misplaced belief in Kohaku's motives - but maybe he really meant Katsura. That man had so many layers of thought going on, I don't suppose we ever disentangled all of them."

"I wish we didn't need to. I wish he'd just go away," Juushirou muttered. "It's a bad thing to say, but sometimes I really wish the Urahara had burned his body so that nobody could steal swords or dabble in his tomb and make everyone so focused on his legacy like this."

"And I often wish Hirata had killed him when he'd had the chance to, but if he had, Koku wouldn't be here, and that would be a loss to the world," Shunsui said pragmatically. "You can rant to me as much as you like, but don't let it cloud your focus. We have a job to do. Catching Katsura is part of it. If Eriko-dono and the Fourth are right, he might not be involved in all of this, anyway. We might also not be able to catch him. The Endou have been looking for the past five years without success. One or two spiritual traces isn't going to tell us where he is right now. He's not stupid enough to leave a glowing trail back to his hideout."

"But you still think we should try?" Juushirou's eyes narrowed at his friend's flippant tone. "You're thinking something. I can tell. You always try to cast off more serious things when you have deeper ideas. You're not convinced Katsura is involved in this - but you still think the Gotei should be trying to bring him in?"

"I think that the Gotei should do what they should do to fix the existing problem and answer the outstanding questions," Shunsui said matter-of-factly. "I'm not plotting or scheming or reading hidden depths into the situation. If he's guilty or he's not, the quickest way to find out is from the horse's mouth."

"If he tells us the truth," Juushirou pointed out. Shunsui nodded.

"True, there is that," he agreed, "but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I don't know," Juushirou looked doubtful. "It seems a bit neat and above board for you to subscribe so easily to the Gotei's rhetoric."

Shunsui grinned.

"You're so suspicious," he scolded. "Am I really that insincere that you don't trust me at my word?"

"I trust you, but I also know you," Juushirou retorted, and Shunsui sighed.

"Well, it's nothing really," he relented. "It really is nothing, Juu. But if Eriko-dono and the Fourth are so emphatic about evidence, I think that there are bigger questions to answer, and because its my term as Captain Commander, I have to look at answering them. Things like whether the fact simultaneous incidents happened in Sixth and Third is proof Katsura has an accomplice, or if it really tells us that he's not even involved. Tetsuya told me that Eriko-dono was firm on that point. She didn't think Katsura's reiatsu potential would allow him to open two gates in two different locations at the same time. Eriko-dono isn't prone to melodrama, and Dai-senpai even less so. I'm inclined to trust that evidence."

"So you think he's not guilty?" Juushirou asked.

"I don't know. He's still Keitarou's son," Shunsui admitted. "Maybe not guilty of what we suspect him of doing, but it doesn't mean he isn't guilty of something and we aren't seeing it because of all this. All I know is that something unpleasant is happening that means people who are meant to be dead are making a reappearance. It might be a simple spirit gate malfunction. Investigating the Dangai might resolve it and it might be limited to the Dangai anyway. But Juu, Keitarou's tomb was broken into, and Keitarou's sword was stolen. I'm honestly more bothered by that than the corpse extravaganza, because that requires a detailed spiritual investigation before we can realistically say a crime has been committed. The incidents at Keitarou's tomb are different, though. Those things weren't caused by spiritual anomalies. We already know that without a doubt. They were caused by an individual, and the big problem for me is why. Most particularly, why now, five years after Keitarou was buried? Why not sooner?"

"Fourth's evidence indicated Katsura was at the tomb," Juushirou observed, and Shunsui nodded.

"Yes. I'm not disputing that; the individual in question was almost certainly Katsura. He broke the tomb with his reiatsu, took the sword, and then buried it like an eager puppy under a random house in the border camp," he replied. "He then _left it there_. He didn't come back for it, and he didn't try to do anything with it. Nor did he just discard it as useless into a river or something. If it was worthless, he wouldn't have cared where it ended up. If it was sentimental, he'd have returned it to the tomb before it was missed. He did neither of those things. He took the time to properly bury it, but he buried it in a place he didn't think it would be easily found. If not for Koku, it would be there still, most likely, but even though it was a dangerous weapon when Keitarou was alive, in its current state it would pose nobody in the border camp any harm whatsoever. So what's the point in all of this? What's the motive? That's what's bothering me most, and the more I think about it, the more it bothers me that we're looking at everything wrong."

"Wrong in what respect?" Juushirou looked perturbed, and Shunsui sighed.

"I don't know, precisely," he admitted. "but when you eradicate all the Gotei bias towards Katsura and his motives and look at the bare facts we know, they don't make a lot of sense. He didn't try to make it look like the tomb had been tampered with, and he didn't take the body, so he wasn't trying to create the illusion that Keitarou was still alive. He took Chudokuga, but he didn't keep it with him, and why would he? Katsura doesn't use a sword, and if he did, Chudokuga is not the kind of sword anyone would choose as a weapon of self-defence, being a tantou knife rather than a katana or tachi. The evidence from the tomb and Rukongai suggests that he hasn't summoned a zanpakutou in the last five years, and probably, doesn't need a sword to defend himself with anyway. And, as I said, Keitarou died five years ago. Why wait five years and then invade your father's tomb to steal something you don't need and then discard it in such a way? It's like he broke into the tomb, took the sword, but then gave it a fresh burial in the border camp. Put together, don't you think all of that sounds a bit weird?"

"I do...now you mention it," Juushirou frowned. "Koku also said that he didn't believe invading his father's tomb was something Katsura would do. He was quite adamant that Katsura's loyalties were to his family and desecrating Keitarou's resting place was the last thing he'd want to do. We know he did, because we have evidence that he did, but when I told Koku that, he was floored by it. He didn't understand and couldn't give me any kind of rationale by which he could imagine his brother desecrating a kinsman's grave. Marrying up those two realities bothers me, if I'm honest."

"I don't think it's surprising Kohaku would believe in his brother. Knowing to what extent he's right is the problem we have," Shunsui agreed. "We can't make assumptions either way, and Katsura might still pose Kohaku a threat. We have to keep an open mind, but I started thinking about that as well."

"And? What's your conclusion?"

"Well, if Katsura knows anything about these corpse creatures, or even if he doesn't, it strikes me there are two possibilities," Shunsui said slowly. "Either he took the sword thinking it could be used and abandoned it when it became clear it was dead, as the prevailing theory goes. Or..."

"Or?"

Shunsui drained his sakazuki, setting it on one side.

"Or, he took the sword to make sure that Keitarou couldn't use it," he said grimly, "because someone is bringing people back from the dead and he didn't really want that number to include his father."

* * *

"I think this is the place."

Kayashima paused, glancing around him at their surroundings with a pensive expression on his face. "I don't really know this area of Fourth that well, Koku, but I think the village we passed is the one your brother mentioned in his note. I can't think of anywhere else than this to meet - it's dark, creepy and secluded, so it has all the hallmarks of a covert rendezvous point with a wanted fugitive."

"Don't joke about it," Kohaku sent his friend a reproachful look. "If you aren't happy about it, you didn't have to come. I said I'd go alone."

"I had to come," Kayashima said briefly. "You know that, so don't argue. Like hell I'm letting you break curfew on your own! Give me some credit!"

"If you get into trouble, Kayashima..."

"Better than it just being you," Kayashima said frankly. "You're sneaking out to meet with someone you're forbidden all contact with. I'm your alibi. Also, your protection. If I know what's said between you, then nobody can suspect you of being a traitor. We could both not have gone, but you insisted on doing this. I'm your best friend, so I came with. That's part of the job description, so stop complaining."

He sank down on the ground, making himself comfortable up against the trunk of an old tree and gazing at his friend expectantly. "Well? This is the place and judging by the moon's position in the sky, it's about the right time, too. Where is he? Is he going to stand you up?"

"I don't know," Kohaku admitted, his expression troubled. "I'm not sure whether he'll like it, you being here. It might make him change his mind. It's hard to be sure. I haven't seen him in a while...and I don't really know what his thought processes are."

"But he did rescue you from one of those corpse monsters, right?"

"He did," Kohaku agreed, "but that isn't the same thing."

He shivered, pulling his cloak more tightly around his skinny body. Kayashima was right about the location, he reflected grimly, for although this was all vibrant forestland during the day, at night the moonlight made the tree branches cast twisted silhouettes against the ground. The winding path they had followed past the villages towards the river had petered out into a muddy, uneven track, which looked like it had been carved out of the landscape by people using it as a shortcut to get to market in the nearby town. They had passed the well mentioned in the letter, navigating around puddles and clusters of moss and other fungi that suggested this had once been extensive swampland, before the residents of the Fourth had cultivated it and drained the water to make it possible to grow crops. The forest surrounded the area, evergreen trees circling it like tall, solemn sentries, which by night cast eerie shadows and made the entire landscape look remoteness of the location was something of an illusion, for there were many settlements dotted around the region, but it did not seem that the dense forest was the kind of place the locals frequented after dark. An owl hooted overhead, a dark shape sweeping swiftly across the sky, blocking the moon's light for a brief moment. If he was honest with himself, the entire atmosphere here gave him the chills, and he half-wished that he was back at barracks, safe and asleep in his bed.

 _But Katsu-nii called me out here, and he's my brother. Whatever has changed between us, I need to hear what it is he has to say._

"It is chilly," Kayashima noticed his friend's shiver with a wry grimace. "I don't see anyone else here, either. Can you sense him? You're good at that stuff, so I guess you'd know if he came, right?"

"Not sure," Kohaku admitted. "When he came to help me before, I couldn't sense his reiatsu. Except when he attacked the corpse creature, that is. I knew it was him because I sensed his reiatsu on the corpse...but I couldn't sense him, exactly. He's learned to hide himself from everyone. Even from me."

"That's a little concerning, given the current orders we're all under," Kayashima sighed, gazing up at the sky. "You're saying, basically, that we're dependent on whether he wants to show himself? And that nobody is going to find him unless he attacks someone?"

"If that's the case, shinigami, you shouldn't be so completely off your guard."

The voice echoed out of the darkness, making both of them jump, and Kohaku gazed around him, searching for any sign of his brother. Kayashima had scrambled to his feet at the sound of the speaker, his fingers moving instinctively to the weapon at his waist, and there was a derisive snort before something dark leapt deftly down from the branches of the trees that clustered overhead. Although he knew that this was his brother, Kohaku found himself momentarily paralysed, prickles of anticipation running up his spine. There had been an uncharacteristically cold hostility in Katsura's voice, and, after so far apart, Kohaku felt that the individual who had summoned him may yet be a stranger after all.  
 _  
Being here might be more dangerous than I thought. He's my brother, and that hasn't changed for me - but I betrayed Father, and he must know that. I might be a traitor in his eyes, now._

A cold chill gripped itself around his heart as he processed this possibility for the first time. Had he been lured out, or was there a genuine reason for Katsura's summons? Had he been saved from the corpse because of their fraternal bond, or was it simply because Katsura had unfinished business, and wanted to settle it for himself?

I didn't believe my brother would invade Father's tomb, but Taichou told me the evidence proves that he did. That means I already misread him once. Have I miscalculated again by coming here tonight?

His gaze flitted across to Kayashima, realising with a jolt the real reason his friend had chosen to come along, and the reason why even now, Kayashima's fingers were closed around the hilt of his zanpakutou. The other shinigami had not drawn his weapon, but Kohaku now understood that if Katsura showed himself to be hostile, his friend had no intention of hesitating, even if Kohaku himself did.

 _He came to defend me, in case Katsura decided to take revenge for Father's death. He didn't say it, but that's why he's really here. He saw that possibility...but it's only now that it occurs to me that I'm the one who changed sides. I turned against my family, and just because I still think of them as kin, it doesn't mean my brother feels the same._

"I wouldn't try it," the newcomer said softly now, his eyes trained firmly on Kayashima's tense frame. "Even if Koku is here, it doesn't mean I won't defend myself. You weren't invited, shinigami. Go back home. You're not wanted here."

"I'm here for Koku," Kayashima stood his ground. "He'll get into a ton of trouble, if anyone knows he's come here like this. I thought you disappeared because you didn't want to ruin his prospects. You're now the one endangering them, so I came to make sure you aren't up to anything that's going to get him hurt. And to make sure that you don't hurt him. Koku's strong but he doesn't want to fight you, and doing that would hurt him most of all. I don't mind doing it, though, depending on why it is you called him out."

"It's nothing to do with you," Katsura retorted. "I came to speak to my brother. I didn't come to speak to you."

"And I'm telling you that I'm staying here," Kayashima shrugged his shoulders, though his fingers loosened their grip around the sword hilt, and Kohaku felt faintly relieved that his friend had clearly thought better of revealing their location by creating a spiritual disturbance with his blade. "If you want rid of me, you'll have to remove me by force. But if you do that, it won't make Koku happy. And then he's not going to be interested in anything you have to say, so I suggest you get over yourself and say whatever it is you need to say so badly. I'm not going, and time is passing, and we'd both like to be back at barracks before the dawn comes and we're missed at morning inspection."

"I have nothing to say to you," Katsura began, but Kayashima did not let him finish, striding forward and grabbing the skinny fugitive by the faded fabric of his hakamashita. Before Katsura could react, he had shoved the other man up against the trunk of a nearby tree, pushing his face close to his companion and fixing him with a dark glare. Katsura wriggled, as if trying to get free, but Kayashima was determined, and although Kohaku knew he should interfere, he found himself rooted to the spot, staring in dismay at the confrontation that was unfolding before him.

"Let's try this again," Kayashima spoke softly. "Some people in Seireitei might be scared of you. I'm not one of them, so _get over yourself._ Your threats don't impress me and the only reason I'm not holding you at bladepoint right now is because I know Koku wouldn't want me to go to those lengths without trying to drum sense into you verbally, first. You may be his brother, but you're a rebel, a traitor, a murderer. There's already the blood of two of my comrades on your hands, at the very least. Maybe more. I don't know. Do you think I'm about to let Koku trot out here on his own, given that? The whole Gotei is looking for you. You understand that, right? Koku is risking everything to come here tonight and listen to what you have to say. I'm his friend, and I don't like that you put him at risk. You may be his brother, but it's damn selfish of you to think he's at your beck and call like this. Let me get this into your head. He's not. He's a seated officer in the Thirteenth Division and he's my friend. I won't let you or anyone else ruin that for him. Do you follow me? I'm not going anywhere. If you have something to say to Koku, say it. I'm not going to leave, so either say it or go yourself."

"Let me go!" Katsura finally wrested himself free, glaring at the shinigami indignantly. "I already said this has nothing to do with you!"

"Stop it!" At length Kohaku found his voice, moving to put himself physically between the two of them before it could disintegrate into a proper brawl. "Stop it! Do you want someone from the village to hear us? It's bad enough we're out here like this, but Kayashima's right. If we get caught..."

"I'm not here to get you into trouble," Katsura sent his brother a hurt look, and a mixture of guilt and relief mingled in Kohaku's heart as he realised the earlier hostility had melted away. "I also didn't come to hurt you, which you should know without my having to say it. Why would I do that? I don't understand, Koku. Why did you bring him? Why are you talking to me out loud like this? There's no need for anyone to use actual words...surely you know speaking out loud adds risk?"

"He's speaking out loud because then I can hear what's said," Kayashima said bluntly. "That way, I know he's not being manipulated into doing something he shouldn't."

"I'm not going to do anything to him!" Katsura reacted to this immediately. "He's my brother, dammit! Don't you think I want to keep him out of trouble, too?"

"Then why are you here, jeopardising everything he's spent the last five years working for!" Kayashima demanded, and at this, something inside Kohaku snapped.

"I said, _stop it_!" He exclaimed, the built up tension and apprehension inside his body beginning to bubble over into frustration and annoyance at the squabbles of his companions. His aura sparked with flickers of reiryoku, and despite themselves, Kayashima and Katsura both subsided, each sending their companion a rueful look. Kohaku's eyes were glittering with frustration, and although his _zanpakutou_ still slept at his waist, it was clear that he was only just keeping a hold on both his temper and his unpredictable spirit power.

"It's fine, Koku. We don't need a mind trip to add to the evening," Kayashima put a light hand on his friend's shoulders. "Take a breath. If you let off steam here, the whole area will get a dose of odd dreams. Not to mention, if you release any reiryoku here, you'll leave a really big paper-trail for anyone who comes. It's bad enough we're here. Don't make it worse. We get the message. I'm done, anyway. I've made my point."

Katsura was silent for a moment, and Kohaku took a deep breath, casting his brother a glance.

"Kayashima is my friend," he said softly. "I trust him, so you can, too."

"I didn't expect you to bring someone with you," Katsura sighed, sinking down onto the grass as though knowing he was beaten. "It puts me on edge. I don't like it. Shinigami and I...don't go well together."

"I'm a shinigami," Kohaku pointed out. "Does that include me?"

"I wish I knew," Katsura admitted, and Kohaku flinched at the painful honesty in the older man's words.

 _So he feels it too, then...this gap that's opened up between us over the last few years._

"Why did you call Koku out like this?" Kayashima leaned up against the trunk of the tree, sending Katsura a quizzical look. "After five years, I'm guessing it wasn't just a matter of family reunion."

"Do you think I'd take such a risk for something so trivial as that?" Katsura was scathing. "Don't be stupid. I cut ties with my brother so that he wasn't caught up in my issues. I made that decision and I'd keep to it, too, but things have changed. I wouldn't be here like this, either, except that something unpleasant is going on in Soul Society, and I can't do anything about it on my own."

"This has something to do with the incident at the border camp, doesn't it?" Kohaku asked, and Katsura nodded.

"I knew sending you a message was a risk," he reflected, "but I'm stuck. Especially since they've apparently stepped up searches for me of late. I'm not a shinigami, and they don't trust me. But I can't just let it go. People might die and I don't want that. So I decided to take the gamble. I decided to talk to the one shinigami who I thought might listen to me. You."

"Well, I'm here, and I'm listening," Kohaku said simply. Katsura looked troubled, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure if you are," he admitted. "You'd never have spoken to me out loud like that before, as though it's normal to talk to me that way. You used to meet my telepathy half way, and we'd talk like that. I thought we'd be able to communicate things in silence, without the risk of someone overhearing. Instead, you're here with him," he jerked a head in Kayashima's direction, and the other shinigami bristled at the derisiveness of the gesture, "and it's not what I expected at all."

"I suppose I've got used to talking to people out loud." Kohaku mused. "The other day, when you came to the border camp and saved me, I heard what you said. Your warning. I heard it and I knew it was you. But I couldn't reply...at least, you didn't hear me. I can't do it any more, Oniichan. Whatever it was that I used to do, I can't do it now. You might be able to connect to me, but I can't do it in return."

"You mean we can't talk that way any more?" Katsura was floored, and Kohaku shrugged.

"I'm not sure," he owned. "All I know is that I can't begin the connection. It's not like it used to be. My spirit power has changed. Developed. I've got more control now, because I have this," he touched a finger to Kyouka Raigen's hilt. "And I've not spoken telepathically for five years. Maybe I can't do it any more. Maybe not at all, who knows?"

"Does it really matter either way?" Kayashima asked. "If you ask me, it's kinda creepy, being inside each other's heads."

"You weren't asked," Katsura said coldly. "If you're going to be here, you can contribute to this discussion by shutting up."

"Kayashima really is my friend, Katsura. Stop talking to him like he's an enemy. It doesn't make this any easier," Kohaku begged, and Katsura eyed him in surprise.

"Are you taking his side against me?" he asked, looking hurt, and Kohaku let out his breath in a gusty sigh.

"I'm not picking sides," he said wearily, "but if you're just going to argue, there's no point me being here. That's not why you called me out, and the longer we are here, we're all at risk of trouble."

Katsura did not respond for a moment, and Kohaku settled himself on the ground, gazing across at his brother pensively. Katsura had not aged particularly in the time they had been apart, he mused, although his long dark hair had grown longer and more straggly, and he had, perhaps, lost weight. He was robed in rough District attire, clean, but faded and patched in places, indicating that he had probably scrambled a living over the time they had been apart. In spite of this, he looked well, and deep down Kohaku was relieved to see it. He had known Katsura had survived the attack of the Seventh Division's Vice Captain, but he had not known whether his brother had taken permanent harm from it. Looking at the older man now, he sent an inward murmur of thanks to Mitsuki for her healing ability and her compassion.

 _She didn't have to save you, Oniichan, but she did, and because she did, here we are. I'm glad that's the case, even though I'm not sure whether coming here was right or wrong._

Out loud he said,

"Kyouka Raigen didn't want me to come here tonight, either, but I overruled it."

"Kyouka Raigen?" Katsura stared, and Kohaku nodded.

"My sword," he explained. "It doesn't really like you. It doesn't really like anything connected to Father. It wants me to become a strong shinigami, achieve my goals and fulfil my full potential. It sees you as a risk and something in the way. I had to really argue with it to get it to see my point of view about this. I came because I still want to trust you, Katsu-nii...even if nobody around me is able to."

"You have long conversations with your sword?" Katsura was still looking non-plussed, and Kayashima let out a snort of amusement.

"You really don't know anything about shinigami, do you?"

"I know that my father told me they were all the enemy," Katsura said evenly. "I never had any aspiration to become one, if that's what you mean. I don't pretend I know anything about your way of life, no. But you don't know anything about mine, either. You don't have the right to look down on me because I don't understand your hocus-pocus."

His eyes darkened.

"Besides, the only Kyouka I remember is the demon who used to drive you insane," he added, glancing at Kohaku. "The one who made you so unhappy you slit your wrists. Do you remember? That's what I think of when I hear the word "Kyouka". Are you really listening to that monster now?"

As though it had heard Katsura's words, the sword within Kohaku's sheath began to glitter faintly with light, and Kohaku rested a gentle hand on the hilt, shaking his head.

"Kyouka Raigen is my _zanpakutou_. It always was," he said softly. "I didn't understand, before, and neither did Kyouka, but we do now. It was partly my own fault that things were how they were. It's different now. We're on the same side."

"And I think I just realised why it is you can't speak to me any more, telepathically," Katsura's eyes narrowed. "That sword is blocking it. I knew something was up, and now I know what. Kyouka Raigen, huh? I guess that makes sense."

"I think we'd all rather not annoy Kyouka Raigen right now," Kayashima interjected drolly. "It's a fairly well behaved _zanpakutou_ most of the time, but I don't think we want it to get angry here. Koku's pretty good, but he doesn't have total control yet, and I think we're all better off if the sword stays in the scabbard and doesn't get to have a say in this conversation."

"Stop calling him Koku," Katsura muttered. "I don't like it. Stop calling him that, like he's part of your family and not part of mine."

"Katsu-nii!" Kohaku stared at his brother in confusion, and Katsura glanced at his hands, not wanting to meet Kohaku's gaze.

"I gave you that nickname," he said helplessly. "Me, not the shinigami. I was the one who saved you that day you tried to kill yourself. Me, not that sword. Everything's changed, Koku. I want you to be happy, of course I do, but I feel like you're moving further and further from being my brother every day this goes on. I know it's what I chose, disappearing like I did, but..."

He sighed.

"Maybe calling you here was a bad idea. Maybe I was wrong, thinking you'd understand."

"Well, so far as I see it, you have two choices," before Kohaku could respond to this, Kayashima broke into the conversation again, folding his arms across his chest. "Number one, you waste our time, tell us nothing, and leave. Or two, you stop meandering and looking for sympathy plaudits, and you tell us what you want us to know."

"I thought I told you to shut up," Katsura bristled indignantly. "You don't know anything about it. You're not part of this family. You don't know what it was like, and you don't understand..."

"What do I need to 'understand?" Kayashima broke across the other man's protestations, sketching quote marks in the air to exaggerate his derision. "You might be Koku's brother, but you're a wanted killer and I don't really like that. If Koku's moved further away from you, so much to the good. You didn't have to break bonds because you're Keitarou's son, you know. It happened because you killed innocent shinigami who did nothing to you, and that's all. Nobody hates you because of your family. I said to Koku the day I met him that it didn't matter, that we aren't who our fathers are, and I stick by that. People in the Gotei aren't looking for you because you're Keitarou's son. You get that, right? They hate you for what you did, and that's what nobody in Seireitei is interested in forgiving."

"I already told you both, stop it," Kohaku said wearily. "It's not getting us anywhere. I didn't come here to argue."

"Me either," Katsura looked sad, but he nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "And I can't argue with that. I am a killer. I did kill healers. It doesn't matter if it was Father's orders or not - I did it, and I don't expect to be forgiven for it. That isn't why I came here. I'm not looking for some kind of absolution from you. I came because of the corpses...because I don't know what to do."

"Then I'm listening," Kohaku assured him. "We both are."

"First and foremost, I didn't kill anyone in Rukongai," Katsura said grimly. "I was there, yes, and I know that's why the searches for me have picked up pace. I've heard it, in the gossip of the villagers, and I pay attention to things that put my safety at risk. But what really happened was different. I went to stop the attack. Not to cause it."

"According to the reports, you burned a lot of the victims with your reiryoku," Kayashima pointed out. Katsura shot him a look of irritation, then he sighed, nodding.

"I did," he agreed, "but they were already dead, then. The thing that attacked them was grotesque. Like a dead man, lurching around the place. I tried to connect to it, like I do to Hollows - but I couldn't. Or rather, it was like trying to read Sakaki's mind..."

He shivered.

"I stopped, smartish," he added. "I could never deal with the stuff she had in her head, and this wasn't a lot different. It was all just killer impulse. If I'd kept trying, I would've probably gone mad."

"The one that I faced gave me flashes of his past, but I don't think he was actually remembering it," Kohaku pondered. "I think it was just leaking from him. I don't think there was an actual consciousness there at all. Hollows have consciousness, so you can reach into them - but these things? They're really dead, Niichan. I felt it, when that one attacked me. Something was controlling them, but they were dead."

"What kind of thing could control a dead person, though?" Kayashima wondered. "I mean, taking what you said at face value," he added, gesturing towards Katsura, "it implies that someone has a puppet army of cadavers they can call on at a moment's notice to randomly slaughter innocent Rukon citizens. Why would anyone do that?"

"Beats me," Katsura looked sombre. "Even if I could do it, I wouldn't. There's no rationale behind it, and I wouldn't kill people in the Rukon, anyway. I might have clashed with shinigami, but that's the past and I haven't hurt anyone since Father died. And Rukongai is where I grew up. Mother and I were close, and she believed in helping those people. So did I...so do I. That's why I was there. I take food to people, and check on them, and make sure they're all right. I was there by coincidence, but I wanted to help them. The only option I had was to burn the creature, and so I left traces of myself there. That's what really happened. I swear it."

"You know, I'm probably infected by my time with Koku, but I believe you," Kayashima sighed. Kohaku nodded.

"So do I. And in any case, when you were at the border camp, saving me, you weren't in Sixth District. Another incident like this happened there at the same time. Not even Father could manipulate souls over that distance simultaneously. The Gotei will realise, soon enough, that this has nothing to do with you, Oniichan. And then, maybe, they'll stop looking for you so frantically."

"I doubt that," Katsura smiled humourlessly. "The head of the Endou wants me dead and has done for a while. It's politically unsafe for him if I'm not, apparently. I don't want his Clan, but I've learned that Clan folk don't understand that mentality. They don't get why we want to stay where we are, and think we all want their problems to deal with."

"I don't think it's all about that," Kohaku frowned. "Endou-taichou has been quite fair to me, even though my bloodline's the same as yours. His family disowned me, but he's never treated me badly, and if he comes to Thirteenth and I see him, he always asks how I am."

"A hunter watches those he can't kill, just to be sure they don't kill him," Katsura said cynically. "If I learned anything from Mother, it was that an Endou never lets their prey go."

"Well, you were always much more Endou than I am," Kohaku said reflectively, "but I don't think that you're right. Even if he wants to tackle you, there's no Kill on Sight order on you at present. It got changed to an arrest warrant, and he supported that, so you might be wrong."

"Because that's so much better," Katsura muttered. "Do you really think that way, Koku? You can't be that naive. You must know that if they captured me, they'd ultimately put me to death. Whether it was a vigilante killing or an official execution, the end result is the same."

"Maybe," Kohaku admitted. "I suppose I know that, which is why I'm surprised you took the risk in meeting me here tonight. What if I had changed my mind and decided you should be arrested? What then?"

"I'd like to say I wasn't afraid of it, but I was, a bit," Katsura admitted, and Kohaku stared at him in dismay. "Well, you didn't respond to me, that day at the border camp. And I know you were the reason they came at all - the shinigami. You reported the sword to them, didn't you? I know you covered for me at the scene,and you didn't report me, so I thought maybe it would be all right - but..."

"The sword?" Kohaku's eyes narrowed. "So you did take Father's sword from his tomb. You did break into the crypt to steal it."

"What?" Kayashima's eyes almost fell out of his head. "You go around invading tombs? Playing with corpses? And you want us to believe you had nothing to do with all of this?"

"I'm not meant to talk about the sword being stolen," Kohaku remembered, looking guilty. "I promised Taichou and Nagesu-sama I wouldn't. I'm sorry, Kayashima. Pretend you didn't hear about it, all right? But I needed to know, Oniichan," he added, turning back to the stricken Katsura. "That was you, wasn't it? You put it in the border camp. Taichou said that it was you, but I need to hear it from you directly. You're the 'niichan' that little girl kept talking about. I'm right, aren't I?"

Katsura sighed heavily, and slowly he nodded.

"No point in lying about it," he reflected sadly.

"But why?" Kohaku's brows knitted together in consternation. "Why, Katsu-nii? I really defended you, you know. When Taichou and Nagesu-sama asked me if I thought you would do something like that, I didn't even stop and think. I said you wouldn't, and I believed it. I can't even...why would you do that? Father's dead! Why would you want to defile his grave, much less steal his sword from it?"

"I had to be sure!" Katsura protested. "I didn't know, but I had to be sure."

"Sure about what?"

"That he was really...well...dead," Katsura murmured. "I didn't see it, when it happened. I know it did, but...well...when I was in the Rukon, I saw the Gate open. It was like...one of his Gates. And...well...it was a puppet. I didn't know who else could...except Father. So I was worried...that maybe he'd...you know...conned everyone again."

"You went to make sure he was actually in his grave?" Kayashima arched an eyebrow, and Katsura nodded. "Woah, your family hang-ups are way worse than I thought they were."

"It's not something I enjoyed doing," Katsura defended himself. "I wish I hadn't. I mean, I had to see...I didn't want to remember that. But he was there, and dead, so I...knew it wasn't him."

"Okay, I suppose I can see that happening," Kohaku said slowly. "I mean, you're right. The Gates reminded me of Father, too, and you'd know better, being that you used them. So I suppose I see your logic, even though it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. The Gotei made a connection right away, and that makes your situation look more suspicious. And then there's Chudokuga. Why did you take it?"

"I didn't know if someone else could use it -or was using it - to make it look like Father, or for some other reason," Katsura explained. "I didn't know what to do with it, so I took it and hid it somewhere I didn't think it'd be found. I didn't know you'd be going to the camp," he added, gazing at his brother sadly. "You never had before."

"That was coincidence, the first time," Kohaku said pensively. "But I sensed it. Father's reiatsu. So they sent me back with the Third to track down the source."

"If I'd known, I would've found somewhere else," Katsura grimaced.

"Taking the sword was stupid, though," Kayashima pointed out. "It's dead. So is Keitarou. Nobody can use it. It's just a lump of dead reishi, now. It's not a special sword or anything. It can't be reincarnated. It's worthless and useless."

"Well, I didn't know. I don't know anything about swords or shinigami, remember?" Katsura snapped. "I wanted to make sure nobody else in Rukongai was killed. That's all."

"Kayashima is right, though. Father's sword really is useless, now," Kohaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The big question is, who is doing this, and why?"

"All I know is that they always come out of those Gates," Katsura said darkly. "And something else. I can't open them. But you did. I saw you."

"Koku?" Kayashima stared at his friend in alarm, and Kohaku sighed.

"Is that what I did?" he wondered. "I don't know. Kyouka said that it couldn't resonate to the Gate, but that the Gate responded to me. I don't really understand what that means, yet. It might have been a coincidence, too. Or something Father did, because he thought we'd use them. Something to allow us to access the passageways the shinigami couldn't."

"But if it reacted to you, and not to Katsura here, that makes no sense," Kayashima pointed out. "Unless I'm mistaken, Koku, you never left Rukongai till you came here with Souja-dono. When that happened, it was Souja-dono, not you, who opened the Senkaimon. Correct?"

"Yes," Kohaku looked surprised. "That's true. I never did leave until that moment."

"But Katsura did," Kayashima pressed. "He used the Gates a lot. Didn't you?" he glanced at Katsura for confirmation, who nodded, looking troubled.

"That's what bothers me, too," he admitted. "I didn't know there'd been an incident in Sixth, but I know Father had Gates in or around the area where I took down that corpse, and also near the area in Third where the border camp now is. If I had to guess, I'd say that the most likely place in Sixth for this to happen would be the place that Father used to kill that Kuchiki, back before we were born. Whoever it is is using Father's Gates, but..."

"How are you getting around now, then?" Kayashima eyed Katsura suspiciously. "If the Gates are blocked to you, now..."

"That's not your business, but they aren't," Katsura shook his head. "Only the two that I've seen corpses come out of, those I can't open. It's like something has damaged them from the other side - but I don't see how that is possible. There's nothing on the other side, is there? Just the Dangai."

"People used to throw criminals in there as a form of punishment," Kohaku sent Kayashima a sidelong glance, and his friend groaned.

"I really should never have told you that. I should've known you'd fixate on it," he said with a sigh. Kohaku shook his head.

"No, I'm serious," he said gravely. "The one that attacked me, I saw his past. I'm sure that's what it was, and I've had flashbacks to it since, remember? It took me sleepwalking out of the Division the other night, so it's not something I'm imagining. I think that's what these corpses are. Dangai criminals from long long ago. I don't know how they're getting into Seireitei, or who is opening the Gate to make them, but that's what I think. And whoever can do something like that is probably a pretty creepy person."

"But they're a creepy person with a pattern." Kayashima's eyes became like slits as he contemplated this. "They're using Keitarou's Gates, and they're using corpses to attack. Clearly those corpses don't stand any chance fighting against shinigami, as there have been no injuries and no losses in those encounters. They managed to kill a lot of Rukon people, which is unforgivable, but implies these corpses aren't particularly powerful. I don't know what the point is, but even if they are Dangai criminals, they shouldn't be walking around here, let alone killing people. And if they're not really strong or worth anything against shinigami, it seems like they're a distraction...a diversion, not the main event."

"You think so too, huh?" Katsura asked, and Kayashima nodded.

"I hate to say it, but when you look at it like that, your reasons for checking up on your Father make sense," he agreed. "I mean, if they're using those Gates, and its a puppet show, well, Keitarou is the first person you'd think of. And he was pretty good at misdirection."

"But it isn't him, and besides, Father's puppets were never actually dead," Katsura sighed. "Close to it sometimes, but they had to have a beating heart. If these are Dangai dead, like Koku thinks, that's not the case. How could it be? Nothing can survive in the Dangai, and we'd be talking hundreds, if not thousands of years they'd have been there. They'd be very dead - which fits how they look - but...well, I guess the question is, does anyone in Seireitei know how to manipulate dead reishi?"

"Not as far as I know, but I won't pretend I know everyone or everything," Kohaku grimaced. "Kayashima? Any ideas?"

"Nothing from me," Kayashima shook his head. "Nobody at Thirteenth. That's about all I can be sure of, but I think that if someone had that kind of creepy power, then someone would have gossiped."

"There's one other thing that bothers me," Katsura admitted. "Koku, Father had a spy in the Gotei. You remember that, right? Someone we never met or talked to, but someone he believed had enough hatred for Seireitei to destroy it with him. Did you ever find out who that was?"

"A spy?" Kayashima looked troubled, and Kohaku shrugged.

"I never did," he replied. "I don't know if anyone was found guilty of it. I never asked Taichou, and it would be kind of strange to ask him now."

"But if someone did sympathise with Keitarou, then they could be doing this?" Kayashima asked.

"Maybe," Katsura pulled a face. "I don't know. I keep away from shinigami, and I don't know who the spy is - or was. But I also know that the Onmitsukidou is running loose somewhere. Isn't that right?"

"Suzuki Naoto...Kurotsuchi Masaya?" Kohaku asked. Katsura nodded. "The last time I saw him, he didn't know who he was, let alone who anyone else was. Father was controlling him, but when I broke that control he didn't remember anything at all. I don't think this is anything to do with him."

"Well, he's the closest Father ever got to a dead puppet, as he was pretty borderline when Father found him, and decided to fix him up," Katsura reflected. "It was worth a shot, but if you say that, Koku, I guess not. I just remember he had access to the Gates, too - and also the Shinigami ones."

"If this enemy is using Keitarou's Gates, we probably need to know where they all are," Kayashima eyed Katsura speculatively, and Katsura let out a low chuckle.

"I'm not that stupid," he said grimly. "If I tell you that, I'm going to get caught. Besides, there are a lot of them. Hundreds, potentially. Father knew all the old Gates in Seireitei, even the ones that weren't used by shinigami. He had tons of notes on them, and he went through them all with me when I first started to cross over. I remember a lot of them, but probably not even all that he knew about."

"Wait a minute," Kayashima held up his hands. "Wait a minute, Katsura, you just said...old Gates? As in, ones that were there already? Not just ones he created?"

"Father didn't create any Gates. He manipulated and fixed and altered things that were already there," Katsura confirmed. "Old Seireitei had a lot of black holes. I guess to dump people into. I don't think they all went anywhere. Maybe some of them were just there as Punishment Gates."

"Kamitani-san...a guy from the Third...he said that the Urahara used to be in charge of that stuff," Kohaku's eyes widened. "Father would have known where they all were from then. They're not Father's Gates, are they? They're the old Punishment Gates that Father commandeered to use for his own purposes!"

"Them, and probably others," Katsura agreed. "Why? You think that matters?"

"I think it might," Kohaku owned. "If Father used those Gates, and these corpses are Dangai prisoners, it is possible he weakened the divide enough for this to be coincidence. However..."

"No such thing as coincidence," Kayashima said bleakly, and Kohaku nodded.

"Kamitani-san said that too," he responded. "Which means we have to find the pattern. And that means us going back to barracks and figuring out how and what to do."

"Before you do, there's one other thing I heard, although I don't know what the details are," Katsura clambered nimbly back up into the branches of the tree, perching himself on a lower branch and gazing down at his brother and his friend. "It's maybe something you already know, but in any case, I'll tell you. This is Fourth District, and I've spoken to a lot of people hereabouts. Mitsuki-san is here, isn't she?"

"Mitsuki-san? You mean Edogawa-san? How would Katsura know her?" Kayashima cast Kohaku a glance, and Kohaku's brows knitted together.

"They've met," he said briefly. "I don't know where she's stationed, but somewhere in Fourth, yes. It's some kind of hospital - but I suggest you keep away from it. You'll get her into trouble, Katsura. You shouldn't try to speak to her. Now, or ever. It's too dangerous."

"I'm not going to," Katsura dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "It's just that I heard there was a strange patient for her hospital in these parts recently. I heard someone mention her name, so I figured that was the Edogawa they were talking about. I don't know if the information is useful, but apparently this patient is a shinigami. But nobody knows where he came from. Or who he is."

"A shinigami?" Kohaku stared. "Here? Not an Unohana?"

"Nope. Apparently not," Katsura shook his head. "I'm reporting village hearsay, but it was in this vicinity. And," he offered a grim smile, reaching into the folds of his obi and producing a small shiny stone. Kohaku gasped at the sight of it, and Katsura nodded.

"They found him in this clearing, or hereabouts," he agreed. "And it might be coincidence, but,"

He ran a finger over the stone, and the night sky began to wobble, splitting the air between the trees briefly into a yawning black chasm. Katsura held it open for a moment, then released his grip, allowing it to close behind him.

"There's a Gate here," he said unnecessarily. "Father knew about it. And I do, too. But this one, I can still open. So it might be completely unrelated. It's just that I heard the guy they found, he was flat out unconscious, but everyone's saying he was dressed in really odd, old-fashioned clothing. And his sword was a tachi, not a katana. That's all."

"The Fourth District villagers seem to know more about swords than you do," Kayashima arched an eyebrow, and Katsura shot him a rueful smile.

"The woman who found this person is the wife of a swordsmith, who repairs and maintains the ceremonial blades used in the annual rituals at the Hime's Shrine, inside the Unohana central lands," he said frankly. "They're less than a half-day's ride from here, apparently. I know nothing about all of that superstitious Clan claptrap, but that's what was said about it, and I'm just passing it on."

"For someone in hiding, you seem to talk to a lot of people," Kayashima observed. Katsura shrugged.

"It's the shinigami who are hunting me. Not the ordinary people," he replied. "I bring them food, I help destroy Hollows, or with their house rebuilding, or things like that. I decided, five years ago, that that was my penance and I've kept it up. That's what I do, Kayashima. I might be a murderer and a fugitive, but I'm not a crazy person. I went to Father's grave to check he wasn't involved in this, not because I have a secret corpse fetish. And I'm risking my safety as much as yours right now in meeting you and telling you this. If I can't trust you, I'm probably a dead man - but if I don't take that gamble, a lot more people might die. I don't want that to happen."

"You threatened me when I first arrived," Kayashima objected.

"You shouldn't have been here," Katsura was unrepentant, "but it's all right. I decided five years ago that I wasn't going to fight against the shinigami again. I hide from them so that doesn't happen. Since Koku is a shinigami now, they're not my enemy, and even though I'm still seen as theirs, it doesn't mean I have to make my rap sheet worse."

"You can say that, even though shinigami killed Father?" Kohaku asked softly, and Kayashima shot him a glance.

"Koku?"

"I know what happened to Father," Katsura said evenly. "Don't look at me like that, Koku, I know. I knew before it happened, but I'm not angry. The world is better, now, than it was, then. Even if I have to live like this, I know that's true. Besides, you did what you felt was right. And it probably was right."

"I betrayed Father," Kohaku murmured. Katsura shrugged.

"He betrayed you first," he replied. "Over and over, in a lot of ways. All of us, probably. It's partly his fault my life is like this now, and partly mine. Mitsuki-san said I was a sacrifice for my family, and maybe she was right - but I was fed up with you having to sacrifice everything instead. So it's all right this way. You go back to barracks, now. I may not talk to you again...but if you can get your shinigami friends to do something to stop all of this, then that's enough."

"I'm still re-e-ally confused how you know Edogawa-san," Kayashima glanced between the brothers, and Katsura's expression became haunted.

"She was one of the healers I was sent to kill," he said flatly. "She's also the one I didn't kill. Not killing her taught me that killing the others was wrong, and because of her, I understand what I did. She was kind to me, although I threatened her life. I owe her a debt for killing her friends, too."

He shrugged.

"I have a lot of penance still to do," he reasoned, "and so dying right now would be inconvenient, but the risk is worth it if my being caught and killed now stopped people from dying on a larger scale."

He offered Kohaku a sad smile.

"Take care, little brother," he added. "I've told you everything I know about this, and I'm not involved, but if the Gotei waste time on me, they might miss something else. I think that shinigami who was found here is suspicious. Oh, and another thing,"

His eyes slid across to Kayashima.

"I won't be in Fourth District after tonight, so if you do want to report me, it will be too late," he added. "I came here simply to meet Koku somewhere safe. I have other plans, so I'd save your breath."

With that he winked at his brother, then disappeared up into the branches of the trees. There was a rustle, then silence, and Kohaku sighed, closing his eyes briefly.

"We should go home," he murmured. "I don't know what we can do about this, but since Katsu-nii's taken the risk to tell us, I guess it's over to us to think about what happens next."

* * *

 **Reviews**  
Hi all :)  
A message to the anonymous reviewer who reviewed this story recently...and to all potential reviewers. While I greatly appreciate reviews, a couple of tiny notes?

I would prefer that people leave reviews with a logged in name. That way I can reply directly to you, I do not like having review discussions in my AN for obvious reasons, and I like to reply to my reviewers! Normally I would say this in a PM but as I am not able to PM anon reviewers, it goes here...

This is a small twitch, but if possible I'd prefer that people didn't review the whole of Meifu and sequels in the Tenka Ransei reviews. If you have comments to make on other stories, please review those stories, and if you have constructive comments to make on those stories, please do so on the relevant chapters so that I can understand what issues are being raised.

It's been five years since I wrote any of the Meifu/Sukuse stories, so it's a long time since I wrote them and I might not remember everything that is being reviewed unless it is being reviewed in the right place. This story is also not Meifu or Sukuse, but Tenka Ransei, so it makes sense to review Tenka Ransei here, and the other stories separately in their own places.

With thanks from your overworked author :)


	24. Into the Dangai

**Chapter 23: Into the Dangai**

"Niichan, where are we going?"

Homare pulled the moth-eaten cloak more firmly around her thin shoulders, turning to gaze at her companion with a questioning look in her young eyes. It was just before dawn, and the first rays of spring sun were beginning to spread across the vivid green of the Fourth Division horizon, illuminating the fields and trees in their warm glow. The small village that sprawled out between the patches of thick forest, encircling the old well, was quiet still at this time. Before long Katsura knew that the early traders would begin to bustle about, preparing their wares to take to the central market in order to get the best positions before the day's sales began. He had spent a lot of time in this area during his travels, and knew the customs of the Fourth residents well. Peaceful and unsuspicious thanks to their long years under Unohana rule, they had welcomed him each time he had visited without worrying about his reasons for travelling in and out, and he had initially intended to stay here, at least for a while, in order to find Homare a safe place to grow up. Fourth District was the perfect place for that, he told himself regretfully, as he tied together the last of his belongings, slinging them over his shoulder and reaching out a hand to take Homare's little fingers in his. Staying here would be his preference, but after the meeting the night before, he knew he could not risk it.

 _Koku is one thing, but I don't know that it's a good idea if other shinigami get to know I was in this place. That Kayashima guy called himself Koku's friend, and maybe he is, but he might think that reporting my whereabouts is in Koku's best interests. It's better for my brother if I'm somewhere else, and if I leave Homare here, she's clearly going to be in danger. She knows Koku, too, so that means we leave._

"We're going somewhere pretty," he said to her out loud now, as she closed her hand trustingly around his outstretched one. "It's not a long walk today, I promise. I've found a different path we can take, and we'll get there really quickly."

"Somewhere pretty?" Homare looked doubtful. "Here is pretty. Somewhere prettier than this?"

"Somewhere where, at this time of the year, the trees are so full with blossoms they're like floral clouds," Katsura agreed. "It's a place where, in the spring, there are so many petals on the ground that the grass seems like a sea of pink. People even say the scattering petals look like flowery rain. It's something that only one part of Seireitei ever has, and only for a short time. I thought you'd like to see it, before the blooms are all gone."

"A sea of pink? Petal rain?" Homare's eyes became huge and Katsura eyed her fondly, knowing that her child's imagination was struggling to put together his words into a kind of mental image. "Are you sure? Is there really a place like that?"

"There is, but you'll need to trust me," Katsura warned her. "We're going to take a little walk into the forest. There is some danger, if we go there. The people there don't know me, but if they did realise I was in their land, they might not be happy."

"All the shinigami hate you, don't they?" Homare sighed gustily, but nodded her head. "What about Kohaku-niichan? Does he hate you, too?"

"What about Koku?" Katsura eyed her in surprise, and Homare shrugged.

"We sent him a letter," she reminded him. "I know you went out last night, Niichan. I stayed where I was, because you made me promise not to go out in the dark without you. But I knew you'd gone out. I always know when you're gone. It's too quiet, and I don't like it, so it wakes me up."

Katsura's brows furrowed together in consternation.

 _Are you saying that you can sense my reiatsu? I thought I'd got my level of control down. The shinigami don't seem to be able to trace me and even Koku doesn't seem to be able to find me any more. Have I let my guard down around you too much?_

"Niichan?" Homare seemed to sense Katsura's discomfort, for she squeezed his hand tightly. "I'm all right. I'm not scared. I just don't like when you go away. I'd rather go with you, even if it's dangerous. I want to help, and you're my Niichan now. When you go away, I get worried that you won't come back. That's all. It's lonely, and I don't want to be alone again."

"Well, that's why we're going together," Katsura said softly. "The trees are very tight together through here, so be careful of the branches, all right? It's still quite dark and some of them can be sharp. I don't want you to get scratched."

"They are very close together," Homare agreed, ducking beneath one branch and pushing a second aside so that it could not get tangled in her hair. "It's like they're all friends, isn't it? A really close family living together in this space like this. Don't you think so?"

"I hadn't thought about it that way," Katsura admitted, and Homare sighed again.

"You don't ever think of things being a family, that's why," she scolded him, and the perception of her comment almost caused him to disregard his own advice and walk straight into the trunk of a nearby pine tree. "You always want to think about things like you're on your own. That's why I don't like it, when you leave. When you're there, we feel like family, but when you go, I don't know. I don't know if you think of us as family, and that's what I don't like."

Katsura paused, gazing at Homare with a stricken look of comprehension.  
 _  
So that's it. It's not my reiatsu you sense at all. I've spent too long in a mindset created by that crazy lunatic that raised me, but it's nothing so complicated as that. It has nothing to do with spirit power. You sense when I'm not there because you consider me family and you love me. That's why you notice when I'm gone. I've let you become too attached to me, and even if I'd tried to leave you behind, it wouldn't do any good. I'm sorry, Homare. I've maybe damaged your life by not realising it sooner...that just because I don't consider myself to be properly alive, or connected to people any more, it doesn't mean other people can't see me differently.  
_  
"I promised to take you with me," he told her now. "I promised, and we're going. You needed a good night's sleep, that's all. And I did speak with my brother, but I need you to promise never to ask about him or it again. It would be dangerous for him if you did - and he is the only family I really have, now. Other than you, of course."

"I promise," Homare agreed easily. "So long as you won't leave me behind, it's okay."

She pushed her way through some more tree branches, then,

"Are we going to climb up the trees? The path is so narrow, it's hard to get through."

"It is, but there's a clearing just through this patch," Katsura told her. "There's a gateway there that can take us to the place with the cherry blossoms, like I told you."

"A...Gate? In the middle of a forest?" Homare was confused, and Katsura nodded.

"I opened it last night, as a test," he admitted. "I wanted to see whether anyone reacted to the fact it had been disturbed. Nobody has, though, so I think it's safe. I think it's probably off the grid, or if it isn't, the Unohana aren't watching it. I thought that might be the case, because someone else opened it a little while ago, and nobody's tried to investigate it since then, either. If I can open it, it means we can go through."

"I don't really understand," Homare admitted, "but I'll come with you."  
 _  
I suppose there's no reason why you would._

Katsura sent the young girl a fond grin, appreciating her innocence all the more for the heavy doubts and worries that had begun weighing down his thoughts in the past few weeks.  
 _  
I'm glad you don't know about anything sinister or dark, because it helps me keep from being there, too. I don't want to remember Father, but it's hard not to. I betrayed him too, that last time we spoke, and he told me then that I should never come back. I haven't told Koku that. He doesn't know how hostile it was between us in that last conversation, after Sakaki died. He doesn't know how much I regret it - that those words were the last ones I said to my father. Whatever he was, I left open regret in our relationship and I wish I had not. Koku's duty might have been to bring it all to an end, but mine was to see out my life for my family's sake, and I didn't succeed. Having Homare is like having a second chance at that...and maybe that's what's keeping me from breaking down completely.  
_  
He navigated his slim body deftly over a low-lying branch, gently pulling Homare over with him and setting her down on the ground at the edge of the clearing.

 _Testing Gates before using them for the first time was also one of Father's lessons. I opened this one when Koku and his friend were here to see what kind of response it got. I gambled, but I'm sure that shinigami came out of it. There's no other explanation, yet when they found him, no officers were sent to examine the scene or to force the Gate. Father knew about it, but maybe the Gotei don't. I don't know what all that means, but Father used to say that the Gotei's current records on Senkaimon and Zaimon were paltry, inadequate and hugely incomplete. It's a gamble, assuming I can take this pathway and hack it enough from the inside to reach Sixth District without being detected, but it's too far to make Homare walk in a short space of time. Shunpo means actively using my spirit power, so that's out. This is the best bet._

His eyes narrowed as he strode across the copse, checking to make sure there was no sign of disturbance or spiritual trap since the night before. He could faintly sense his brother's reiatsu, and that of the stranger, but to his relief it was only a faint trace and it would probably soon dissipate on the morning breeze.

 _Koku said there'd been another incident like the others in Sixth District, at the same time as the one that I rescued him from. If that's true, then I need to investigate. If my assumptions are right, it'll be in the place where Father had Kuchiki Ribari killed. The other Gates were in Father's chain, so that one must be too. If it's like the others, though, I can't open it. That means I'll have to aim for a different one, and just hope for the best that I don't get caught out._

"Where's the Gate?" Homare dusted the stray leaves from her cloak, gazing around her in confusion. "I don't see anything, oniichan. Just grass and trees. That's all."

"Come stand over here," Katsura held out his hand to her, and she skipped across the ground towards him, sliding her fingers back into his. He rummaged in the folds of his sash with his free hand, pulling out the shiny spirit stone that his father had given him as a spiritual key years earlier, when he had first begun travelling between Seireitei and Rukongai.

"Watch," he told his companion softly, rubbing his index finger across the stone. It glittered faintly, and then the air shook and juddered, beginning to rip apart the scenery into a gaping black hole beyond. Homare let out a little gasp, slipping behind him and watching the Gate yawn open with amazement and a little bit of apprehension.

"That's a Gate?" she whispered, and Katsura nodded.

"It's a shinigami Gate. Sort of." he said carefully. "A very old one, though, and they don't use it any more. It's all right. It's safe. You keep hold of my hand and we'll be fine. It won't take long, Homare. Soon we'll be in Sixth District, and you can see the cherry blossoms. It'll be worth it, I promise. They're very pretty and you'll have fun."  
 _  
And I'll hopefully find out if this site is like the others, and see whether it is another one of Father's Gates that's at the root of the whole problem._

* * *

The Seventh District copse was just as eerie in the dead of night as he remembered.

Tenichi ducked beneath the heavy branches of the budding willow trees, pausing to ascertain his bearings among the greenery. Behind him, he could hear the soft rustle of his two companions, negotiating their way through the thick undergrowth, and he let out his breath in a heavy gust of regret, shaking his head to clear it of the memory of his last visit. Then, Keitarou had brought him, keeping a promise that had ultimately put his own life at risk. This gloomy clearing was the last resting place of Tenichi's father, a man who was in some ways an enigma and a ghost in the recesses of Tenichi's mind. He had been the man who had died to protect Keitarou, and had made himself a martyr to the rebel cause, but he had also sent away Tenichi, his mother and his brother, as if trying to separate them from the darkness that had engulfed his own life. He had been Keitarou's closest ally, a man for whom the scientist had shed tears, but he had also been the one to protect and conceal the location of the Kitsune, the disgraced branch of the Urahara from which Izumi and her brother were descended. He had been both a hero and a villain at the same time, but, as he stepped across the familiar grove, Tenichi realised that he did not really understand who his father had been, and whether he had really been any kind of a father at all.

"This must be pretty weird for you, huh?" Nakata's voice at his elbow made him turn, and he shrugged, sending his friend a rueful smile.

"The last time I came here, Keitarou brought me," he said frankly. "He wanted me to help him smuggle supplies for the people in the Rukon, and he brought me here to show me he was in earnest about my father's grave. I wouldn't ever forget it. I'm glad he told me...but in some ways, that was the beginning of everything else, and because I came here, I ended up in prison."

He knelt down on the ground, pushing aside the ferns and decayed leaf matter until he exposed the worn stone beneath.

"Keitarou never wrote Father's name on it," he added. "He didn't dare, he said, in case it was found and Father was dug up. He was a traitor and his corpse was stolen by Keitarou so that it wasn't burned like the others who died under Endou torture. Shikiki said Keitarou cried when Father died, and I believe her. For some reason, I think Keitarou did love my father - even if that led to Father being killed."

"Keitarou seems like the kind of person who dooms those he loves to death by their connection to him," Hajime strode up behind them, gazing down at the stone impassively. "This is the place, Kotetsu? This is your father's grave?"

"Yes, sir," Tenichi nodded, tracing his finger over the faded character for 'friend' that had been crudely scratched into the stone. "Keitarou marked it with this one character, so that he'd always know. Shikiki confirmed that this is where Father was buried, so I know he told me the truth. Endou-taichou said that he was going to erect a proper memorial here, now that he'd had a chance to speak to me about it, and I think that would be nice...but that's not why you brought me here, is it? Father's corpse isn't important right now. What is is finding Keitarou's Gate."

"It's creepy, here," Nakata reflected. "I can see why Keitarou chose it. Nobody would come looking here for a stolen corpse."

"Kotetsu, how much do you remember about what happened here?" Hajime turned away from the grave, glancing around the surrounding clearing with a pensive gaze. "I won't lie, this is not the errand I would have chosen to come on, and I would sooner not discharge it reminiscing on the fate of your dead Father."

"Hajime-dono," Nakata's eyes widened at this brusque remark, but Tenichi offered a rueful smile.

"It's all right, sir. I agree," he said frankly. "If anything that happened when Keitarou was messing with me is useful to the Captain then I'd like to be of help. Taichou said he wanted me to try and remember where the Gate was, that Keitarou used from Rukongai to bring me here. I know that the Kitsune found me somewhere around here," he gestured. "I remember Ichimaru-san using her hypnosis to knock me out. I don't remember anything after that, but we came to the grave from that direction," he pointed, "and the Kitsune came from over there. That means that should be the track that leads to the old mine, and Keitarou's Gate must have been somewhere..."

He gestured wildly to his right, and Nakata laughed.

"With true Urahara scientific precision," he teased. "Your brother's apparently all into that stuff now. I guess prison didn't encourage you to do the same?"

"Prison encouraged me not to re-offend. That's about it." Tenichi retorted smartly. "I learnt to recognise when I was being poisoned, and to detect when someone was waiting for me around a corner with a self-made weapon, even without use of my spiritual senses. Staying alive was my priority. If Ketsui wants to spend his time dabbling in those things, that's up to him. He never spoke much about it when he came to visit me, and I haven't had time to speak to him since my release. Even if he did, I probably wouldn't have much to say on the subject. I'm decidedly not scientific and I've always been more practical, anyway."

"Well, we can investigate," Hajime said briskly, stepping over the gravestone and approaching the area that Tenichi had indicated. "Here, you think?"

"I think so," Tenichi nodded. "We definitely came from that angle. It was very overgrown, but Keitarou came straight to this point. That means it must have been in his view. I got the feeling he came here, sometimes. Not just when he buried Father, but after that. It would make sense for him to have had a Gate in this area."

"Well, there's nothing in the official records about a Gate here, because I checked with Shiketsu-sama this afternoon," Hajime pulled his _zanpakutou_ from its sheath. "I wonder if that means it will respond to my sword, or whether he had it set up to respond to him. Kotetsu, I suppose you don't remember?"

"He used Chudokuga," Tenichi said thoughtfully. "I'm pretty sure, Hajime-dono. But that doesn't mean that he didn't have it set to his own reiatsu. He opened it...and I had cuffs on, so I didn't sense anything."

"That's unfortunate," Hajime clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in irritation, "but I suppose it can't be helped. At least your memories are sound, and that's something to be grateful for."

"Better than pretending to have amnesia, anyway," Nakata elbowed Tenichi pointedly, and Tenichi groaned, casting his friend a grimace.

"Are you ever going to let up on me about that?" he demanded, and Nakata shook his head.

"My job, as Fifth seat and your room-mate, is to keep you on the straight and narrow," he said evenly. "Forgetfulness can harm your health. I'm being a good friend and making sure you keep it in mind."

"Like I'm ever going to forget any of it," Tenichi muttered, and Nakata grinned.

"It's over, though, now," he said matter-of-factly. "Taichou's forgiven you."

"It seems like that," Tenichi agreed, "but you can never be sure. It's a lot to forgive and I'm still on probation."

"No, he has," Nakata assured him. "It's easy to tell. He didn't kill you on your release, so he's forgiven you."

"Comforting to know," Tenichi rolled his eyes. "Come on. We should be helping Hajime-dono find the Gate."

"I think you're right, Kotetsu. I think there's something here," Hajime turned from where he had been investigating a patch of empty atmosphere between the broad trunks of two trees. "This would seem to be a logical place to anchor a Gate, but I can't trigger it open."

He sighed, sheathing his sword.

"I also don't sense anything strange here." he added. "You went to Rukongai, so tell me. What you found there...do you sense it here?"

"You mean, Katsura?" Tenichi's eyes darkened, and Hajime nodded.

"I don't sense him," Nakata leaned up against the trunk of one of the trees, folding his arms across his chest. "I admit, it's been a while, but he had some pretty distinctive reiatsu and it made an impression. I don't think he's been here, Hajime-dono."

"That depends on whether or not we can still trace his movements," Hajime said grimly. "It's possible we can't. I don't know, yet, but he has stayed hidden for a long time. I met him that day too, remember. Not sensing him here doesn't mean he wasn't here. We're remembering five years ago. Kotetsu was in Rukongai recently. It's possible that his perception is different."

"Ohara said that he recognised Katsura from Rukongai, and so did Kikyue-hime," Nakata pointed out. "He can't have changed that much. Suppressing his reiatsu isn't the same as changing it."

"I never met him at all," Tenichi added. "I didn't see him in Rukongai, and I didn't see him at Eighth when he attacked there. I was sent to get help before he appeared, and I wasn't much use in that department. I know less about him than any of you. But," he added, clenching his fists, "if he is causing trouble, and he did do that to those Rukon people, I won't let the lack of introduction stop me from taking him apart. Nobody should be treated like that, no matter who they are. It's unforgivable and I won't forgive it."

"None of us will," Hajime said bleakly. "Well, we know the Gate is here. I won't pretend that I'm happy leaving it, but if I cant open it, I can't destroy it. We'll have to report its coordinates and have Sekime-taichou add it to her list. It makes me wonder how many others there are. Kotetsu, I don't suppose you'd know that?"

"I wish I did," Tenichi admitted. "I was brought to Rukongai through the Gate at Twelfth that's now back on the main network, and I was returned to Seireitei here. That's all that happened. The rest of the time I was in Rukongai, and I never saw any other Gates. I'm sorry, Hajime-dono. Truth is, even if I had, I might not remember so clearly had it not been for Father's grave."

"Well, then I suppose Daisuke-dono has been of service," Hajime turned, bowing his head slightly towards the worn tombstone. "I'm sorry, Kotetsu. It's insensitive, bringing you here, and I'm angry, because I should be leading the mission into the Dangai on Taichou's behalf and the ego of the Eleventh Division is preventing me. I trust Kikyue-hime's ability above my own, but I see her as a target for our missing outlaw. He might hold a grudge against me for wounding him, but if he killed me, it would be far less problematic than if he attacked and hurt Kikyue-hime. Her safety worries me in this, because she is not the kind of officer to shirk her duty in order to protect herself."

"Like I said, sir, if I can be of use, take me where you need me," Tenichi shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe Kikyue-hime will find something key in the Dangai that helps us track Katsura down once and for all."

"I hope so," Hajime frowned. "Either way, there's little to be done about it. The mission leaves there in the morning, and Taichou's word on the subject is final. Kikyue-hime will be going into the Dangai."

* * *

The tunnel was dark and fetid, and the walls trembled slightly as the two strays navigated their way carefully through the darkness. Homare had stayed close to Katsura's side, her tiny fingers gripping the sleeve of her companion's robes tightly as though she thought by doing so he could protect her from the gloom. Glancing at her, Katsura half regretted bringing the young girl this way. Such sub-space transitions were a part of normality for him, but, as he took in Homare's pallor, he remembered that she had only been a Rukon Plus soul a few days before, and that even Seireitei was a new experience for her to handle.

"It isn't much further, now," he told her softly, and the little girl raised her face to his, offering him a faint, but brave smile. She nodded.

"I'm coming too," she said firmly. "I want to see the pretty flowers, Niichan. You did promise."

"I did, and that's where we're headed," Katsura paused, bringing out the silvery spirit stone and gazing at it thoughtfully, judging the way in which the energy rippled across its surface. It was not as accurate as a zanpakutou, but Keitarou had constructed it to allow a broad range of access to Gates known and unknown around Soul Society, and over time it had become attuned to Katsura's specific reiatsu, a security measure that Keitarou had built into the device to make it harder to follow his son's tracks. It was a useful piece of equipment, but it took some imaginative thinking to work out bearings and location based on its spiritual flickers, and Katsura sighed heavily.

"We should be in the right area," he murmured, "but there's no crossroads here, so I think it's a little bit further on. You can still walk, can't you, Homare? I know it's dark and it's still late, outside, but we need to keep going."

"I'm fine," Homare agreed. She shivered, then, "If it means getting out of the tunnel, I'll come."

"Mm," Katsura returned the stone to his sash, taking a firm hold of the child's hand and stepping cautiously forward. He knew the layout of Keitarou's network of passages like the back of his hand, but in entering the Gate in Fourth, he had felt a sense of unease that he had been unable to properly verify. Something powerful had come through that Gate, something he couldn't clearly identify, but something that had ripped its way through space, forcibly carving a tunnel from one location to the other. Some of these tunnels were ancient, put in place by earlier shinigami during their many experimental visits between Seireitei and the Real World, but Katsura had never questioned the science of it before. If they were there and he could use them, that was as much as he had needed to know. Keitarou had simply taught him how to navigate and use the Gates, so he was not aware of all the technical terminology, but at that moment he regretted that fact. His mind flitted back to the conversation with his brother about the old Gates, and he chewed on his lip, remembering what Kohaku had said.

 **"People used to throw criminals in there as a form of punishment. The one that attacked me, I saw his past. I'm sure that's what it was."**

 _Punishment Gates._

Katsura curled his tongue absently against his teeth as he considered this.

 _Father did mention things like that, now I think of it. He said that some of the Gates weren't in shinigami records. Some of them were old Gates that they were ashamed of - Gates people died going through because their science was flawed. And others were the Zaimon, like Kohaku mentioned...Gates they wrote out of their records when they began to think they were sophisticated enough to have moved beyond all that barbaric slaughter. He thought the shinigami knew about maybe thirty percent of existing openings, and that they'd probably never think of connecting the Punishment Gates and using them to augment the network. The Gate I opened in Fourth wasn't a Punishment Gate, though. I don't know the science, but I know they feel different when they open. It was an old Senkaimon, but it was manipulated to open there by something I don't know or understand. It was probably the shinigami they found. I can't risk investigating that, but maybe using this tunnel was a mistake. The atmosphere in here feels...different...and yet it feels the same. It feels neither one thing nor the other, and maybe that's what's bothering me. I've always navigated Father's network by keeping in mind which Gates are proper Senkaimon and which aren't, but it's becoming hard to tell them apart._

He shivered slightly.

 _And there's something else in here. Something dark that I can't put my finger on. If Koku was here, he'd pick it up right away - but I'm not Koku, and all I can say is that it gives me the creeps._

"Niichan, is something wrong?" Homare's voice broke through his thoughts at that point, and he glanced at her, smiling and shaking his head.

"No, nothing," he lied. "I'm just concentrating on finding our path. That's all."

"Look, the path is forked ahead!" Homare let out a little squeal of excitement, pointing and pulling on his hand. "You said that it was a crossroads, right? That must be it! Look!"

"At last," relief flooded Katsura's heart at this, and he quickened his pace, striding eagerly towards the divide in the spiritual tunnel that should lead them down towards one of the hidden openings in Sixth. As they reached the junction, however, Katsura realised that his happiness had been premature. Far from being the stable crossroads that he had anticipated, this divide in the fabric of the tunnel was clearly unsteady, feathery strands of reishi fluttering dangerously against the walls as though they might be ripped free at any time. The first tunnel, to the right, was clearly fragmenting, breaking apart minute by minute even as they watched. In a short space of time it would probably disintegrate into nothing, resealing the Dangai and shutting the pathway off for good. When Katsura glanced at the other fork, however, he felt his heart lurch in his chest, and Homare let out a cry of dismay. In the darkness, mostly hidden by the shadow, was the eerie gleam of a white mask, illuminated only by the glow of the creature's red eyes. This was not a corpse doll, Katsura realised with a jolt, but a proper, formed Hollow, and it had been waiting here, in the Dangai, as if to ambush them.

"Niichan!" Homare was clearly terrified, and Katsura realised that although minutes seemed to have passed, it had been a mere split second. The Hollow was approaching them, its steps purposeful and unhesitating as it bore down on them. As it came into view, Katsura could see the curved edges of clawed fists, and the scaled layer of hierro armour that had mutated across the whole of its body. One hand was empty, reaching out towards them, but it was the contents of the other hand that made Katsura's blood run cold. Gripped firmly between the claws was the unmistakeable form of a severed leg, thin, skeletal and apparently decaying but still recognisable, from the bony toes to the torn fabric that fluttered around its ankle in the fetid air. For a moment Katsura froze, so alarmed by this image that all ideas went from his head. Then, as he became aware once again of the panicked tugging at his arm from his young companion, he forced himself to regain his composure.

He glanced back at the fragmenting right hand fork, seeing that it was still breaking apart, and that he had no time to lose. There would be no going down the left fork, and even if he had wanted to, the dark aura emitting from that tunnel made him determined that it was not a place he really wanted to go.

 _But, it's a Hollow. I can turn it back. I can buy us a little time. I hope._

To think was to act, and he scooped Homare up in his arms, holding her tightly to his chest as he turned to face the Hollow, a look of determination on his face. He closed his eyes, reaching out the tendrils of his psychic energy to intersect with the Hollow's own thought patterns, and wincing slightly as his spiritual wits clashed against the creature's. It was a strong Hollow, he realised, but although it was strong, it was not impervious to his attention, and it let out a roar, stumbling back slightly as Katsura's determined probing began to take control. Katsura took a deep breath, knowing that if he released too much energy he would destroy the delicate right fork for good, cutting off their options for escape into Sixth District. Hoping that he had judged it right, he sent a small psychic pulse across the connection, and the Hollow let out another pained yell, dropping the limb and putting its claws to its head.

As it did so, strange images flashed across Katsura's psyche, disjointed and without any explanation. There was a battlefield, and then there was a soldier, fighting fiercely with an old sword. There was a prison cell, rats gnawing at the chains, and then the forbidding darkness, and the sense of falling that almost made Katsura lose his balance completely. These images were incoherent, lost fragments of a memory no longer clearly formed, but, beneath all of those images was another. It was the image of a world, in black and white, with a crescent moon that glittered overhead. In that image, Katsura briefly saw battered, bloody soldiers, lying unconscious on the ground. Their blood stained the white purity of the sand that lay beneath them. Someone was with them, watching them...and then there was nothing but pain, darkness and anger.

Katsura had seen enough. He hurriedly severed the connection, tightening his hold on Homare and turning towards the right fork, plunging into it without a moment of hesitation. Homare was screaming, now, tears glittering on her cheeks, but he ignored her, shaken by the images he had pulled from the Hollow's mind. All around them, the darkness was shredding, and the tunnel was losing definition, the walls wobbling and swaying as they tried to reform. Soon, there would be no tunnel left, but Katsura was not Keitarou's son for nothing, and, as it seemed as though they must be sucked into the non-space that lurked behind the tunnel walls, he fumbled for the spirit stone, dragging it from his sash with a free index finger and using it to force an opening. The wall suddenly yawned open to reveal the night sky, and Katsura said an inward prayer for a safe landing, leaping through the jagged divide. It was a few metres fall, and he gripped Homare tightly, holding her close to him and absorbing the brunt of the impact into his own skinny body. They landed on grass, but it was a heavy enough landing that it winded him, and for a moment he just lay there, gazing up at the stars and the Seireitei moon as the Dangai opening shuddered and disappeared into nothing.

"Niichan? Niichan, are you all right?"

Homare's panic penetrated his weary consciousness, and he turned, casting her a pained glance. He nodded.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean it to be quite like that. The Gates are normally a lot safer. Something's happening to them...something that I didn't expect."

"I don't want to go in one of them again," Homare said emphatically, and Katsura reached out a bruised hand to pat her on the shoulder.

"I promise," he told her, pulling his aching body up into a sitting position. "I promise, but we made it. It's not quite what I intended, but we're in Sixth District. I know it's dark, but," he scooped a handful of dropped petals from the grass, holding them out to her. "We've found your flowers. Tomorrow, we'll be surrounded by them. I think that'll make it all worth it."

"I suppose so," Homare took the petals, turning them over thoughtfully in her hand, then, "Niichan, why was there a Hollow in that tunnel?"

"I don't know," Katsura frowned, remembering the strange sequence of images he had picked up from the Hollow's psyche. "I don't know, but I don't like it. I've never seen a Hollow inside a Gate before."

"I guess you really can stop Hollows, though," Homare snuggled down against him, casting him a grin. "You made it go away. You made it stop. That was brave, Niichan. You're really very cool."

"If we'd been here, I'd have destroyed it, but I didn't want to damage the tunnel any more," Katsura sighed. "I'm sorry that I scared you with my shortcut. I'll think differently next time."

"It's all right. We're here, and we're safe, so I'm fine," Homare assured him. "The Hollow didn't come out with us, and the Gate is closed now, so it won't find us again."

Katsura glanced down at her, a troubled expression in his dark eyes.  
 _  
Maybe that's true, but I'm still shaken up. I've controlled Hollows before. I've never forged any kind of bond with one whereby it scared me. What was that, anyway? Was it what Koku said, about the dead man and his memory? But that was a dead corpse, and Koku said he wasn't remembering it. It was just decaying spirit energy that my brother picked up. Hollows aren't dead. They're mutated spirit entities, but I can reach out and control them because they have a psyche and no control or barriers to prevent my invading them. This one, though, had memories. It had memories like Koku described...and then that place. A black and white place, with a crescent moon overhead._

He glanced up, taking in the full moon with a grimace.  
 _  
I don't understand what happened, but I do know something. Whatever is going on with the Dangai isn't just affecting the Dangai. Father always said that the Zaimon opened into polluted space and I never really listened, but right now, I wish I had. Whether he'd have an explanation for all this or not, I don't know, but the tunnels had changed and the fact that the one we came through was falling apart just proves that. The entire atmosphere was saturated with something dark - some kind of reiatsu, but nothing I have ever sensed before. And then the Hollow...where did it come from? Hollows can't open Senkaimon, so how did it get there unless it was already inside to begin with? And where was it trying to go? Was it trapped in there, because something happened to close off its way out? There have been fewer Hollows in Seireitei of late, but I never thought that maybe that was because they were in the Dangai, and their usual path might have been closed. And it had a corpse leg in its hand. Was it trying to open the Gate that the corpses broke in Sixth? In which case, have Hollows been using Dangai space all this time to get to Seireitei, and we just never knew because before Father meddled, the Senkaimon were secure and separate entities that Hollows couldn't enter? Have they been using the Zaimon from the start, and I just never realised it before? When Father died, did he do something...something none of us knew about, to leave chaos even after he died? Or is it just coincidence that all this is happening now?_

He chewed hard on his lip, tasting blood.  
 _  
Maybe you did more damage than I realised, Father, when you decided to make the Zaimon part of your network. Either way, Homare and I are lucky to be alive. And, somehow, I have to find a way to warn Koku and tell him that shinigami should not go into the Dangai...because right now there's no guarantee anyone can get out of there alive._

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**  
It's Juushirou's birthday! _

_It's also 1 year since Tenka Ransei was first uploaded and Meifu's anniversary as well._

 _And I wanted to wish people a Merry Christmas if you celebrate. Have some new chapters...;)_


	25. Touching the Past

**Chapter Twenty Four: Touching the Past  
**

"Well, at least it isn't raining."

Takasugi adjusted his sword at his waist with a sigh, offering Kikyue a rueful smile. "I can just imagine what this grove is like when it's wet. Muddy underfoot would be an understatement. I reckon it's probably a swamp."

It was a little after dawn, and the Seventh Division officers had arrived in Sixth District, in the cherry grove, where a scientific investigation was already well under way. The Twelfth had been in situ all night long, tuning instruments and testing coordinates until they had located the trace emissions of the Gate from which the corpses had spewed forth. Now, six or seven officers were hard at work building a temporary frame around the stretch of space where the Gate was thought to be, passing pieces of unknown equipment to each other with unintelligible instructions about this angle or that algorithm. Opening the Gate was clearly a more complex task than opening a Senkaimon, and although Kikyue was impatient to be off, she squashed the instinct inside of her, all too aware that there was no safety in haste. Hirata had told her to trust the Twelfth's science and to adhere to their instructions, and she had made sure that her men had had the same information. In the end, she had brought six officers, including both Takasugi and Hashimori. Although the sun was now fully risen, there had not yet been the order to advance, and Takasugi, always an active, impulsive soul, was starting to get restless at the delay.

"We're lucky Guren-sama's allowed us to come here at all," Hashimori, a quiet, professional officer who numbered among Hajime's patrol cast his companion a reproving look now. "I don't think our neighbours would be so gracious if they knew you were commenting on the natural conditions rather than focusing on why we're here. We won't be patrolling in mud, Takasugi-san. We're going into the Gate, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't rain inside the Dangai."

"Who knows what it does in there, lately?" Kikyue stretched her arms over her head with a sigh, casting a resentful glance across the clearing to where Ikata was holding forth to a group of seven or eight Eleventh Division officers. The Eleventh had already been there when Kikyue and her men had arrived, for they had had one final briefing from Hajime and their Captain before they had been allowed to leave the Seventh barracks. It had meant that Ikata had taken the opportunity to deploy his men as close to the Dangai Gate opening as was possible, forcing the Seventh Division officers to stand a little at a distance from where Mareiko and her team from the Twelfth were busily buzzing around. Though the Gate was normally invisible, Mareiko's equipment had made a slightly hazy shadow appear in the air and at the sight of it, Ikata had muscled forward, announcing in a boorish voice to his men that they should be ready to go in and 'defend Seireitei' at a moment's notice. His voice was loud, carrying through the clearing and sending disgruntled birds flying up into the air, but somehow Mareiko had kept her focus, ignoring her neighbour's adjutant and concentrating instead on the extremely precise scientific instruments she had brought along with her. Her hair was in its usual straw scarecrow disarray, and she was not wearing her haori, as though she had forgotten to put it on before leaving the Twelfth. Yet despite her haphazard appearance, there was nothing for Kikyue or her companions to be amused at. The reality of their mission was heavy over all of their shoulders, but none more so than Kikyue herself.  
 _  
This place is where Guren-sama's son died._

She glanced around at the slightly dishevelled cherry grove, taking in the broken branches and scarred trees that indicated Guren-sama's own encounter with the undead. It was still pretty and scattered with pink, but there were strange marks and unidentified stains that soaked some of the older petals, while in other places, the flowers had been swept away and removed completely, exposing stretches of muddy grass where there was usually a carpet of sakura. It was completely different from the place where Kikyue had seen her injured brother, bloodstained and gasping for air on the grass, but it reminded her of that moment, anyway. Guren-sama had suffered in the same way as her father had, years before she or her brother had even been born, and although she had never met Ribari, nor thought of him before, at that moment she fancied she could imagine him, his expression one of terror as he sank into his final coma.  
 _  
My aunt killed him with poison. The girl who killed Souja-niisama is dead, and good riddance, but Aunt Eiraki is still alive, in custody, and well looked after. She may have lost her mind when Keitarou died, but Guren-sama lost his chance for justice. In spite of that, and in spite of Father's decision to take care of Eiraki-basama, Guren-sama has agreed to work with my family. He's given permission for us to desecrate this place further in order to find the one behind it. If Katsura is here, and we find him, then our debt to the Kuchiki will be great - but coming here myself makes me remember what our families share. We both want closure to Keitarou's reign of terror...and we will both never find it, because of loved ones we lost who can't be brought back._

She sighed, folding her arms against her body and sending Ikata a look of disatisfaction.

 _Guren-sama is the same as Father. He lacks a son and heir. But he has Shirogane-dono and Ryuu-dono. Father's male nephews are Kohaku and Katsura. Kohaku may not be a problem, but Katsura is. Guren-sama lost his son, but his nephews are loyal and reliable. Father has Sayuri and I to take care of him, but in our case, there's one nephew who might well kill us all if he had the chance. I suppose that I can't blame Father for the final briefing this morning. He's worried about that...even though he knows he can trust me, he can't help worrying about that._

"Hime, do you think we'll actually be able to get inside?" Takasugi asked the question at that juncture, and Kikyue turned, nodding her head.

"Sekime-taichou sent word that she'd successfully opened and disabled the Gate near the border camp, in Third District," she said. "This one should be the same, and so she should be able to open it."

"And destroy it?" Hashimori looked apprehensive. "If she does that, how will we get back?"

"Guren-sama wants it removed, once and for all, so I assume she has another solution for our return," Kikyue shrugged. "I leave that to her. She's the scientist. I'm pretty sure she won't let anyone go in there unless she's certain we can get out again."

"I suppose we're about to find out," Takasugi indicated in the direction of the Twelfth officers, who had begun to stand back from the makeshift frame, exchanging glances and nods of approval. "It looks like they're done, which means we're on. About time, too. I know this can't be rushed, but I admit, I don't like waiting around when there might be danger ahead. If it's going to be rough, I'd rather be getting my teeth stuck into it, rather than standing about and dwelling."

"Ikata-dono, Kikyue-dono, may I speak with you both, please?" Mareiko brushed her messy hair back from her face, turning to look for the two senior officers, and Ikata immediately muscled forward, sending Kikyue a glare that dared her to try and take his prime position. Kikyue bristled at the challenge, but she swallowed her hunter's indignation, merely crossing the clearing to stand at his left hand.

"I'm sorry for the wait. I wanted to make sure it would hold open long enough to allow you all to enter safely," Mareiko offered them both a weary smile, and Kikyue could see the clouded preoccupation in her gaze. Mareiko didn't like the order she had been given, she realised with a jolt. Mareiko was opening the Gate, but she wasn't happy with the idea of people going inside it.

 _That means it's probably a lot more dangerous than we think it is, and that's why she's taken so much time over it. Because she doesn't know how stable it might be inside. Destroying it is one thing, but making sure we can enter is another_.

"The Gate is ready to be opened," the Captain spoke now, reaching into her obi and producing two glittering round disks. "These are Gate Keys. I have one for each of you, as the two officers in command of this mission."

"I am the officer in charge, Sekime-taichou," Ikata protested, and Sekime nodded.

"Yes, I know, but you have a Third Seat to back you up, and it makes sense that you have the option to divide forces to investigate if need be," she said calmly. "A back-up plan is always useful, and so I made sure there was a second key. Here you are, Ikata-dono. Here's yours, Kikyue-dono. They won't open the Gate from the outside, but they ought to activate a stable Gate from the inside. We've done some tests at Twelfth and we've proven that they successfully activate the Gate there. When you go in, I will seal this Gate behind you. The Keys won't operate this Gate, and I don't really want us to use it again because I'm not convinced it's very steady. It might prove dangerous, if we were to try and force the issue. For that reason, I've linked the Keys to the Gate by the Twelfth. You should be able to return directly to Inner Seireitei from any point in the Dangai where this has a signal. So long as you don't stray from the Dangai map, there should be no risk."

"We're going to patrol everywhere," Ikata glanced at his Key, then shoved it into his broad obi with a shrug. "I suppose it's a good thing, though, coming back to Inner Seireitei. Sixth is a long way from home and it's a trek. We can report more easily that way, and then my Captain won't moan that I'm wasting good time."

"How does it work, Sekime-taichou?" Kikyue sent Ikata a withering glance, then glanced at the fair-haired Captain. "Is it tuned to a specific reiatsu, or is it possible for any of my men to use it if the need arises?"

"Why would you let your underlings use it?" Ikata demanded, and Kikyue offered him a flinty smile.

"I prepare for all possibilities," she said calmly. "If I can't activate it, someone else may need to."

"It's not tuned to a specific reiatsu," Mareiko shook her head. "It can't be activated by anyone who doesn't possess a _zanpakutou_ , and your reiatsu alone should make the connection. The Keys will resonate to the _zanpakutou_ aura of the person who holds them, and they will react accordingly if triggered to open the Gate. I will keep track of them while they are in the Dangai, and hopefully be able to log your location based on the _zanpakutou_ signature. None of the sample corpses that have emerged from in there have had those kinds of weapons to hand, and we've no reason to believe that they have conscious thought or the ability to plan or steal items. The Keys can be activated once but only by someone with at the very least _shikai_ in their command. Your officers should be able to activate it, if there is an emergency, but I would advise you keep it yourself unless there is such a need."

"I was going to," Kikyue assured her, sliding her own disk into her obi. "Are you going to disable this Gate after we go inside?"

"I don't think that is a good idea," Mareiko looked troubled. "I will, of course. But I will wait for your safe return, first. It must be shut down, but I won't risk your lives. I don't know what kind of reaction it might cause, internally. There were some ripples of energy when I closed the one in District Three, and I was a little alarmed by the readings. This Gate is just as unstable. I would sooner you were not inside when I closed it permanently...so I will put a temporary seal on it, and the formal disabling will happen when you are back and debriefed."

"That makes sense," Ikata nodded approvingly. "Well, then, we've got our tools. I've briefed my men, and Kikyue-dono," he glanced insolently at the young Endou princess, "you and yours just follow along with mine. I know you've probably been told to look for that Katsura guy, and I don't really care if you do - but we're here to investigate and I'd thank you for not interfering with Eleventh's work. If you're coming with my squad, you follow my orders. Is that clear? That's what the Vice Captains agreed, including yours."

"Ikata-dono, I think that Kikyue-hime..." Mareiko began, but Kikyue held up her hands, offering Mareiko a rueful grimace.

"I've had my orders," she said briskly. "Ikata-dono, we are at your disposal. We are looking for Katsura. We're not interested in impeding Eleventh's mission here, and I'm sure you won't mind us pursuing our specific ends once inside."

"So long as it's clear," Ikata rumbled, and Mareiko sighed, turning back towards the Gate.

"We're ready to open it," she told the nearest officer, who saluted, hurrying towards the equipment. At a signal, all of the officers present drew their swords from their scabbards, plunging their blades deep into the frame at different points. Mareiko strode between them, her hands pressed together as she muttered what sounded like some kind of new and complex kidou spell. Energy flared forth from her hands, connecting to the energy field the zanpakutou had ignited, and, as Kikyue watched, the crackling reiatsu surged together, forcibly ripping open the hazy shadow trapped within the flame. It wobbled for a moment, as though about to close right up again, but as Mareiko intensified her focus, it stabilised, the edges of the tear held open by the frame. Mareiko lowered her hands, gesturing for Ikata and Kikyue to come forward again.

"Inside is not quite normal," she said softly. "I don't really know what will happen when you go in, but I suggest you keep a close focus on your reiatsu, and don't try to use Kidou or your sword releases inside the tunnels. I know this is a normal safety warning," as Ikata opened his mouth to protect, "but in this case it is particularly serious and you may meet hostile entities in the tunnels. We don't know if there are more corpse dolls lurking there, so you must be prepared to avoid them or deal with them in a non-spiritual way. Sealed swords should be fine, but most of all you need to retain focus. We've done some tests and the walls of the tunnel in Third District were feather-thin and prone to fragmenting. My officers found that if they kept their own reiatsu very controlled, they were able to forge a replacement pathway beneath their feet to fill any gaps, but it would be dangerous if you lost concentration. With luck, this Gate is better than that one - but I can't be sure, so it's better to be prepared. So long as you don't let your spirit power flare, you should be fine. If you do, it could be dangerous for all of you."

"Nobody is to release their swords or use Kidou until further notice," Ikata raised his voice, barking out the orders to all the assembled officers as though they had not been in close enough earshot to hear Mareiko's own words. "We'll take out any enemies the good old fashioned way, with blades and fists. I've heard the Endou are warriors," this last to Kikyue, "so I imagine your men are capable of that."

"They are, more than," Kikyue said softly, although she could sense the flaring indignation in the reiatsu of her associates. "We are ready to go in when when you are, Ikata-dono. The Endou are proper fighters, and they won't be found lacking on this mission. You have my word."

* * *

The Spirit Archive was one of the oldest and biggest constructions in the heart of Inner Seireitei.

Built several centuries earlier, at a time when the Clans of Seireitei had come together to form the first, raw Council of Elders, it contained books, records and documents donated over the years by each family as they changed leaders and evolved their political power bases. While the oldest and most obscure records for the whole of Seireitei still resided in Sixth District, copies of every legal document and formal report dating back several milennia was meant to have been drafted, copied and secured in the bowels of the Archive, to enable shinigami of any faction to do the necessary research to carry out their job. These days, many of the most used and accessible records in the lower landings of the building pertained to Gotei law, a more recent development that had come into play with the formalisation of Shinigami routine. Land documents, official supply records and receipts and material relating to spirit power, kidou and shunpo were also easily accessible to all registered squad members on entering the building. Deeper within, however, lay the Restricted section - an area reserved for Clan Leaders and Captains. It was here that some of the older or more controversial historical records from Seireitei's past were secured away from the prying eyes of the rank and file, and it was here, to this part of the Archive that Shunsui had come that morning.

The room in which he now found himself was long, and dark, with wooden shelves that ran floor to ceiling. Each shelf contained rows of scrolls, all neatly rolled and ribboned in what was a roughly chronological system. In theory, all of the scrolls deposited here had been placed in a specific order, and each scroll had a number which associated with a formal list. When he had asked for the list with the archivists, however, he had discovered that it, along with some other catalogue paperwork had been destroyed by mice and insects, and the remains had long since been burned. While records pertaining to actively useful material had been reconstructed, nobody had thought to come down here and do the same, and so the numbers that were scribed in black ink on each shelf below a pile of scrolls were now like a secret code that had lost all meaning with the destruction of its cipher. The scrolls were all neatly stored, Shunsui mused, as he walked slowly between them, pausing occasionally to peer at a faded label on the shelf, but they had not been disturbed for some centuries, and the dust lay thickly over them, concealing Clan motifs and the ornate patterns of the wrapping silk from view. There was no natural light here, the room powered by kidou lamps which had also clearly seen better days, for they flickered at intervals, making the entire chamber claustrophobic and eerie.

The files stored in this room had essentially been discarded here by Clans choosing to make room in their own smaller archives for more recent and relevant material. Only the Kuchiki, with their traditional role as record-keepers of Seireitei had not used this place as a literary tip. The records stored here were significantly old - some, Shunsui presumed, were even older than Genryuusai, and a few were written in such ancient form of script that nobody in this age was able to read them. This was the archive devoted to pre-Council Seireitei history - a catalogue of skirmishes, warfare and military coups that stretched back to time immemorial.

Shunsui had been forced to learn large swathes of his own family history as a boy, under duress and often in a locked room, under guard. His suspicious and power-hungry uncle had seen to instilling in him a knowledge of his ancestors, but even that forced education had been essentially recent. There had been only the briefest mention of Heaven's War in those lessons, and nothing of its aftermath, when soldiers had been thrown into the Dangai. In fact, as Shunsui reflected on those lessons now, he felt certain the name had only come up in reference to rewards of land and title awarded for brave military service.

 _Well, I know the Kyouraku is a newer Clan compared to some of the others. That's one reason why we got District Eight. The Endou and the Kyouraku only became formally recognised as Great Noble Houses long after the others were already established. There was never a Kyouraku Province, and whatever land and title my ancestors held came originally from military service to the Yamamoto. There's no reason that we'd have been taught about something that happened before we existed as a family - and the Kyouraku are rarely interested in things that don't involve them as chiefly important.  
_  
Shunsui sighed, pausing at a particular stack of rolls with a grimace. What was held here would take a lot of time to go through, and he wasn't entirely sure yet what it was he was looking for. Since Juushirou's visit, he had been pondering the problem of Katsura's odd behaviour, and the frightening possibility that the dead that had been spewed out into parts of Rukongai and Seireitei might be from a time earlier than even Genryuusai could remember. The Kuchiki records of Heaven's War and the conflicts that came before it would almost certainly be more neatly and tidily organised, but Shunsui knew that negotiating with Seireitei's illustrious First Clan over access to such precious and ancient paperwork would be difficult and likely to raise suspicion. The Kuchiki had risen to prominence over the other families in a time period that Shunsui estimated probably coincided with Heaven's War, when they had been appointed the first Seireitei-born Regents and had received the imperial mandate to govern on the Soul King's behalf. As Seireitei had militarised, the position of Regent had not endured, but the reputation had, and Shunsui felt sure that any tiny detail that showed the Kuchiki in anything but a positive light had long since been spirited away into oblivion. Shunsui was not foolish enough to believe that the Kuchiki had not been involved in the tasteless practice of consigning villains to the Dangai, but the practice had ended not long after Heaven's War had been concluded, and Shunsui had had to acknowledge that it had probably been these Seireitei-born Regents who, deciding it was unpleasant, had brought the custom to a close.

 _The Punishment Gates were sealed, the records to their whereabouts disappeared over time. The Urahara should have that information, but apparently, they don't. Keitarou might have taken it, but if he did, I'm sure we would have found it in one of the sites he used as his base. When he was alive, fine, he could move his resources with him - but after his death? Unless that was part of his plan, which I doubt, we surely should have located that material among his other research notes. Nagesu-sama has used Keitarou's science over the past thirty or forty years to augment Seireitei's own technology, and that includes stabilising the Senkaimon and making them more functional. If the information about Zaimon wasn't there, then it seems unlikely Keitarou took it._

He gazed up at the scrolls with a look of resignation.

 _And that's why I've come here. Everything that the Clans did not want or need got dumped here and forgotten about. Nobody comes here. Nobody's interested in these documents. They're brittle relics of a past world that no longer exists. Seireitei keeps them because it's a matter of form to do so - but nobody's looked at them in generations. If there's anything left in Seireitei about the Spirit Gates, and the prisoners consigned into them, I'm sure it's probably here. Somewhere. Dumped by the Urahara when they reinvented themselves as scientists on the cutting edge rather than purveyors of cruel and unusual punishment. The only question is, where?  
_  
As the Captain Commander for this session, it had been no trouble at all for Shunsui to access the restricted area, for the key to this room was among those items he had been given to look after for the year. His predecessors had had the same privilege, but there had never been a need to come in here until now, and so the key had fitted stiffly into a lock full of dust and, most likely, the shells of several insect generations that had made their home in this quiet, dark sanctuary. Shunsui's current rank also allowed him to take any record from the Archive for his own private research without anyone asking any questions. It was the first time since he had been invested with the role at the start of the year that he had not regretted having been burdened by it, but his subordinates were not allowed to come into this room without specific paperwork, and in any case, Shunsui was following his own whim, not wanting to create a panic.  
 _  
If Juushirou wasn't so worried about Kohaku, then I'd ask him to come in on this with me, but I don't want to add more to his plate. The last thing we need is Juu getting ill over all of this. Hirata has enough to think of, with Kikyue going into the Dangai, and while I could ask Sora, she's not always as discreet as I'd like. There's not really anyone else with high enough rank that I can go to, so it will just have to be me. At the very least, I suppose I'm looking for scrolls with the Urahara crest on it - or something closely resembling it, whatever it might have been centuries ago. Everyone forgets about this place, because nobody ever needs to come here. Ancient history is what it is, but this is the most likely place to me for missing records to turn up in. Even if he did take material relating to Gate technology, there's no reason for Keitarou to have taken information about prisoners that died long before he was even born. Keitarou's puppets had to be alive, and the creatures that the Fourth have forensic custody of were not alive. The more I think of that, the more I'm sure it's different. And if they are men from Heaven's War, or the time before, then I think we should know about them. Even if they are dead, since speaking to Juushirou, I feel more and more certain that we ought to know who those people were. The only trouble is...I don't have a clue where to even begin with finding them._

He braced himself, reaching out a tentative finger to brush a layer of thick, grey dust off the nearest scroll as he looked for a familiar family insignia. The first few scrolls contained crests he did not know, probably the records of families no longer in existence, whose records had been discarded here when their lines had died out or been extinguished by treason, plague or war. Occasionally he came across an older or simpler version of a family emblem that he did know, such as the Yamamoto or the Unohana, but he had been searching the archive for some time before he caught sight of what he was looking for.

The Urahara crest had changed significantly over time, and to begin with he had almost overlooked it. But, as he had squinted at the insignia in the dim, unsteady light, he had recognised the weave of colours as those that belonged to the Urahara even in the present day. A quick check of the surrounding shelves told him that all of the material here was from the Urahara, but whether it was old enough to relate to the time of the Zaimon, he did not know.

Carefully he took the nearest two scrolls down from the shelf, carrying them tentatively across the chamber to the small, steep reading desk that stood against the far wall. Setting the second scroll down, he began to slowly unroll the first, coughing and brushing away the cloud of ancient dust that swirled up from the dry and delicate paper. The ribbons were so thick with dust they had been permanently dulled, but when he removed them, a thin line of vivid colour lay beneath, revealing the expensive silk that had been used to wrap the scroll originally. The characters were old and tiny, written in an awkward cleric's hand and full of ancient, obscure forms of characters that typified Seireitei's older history. Occasionally, a Clan name would appear, but written in an unfamiliar way, and occasionally, spelt out entirely in phonetic script. In spite of this, Shunsui persevered.

The first scroll, he soon realised, was entirely too new to be of any use. There was no mention of Punishment Gates, and instead, it detailed the mundane minutiae of more generic experiments, carried out at the request of this lord or that. At intervals the scroll was signed and sealed by whichever Urahara leader was in charge at that time, and at the very end of the scroll was a second seal - that of the Kuchiki regent, authorising the experiments for the good of Seireitei. Shunsui did not understand enough about scientific jargon to really know what these records were pertaining to, but there was no mention of the Dangai or any kind of Gate, and so he re-rolled the document, tying it closed and turning his attention to the next scroll.

This one was some kind of genealogy, and it too had been signed off by the Urahara and a Kuchiki Regent. It was a document detailing the provisions of the old Urahara Province, now long since subsumed into District Three. The Council of Elders had reissued all territorial paperwork, rights and authorities at its formal inauguration, thus making old land distribution claims obsolete, but a glance at the map showed Shunsui that the borders of Urahara land had not greatly changed, even if the legal system had.

Several hours passed, as Shunsui worked his way through each scroll he found, but every one he opened contained information on scientific experiments long since run and abandoned, or territorial matters that had become irrelevant since Seireitei's District system had been established. The dust in the room was drying his throat and his eyes, making him cough and wish that he had thought to bring a gourd of water down with him. The dim and uneven light was also making his vision blurry, and so, as he took the next scroll from the shelf, he resolved to himself that, for this visit, it would have to be his last.

He carefully removed the ribbon, unrolling this scroll against the ancient walnut desk and peering wearily at the characters that lay within. As soon as he did so, however, he realised that he had hit the jackpot. This was not a territorial record, nor a list of reasons why the Urahara were a proud Clan of the Ancient World. It was not an old genealogy, proving descent from one of the earliest nobles in recorded Seireitei history, and nor was it a list of ingredients or colour changes noted on chemical reactions relating to new dye or a particular type of weapon polish. It was written in an awkward hand, but Shunsui could make out immediately two key characters in the title at the far end of the scroll.

The characters for Punishment Gate, Zaimon.

Following this was a long list of names, each of which had a crude black tick beneath them, as though indicating that punishment had been carried out.

 _Bingo.  
_  
It was a very long scroll, and at various intervals, it too had been authorised by the Urahara Lords of their age. At a glance, most of the names seemed generic, surnames of common folk enlisted into military service, rather than their lords and masters. Shunsui did not know how old this scroll was, nor whether it came close to the time period when the Zaimon had been closed up for good but, as he reached the end of the scroll, he recognised the swans of the Kuchiki badge and knew that this too had been formalised by a Kuchiki Regent.  
 _  
They put a stop to it, soon after Heaven's War. That means this is probably one of the last lists of condemned. It might be totally irrelevant, but it might not be. I can't help thinking that there's something more in this, and even if it's crazy, I can't shake it. Kohaku having sleepwalking hallucinations about people thrown into the Dangai...frightened people, people who were guilty of following the wrong army, but not necessarily the dangerous monsters we've been thinking about. This list is long, and the sheer length of it indicates that this punishment was used far more than we've been given to believe. I thought Punishment Gates were a last resort for the most deadly of criminals, but this makes it look like anyone who disagreed with authority or who came out worst in a dispute ended up in there. If that's the case, and someone - Katsura or otherwise - is able to reanimate the dead, that means the Dangai is an untapped resource of corpses waiting to be unleashed on Seireitei. Maybe the lack of Hollows is also related to this somehow, too._

He re-rolled the scroll, fastening it with the ribbon and sliding it into his obi.

 _I'll take this with me and look at it some more in better light, when my eyes aren't stinging from so much dust. I don't suppose knowing just the names of people who were sent there is going to matter all that much - but it is indication of the scale of this punishment. And that's a start, at the very least. I dread to think what kind of resentment and fear these people had when they were chucked into the darkness - but I'm starting to think that the Dangai may be a lot more dangerous than we think. Right now, that means stopping the investigation into it until we understand more...and that means I have no time to lose._

* * *

So today was the day.

Tsuneyoshi stood at the window of the Dome, gazing out pensively at the smooth, white landscape that stretched out for an eternity before his gaze. His heart was still uneasy, rattling in his chest as if protesting about the path he was about to take, but he forced the misgivings aside, resting his hands on the carved sill with a sigh.

He still could not fully remember everything about the day he had been consigned here.

The Void World was bleak and empty. Up until a short time before, he had been oblivious to sensations such as loneliness, isolation and grief. He had not remembered the face of his son, nor the beautiful, rolling countryside that he had taken so much pride in. He had not remembered the bloody bodies that had lain on his lawn, nor the scent of charred flesh until Kunimori had begun to probe into his recollections, but although he wanted to resent the Yamamoto, he knew that he could not. The memories had not returned to him because of Kunimori. They had begun to trickle back five years earlier, when something had jolted his senses.

Something that had touched the Gate that last time it had opened...something that he had not been able to remember or recognise, but something he knew had been there all the same.  
 _  
Kunimori is a cheat, a liar, a greedy man and someone I do not trust. I despise his morals and his lack of integrity, but when it comes to revenge, I believe him._

He turned away from the view, leaning up against the stone pillar with a grimace.

 _He said he sensed Harumizu. Harumizu is the reason I had oblivion, and the reason that oblivion faded away. I didn't know that that was what it was, not until Kunimori connected the name and the sensation - but whatever touched that Gate, however briefly, is the one that tortured me with images and dreams five years ago. He's there, and I have to face him. I'll never rest, now, until I do._

His fingers brushed against Meidoushi's hilt, and the sword hummed faintly at his touch. Tsuneyoshi frowned, his eyes becoming sad.

 _A man walks the path he chooses in life. I chose mine, and I can't turn back from it. Kunimori is right. Revenge is the only path to peace. When Harumizu is dead, then I can rest, too. When that is over, I can find my own peace. I need that closure. Without it, I can't move on...so I must face Harumizu. I must take back the things he took from me. I must know everything I did, everything that happened...everything he did to me when he decided to make a fool of me, torture me, and then rip away the veil of safety and consign me to this life here. I need that...and I suppose Kunimori knows it, more than even I did._

He had not been back to the Hollow Forest in the last few days. Though he had found it a form of respite, carving up the mutated creatures that lurked in the ugly underbelly of this world, he also knew that Kunimori's logic was correct. By purifying the Hollows in the Forest, he was helping the shinigami in their eternal battle against the tainted souls, and he did not owe them any such kindness. Moreover, with each passing day, tiny fragments of the past returned to him, and he now knew that the creatures who had fallen to their lowest low in that barren place had once been soldiers like him, rank and file whose only crimes had been to follow their Lords to disgrace and distruction. The dead that lurked in the waste-space of the Zaimon had probably been the war wounded and the beaten, those tortured for information before being tossed, broken and bound into the abyss. Those who had made it here, to this Void World, had struggled to eke a living, but the oppressive gloom of their predicament and their resentment towards the shinigami for their exile and eternal damnation had, bit by bit, twisted their souls into something bleak and dark from which there was no return. Tsuneyoshi knew that he was no different from them. He had not mutated on the outside, but he had twisted and turned on the inside, until he was sure that where his heart had once beat, there was now a black, empty hole as bleak as the Dangai itself.  
 _  
Kunimori probably didn't mutate because Kunimori lacks common human feeling. He remained rational because his heart was already cold and empty before he came here. He had nothing to lose, and so he was able to detach and plunge himself into research instead of really suffering the barrenness of this place. Maybe his hate and resentment fuelled his survival, who knows? But most of those Hollow-people I slew in the Forest were not like that. They were soldiers who picked the wrong side - men who left behind wives, children, family to grieve them. They spent their entire existences trying to get back to Seireitei, only to be killed if they slipped through and found a way in. The shinigami created their own worst enemy, and I should not be killing them. If the men they betrayed and forced into Hollowfication choose to take their revenge, why should I stop them? I am the Soldier, like Kunimori says. The leader of the death army - the army of vengeance. I can't lead the Hollows...I don't have that power. But I can lead the fallen...and maybe Kunimori is right. Perhaps that's what I need to do, for the lost soldiers as well as for my own peace of mind._

"You're here in good time, I'm surprised."

Kunimori swept into the chamber at that moment, pausing to eye Tsuneyoshi up and down before nodding his approval. "Yes, that expression is more what I expect. You've found your resolve, haven't you? You're going to come with me and kill shinigami, aren't you?"

"My business is with Harumizu," Tsuneyoshi said softly. "I'm coming for that purpose. I want you to promise me that you won't touch him, Kunimori-dono. I'll help you make it across the divide. I'll help you, but I want Harumizu myself. And one other thing."

"Oh, we're making demands now?" Kunimori raised an eyebrow. "Instead of moral lecturing, I'm getting a negotiation list?"

"I'm serious. I want it understood between us, before we step across the divide."

"Fine, I'm listening," Kunimori sighed gustily, but gestured for his companion to continue. "What is it? What are your conditions, Lord Tsuneyoshi?"

"I want you to leave the Unohana be," Tsuneyoshi said evenly. "I eradicated the ones that needed eradicating, a long time ago. I won't see my son hurt, nor any family he has had since. I want you to promise that. You said if I didn't help you, you'd slaughter them - but if I do, I want your firm word that you won't go near them or their land."

"I'm not remotely interested in them, if you're cooperating with me," Kunimori dismissed this concern with a casual flick of his hand. "I'm interested in the Yamamoto. I have scores to settle there. Your family are nothing to me. I need your help, and if you help me, I won't bother them."

"Then we have an agreement," Tsuneyoshi said gravely. "I expect you to honour it, with your word as a Lord."

"As the future Lord of the Yamamoto, you have it," Kunimori's eyes glittered with amusement. "We shouldn't waste any more time, though. There's shifting in the Dangai space. I don't quite know what's caused it, but I feel as though the fabric of the pathways have begun to change. Perhaps it's Harumizu? I'm not sure, but if it is, we should be careful. His sword is capable of eradicating a lot of things - including my Knowledge, which we need if we're going to get anywhere at all."

"Harumizu," Tsuneyoshi murmured the name, and Kunimori nodded.

"You haven't been killing the Hollows," he added. "One or two of them escaped the Forest last night. It was most interesting."

"Escaped?" Tsuneyoshi's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What do you mean, escaped?"

"I may have encouraged it," Kunimori admitted. "The Hollows have always frustrated me. Somehow they can get from here to Seireitei but I can't for the life of me work out how they do. They seem to split space in a way we just can't or don't understand. I tried many times in the past to follow them, but it's not possible. Still, all the disruption we've been causing seems to have shaken things up. I don't know what caused it, but I've sensed some flashes of energy from the Dangai - energy that isn't anything to do with us. Maybe the shinigami. It's hard to be sure, but a few Hollows sensed it, and went after its scent. I would have liked to have followed them, to see where they ended up - since you've stopped slaying them the moment they step out from undercover. But since that's not possible for us...I came here. I hoped you'd be ready to talk about the final stage of our plan."

"I'm ready," Tsuneyoshi hesitated for a moment, then drew Meidoushi from its sheath, gazing at his reflection in the polished sword blade. "I still don't like it, but I've begun to understand a little what you mean. Revenge is not just about you and I. I've been in the Forest, and killed Hollows, but the last time I went, I saw something there I didn't see before. I felt something...that they were the same as me, and that they had been consigned here against their will by shinigami systems of justice. I don't want to kill them any more. I want to find Harumizu and get back the rest of my truth. I know I killed members of my family, but that was an internal Unohana affair. and I'm not the first Unohana lord to purge the Clan."

"You want to know why a whore's son had the right to consign you to oblivion, when you were just handling family business," Kunimori nodded. "You don't need to explain it to me. It's the most sense you've made since you started hearing me speak to you, which is progress and timely progress indeed. Revenge is the one thing left to us, you know. I'm glad you understand that, since we're taking it for all of them, not just you and I. With your sword, some of them can have their own revenge. Isn't that a beautiful gift to give them, the ones who couldn't speak for themselves? Isn't that the duty of a great General, to represent the will of his army?"

"Don't try and make it sound noble, when the army in question is in decomposition," Tsuneyoshi muttered. "I don't say I like all of it. I just understand it. And I'm ready, so we should do this, before I start to focus on the corpses too much and become nauseous again."

"No..." Kunimori's eyes became slits, and he held up his left hand, the fingers of his right slipping down towards the hilt of his own zanpakutou sword. "Wait. Wait a minute. Do you sense that?"

"Sense what?" Tsuneyoshi looked startled, and Kunimori groaned.

"Really, sometimes I think you're only capable of hearing dead souls," he said disparagingly. "Stop and focus for a minute, you fool. You must be able to sense it, if I can."

"I'm trying not to sense anything, until it's time to go," Tsuneyoshi snapped back. "I don't want to lose myself again. I want to keep control."

"Well, I suppose that means I won't have to tie you up before we leave," Kunimori rolled his eyes, "but as it happens, you might be saved that job - at least, put Meidoushi on ice for a moment. I think we're about to have company. Someone's opened that Gate."

"Opened the...? You mean, shinigami?" Tsuneyoshi looked alarmed, and Kunimori chuckled.

"They've clearly come to find out what's been causing all the disruption," he said, apparently pleased. "We've worked so hard to find and open a Gate, Tsuneyoshi-dono, but now they're being kind and helping us along. You can hold off on your army of death for a little while longer. I think we have some live shinigami coming to see us and I'm absolutely certain that we can put that fact to good use."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Regents**

 _In the world of Japanese history that I study, the political system of Japan was complicated. Most people consider 'old Japan' to be the military governed society of the Edo period, with the shaven-pate samurai who carried two swords in the way Shunsui does. This is also the setting Kubo chose for his Bleach Seireitei world, and thus I have kept that in mind when writing. To me, though, the Edo period is fairly 'new' Japan, dating only back three or so centuries. Edo is the old name for Tokyo, and it is a really young city in a country where other cities, like Kyoto and Nara, are well over a thousand years old and steeped in history. From 794AD up until the end of the Edo period in the 1860s, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, not Edo/Tokyo. Even the Japanese term for the Edo period, "kinsei", means literally "recent society", and is generally translated as "pre-modern" or "early modern" Japan. Most 'warriors' of the Edo period never fought in a war, and the theory of Bushidou is a mythical concept dreamed up by this society based on their interpretation of battles they had never experienced. Tokyo is the new face of Japan, but the soul of the old country is in Kyoto and the Kansai, and always will be._

 _The term 'samurai' is a lot older than the Edo period, from which it leaked into western popular culture and vocabulary, but it is often used incorrectly in English as a catch-all for Japanese warriors as a whole. Samurai literally means "one who serves" and was not always a term associated with warriors. In eras preceding the Edo period, a samurai was a lower ranked military or clerical retainer, not a warlord, that would be referred to in this way. The warriors (known as bushi, tsuwamono, and mononofu, among other terms) that I study did not carry katana or wakizashi. They had tachi, as the katana was a much later development. They used bows and arrows as their weapon of choice, and preferred warfare on horseback, not on foot. Being a good archer generally mattered more than being a good swordsman._

 _In this political climate, there were several shifts of power. Direct rule by the Emperor was replaced in around the eighth century by what became known as Regental Rule. The Regental House, the Fujiwara, continued to hold this role over generations, even, probably, into the Edo period - although the amount of power it contained changed with time, and there was at least one very famous warrior Regent in the 16th century, Hideyoshi. From the middle of the 12th century, provincial families who had held military obligation to protect the Emperor and the court gained in influence and power, leading to Japan's military governments. I have tried to echo this structure with my concept of Seireitei, beginning with direct rule by the Soul King, then by Regents, and finally by the military government we know as the Gotei._

 _Kubo's Gotei bear striking resemblance to the Shinsengumi of the 19th century, so I suppose the Gotei I am writing about in these stories is probably the kind of warrior society you might have found at the start of Edo, in the seventeenth century, when warriors still remembered the bloodshed of battles like Sekigahara or Osaka Castle. These are some of the few warriors of the Edo period who did see military action - but of a form changed almost unrecogniseably beyond what people imagine Japanese warfare to be. The 19th century warriors had and used cannons and guns and, sometimes, wore western uniforms. So for real 'Japanese' warfare, it is necessary to go back to an earlier age. Kubo-sensei seems to have felt this too, as he drew Byakuya on at least one calendar in the armour of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1160-89), Japan's tragic war hero. The name Senbonzakura also comes from a play about Yoshitsune. This tells me that Kubo, although writing about an Edo setting, was aware of the old warrior traditions and stories, and intended that element to exist in his world as well. For that reason, I have tried to do this in my writing. And I really need very little excuse._

 _The idea of the Kuchiki and their position as the Regental house in Seireitei came about because even after the real power of the Regent role had faded, the Fujiwara considered themselves superior nobility, and resented anyone else who tried to achieve the same heights of political influence and usurpation that they had enjoyed. This created friction between them and the increasingly powerful military houses._

 _I am not a fan of the Edo period, and so the opportunity to bring elements of an older Japanese society and ideology into Bleach again was too good to resist._


	26. Ikata's Patrol

**Chapter Twenty Five: Ikata's Patrol**

"If you don't mind my saying so, Taichou, you look like you went rolling in dust this morning,"

Shindou pulled himself up onto the broad window-ledge of Shunsui's office, lounging against the shutter and folding his arms casually across his chest. "Did you really walk across Seireitei like that, sir? You're going to get Sora-dono on my case if you start rumours that Eighth Division's standards have slipped."

"Says the Vice Captain who is using my window as a backrest," Shunsui snorted, dropping the scroll down on his desk and sinking down onto his own cushions. "I know that when Sora left, I told you to make yourself comfortable in the role of adjutant, but that's not quite what I had in mind."

"Is it insubordinate?" Shindou pursed his lips. "You've never bothered about it before. You hate formality...at least, that's what you normally say. What's up, sir? Something's bothering you, and it's more than just dust in the ears, isn't it?"

"Dust in the brain, perhaps," Shunsui sighed, running smudged fingers through messy brown hair with a grimace. "I came back here at speed, and I probably do look a mess. I was in the Archive, and hard work usually ends in unnecessary amounts of dirt and grime. I should probably change, but before I do, I have an errand I need you to run. I want you to take a message to Hirata, next door. It's about the Dangai investigation. I know he's sending a force there, and I want to try and postpone the departure. Minaichi won't listen to me, but Hirata might, and I think it's important."

"The Dangai mission?" Shindou's frown deepened, and he clambered down off the sill, approaching the desk and reaching into his obi for a slightly crumpled letter. "If that's the issue, sir, it's too late. The mission left early this morning. Sekime-taichou didn't want to hang around, not with the preparations being so sensitive, and Guren-sama was eager to get the business cleaned up."

"Left already?" Shunsui paused, staring at his Vice Captain in consternation, and Shindou nodded.

"I had a message just before you got back, confirming that the deployment had entered the Gate in Sixth successfully," he agreed, smoothing out the creased paper and handing it to his companion. "Michihashi brought it. He said that Sekime-taichou thought you should know the morning's progress, being that you're currently the Captain Commander."

"Damn," Shunsui scanned the contents of the document, then dropped it down on the wooden surface, letting out a groan. "I didn't realise it was going out this morning. I spent longer in the Archive than I expected, but I thought there'd still be time."

"Something in the Archive that worried you, sir?" Shindou asked, and Shunsui grimaced.

"Yes, but maybe it's my over-thinking. Let's hope it is, since I don't suppose it would do any good to try and order a withdrawal now the Gate's been opened and shut," he said bleakly. "I'm sorry, Tetsuya. Thank you for the message. It's not your problem...and probably it's not mine either."

"You know, you always do that, sir," Shindou sent his superior officer a thoughtful look. "I mean, I don't mind. It's probably not my rank to interrogate a Captain on Captain's business, especially when that Captain is Captain Commander. But Sora-dono said that you often used to bounce ideas off her, when something was bothering you. I might not be her, sir, but I'm not completely stupid. I mean, I'm not trying to be impertinent, but I was at the Vice Captain's meeting and we voted on the Dangai mission. If there's something up..."

"You're not being impertinent," Shunsui shook his head ruefully. "It's true, you're right. I suppose I knew Sora from school and before that. I didn't even think about the hierarchy with her, but we're still getting used to the change of routine."

"You might be, sir," Shindou looked amused. "I'm not. I was well drilled by my predecessor and I wouldn't have taken the job if I didn't think I could handle all of it. If it's beyond my rank, then fine, but if there's something I can do that's useful..."

"I wish I could send you to take apart the restricted section of the Archive, but that requires paperwork I don't really fancy filing," Shunsui admitted. "It took me all morning just to find this," he reached out a hand to tap the dusty scroll. "It's a record of criminals sent into the Dangai, and I think it's one of the later lists, as it's been authorised by a Kuchiki Regent, not one from the Royal Realm. Everything in that storage chamber is all over the place, though. Thick with dust, as you can see," he glanced at his hands grimly, "and the catalogue got eaten by mice about a century and a half ago. There's probably more material, but the room is dry and my eyes are still watering. I came back quickly because I wanted to try and stop the investigation, but if that's no good, I suppose all I can do is see what I've got."

"May I see it?" Shindou asked, and Shunsui nodded.

"Be my guest. You have my authority," he said ironically, and Shindou took the scroll, untying the ribbon and unrolling it carefully across Shunsui's desk. He let out a string of expletives at the tiny, ornate style of handwriting, and Shunsui tut-tutted, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"Your language before your Captain is shocking," he said reprovingly, and Shindou shot him a sheepish look.

"Sorry, sir, but how do you even read that? It's so tiny, and the characters..."

"It's not the nicest script in the world, but I'm sure that if you really look at it, you'll make out most of what it says," Shunsui extended a dusty finger to indicate the title of the document. "See, here it mentions the Zaimon convictions. And here, you can see the individuals consigned to that fate. All of them seem to have nondescript names. There's nothing here that suggests anyone of higher birth was included in these dispatches - but I think these," he moved his finger to another group of characters, "indicate old era names. I'd have to go and cross-reference them, because I don't know all the gazillion eras that they used in the ancient age or what they correspond with in our dating system, but I do know that the Kuchiki Regents only came into power around the time of this Heaven's War we keep hearing about. It's not a coincidence, therefore, that that," he rolled the scroll on to reveal the end, "is a pair of swans, and only the Kuchiki family are elaborate enough to put swans on their family badge."

"I see," Shindou squinted where his Captain pointed, and then nodded. "Yes, that does look like the Kuchiki crest, or some old form of it. It's recognisable, anyway, and that...may be the character for Kuchi. That looks a bit like a tree, though don't ask me the given name. It's a total squiggle."

"I'd take a look at your own writing, and not comment, if I were you," Shunsui teased, and Shindou's eyebrows arched.

"I'm not even going to respond to that," he retorted, "except to say that I can only put it down to the terrible example set to me by my Captain and his spider scrawl."

"Touche," Shunsui chuckled. "It's a sign of intelligence. It proves my brain moves faster than my hand can keep up with."

"So this is one of the scrolls that Shiketsu-dono was talking about. One of the things he said was missing from the Urahara records," Shindou turned his attention back to the ancient scroll. "He thought there was a good chance Keitarou took it, but if this was in the Archive, then maybe it's nothing to do with Keitarou at all."

"I don't think I'm convinced that any of this is at all to do with Keitarou," Shunsui admitted, and Shindou paused, eyeing his companion in consternation.

"Does that include his missing son, sir?"

"Maybe. I'm still working on that one," Shunsui frowned. "For now, though, I can only deal with what I have, and it isn't much."

"With respect, sir, it doesn't seem to be anything but a list of people too dead to bother knowing about," Shindou observed. "These were people thrown into the Dangai. Fine. But it was a seriously long time ago. How does that change anything? I don't see the connection between this scroll and the Dangai mission suddenly being a bad idea."

"I don't know if it is," Shunsui groaned, tugging absently on his tail of hair. "I don't know anything, and it's annoying me. But what did strike me when I saw this was that this is a lot of people. And they're not Clan leaders, but ordinary soldiers, so the Clan convicts must be recorded in a separate place. Even so, the fact these ordinary people were recorded in the paperwork in a time when District people had no rights whatsoever also makes me wonder how many even more unimportant individuals might have ended up this way. These are probably here because they are registered military retainers...but that doesn't mean it's an exhaustive list across all social classes. And that means the Dangai was a much more widespread punishment than just for treason offences. Even petty criminals might have ended up in there, perhaps. Plus, this is just one list, and a later list. I don't know if the length of it is the aftermath of Heaven's War or something else, but it makes me think there are a lot more corpses scattered into the Dangai than any of us first thought. And that this might be a part of the cause for the spiritual imbalances that Seireitei suffered in the distant past."

"All right," Shindou said slowly, "that makes sense. If all the souls got dumped into that place, then I can see how that would create balance issues, although killing Hollows was also part of that, wasn't it?"

"Yes. And I'm not a scientist, so I'm not going to speculate on that and whether there's any connection or not between those things," Shunsui admitted. "I'm not so interested in that as I am the length of this list."

"Maybe I'm being dense, sir, but I still I don't see..."

"If something can reanimate dead people, I think it matters that they have a bigger material base than we expected," Shunsui began to refasten the scroll, tying the old, faded ribbon firmly around the ageing paper. "This is just one scroll, and it's just a list of names. It doesn't tell us where the Gates are, or which Gates these people were dumped into. That map may be in the Archive, still, or it may have been taken by Keitarou. It's certainly likely that he used these Gates, which means he connected Gates that weren't meant to be connected and made a network with them that intersects with the Dangai that we use. Nobody has ever reported dead bodies in our internal Dangai, nor on trips to the Real World, and yet suddenly, here they are. I can't tell you why now, or who is behind it, but I can see that, logically, what comes out must have gone in at some point. We now have proof that they did, and in large capacity. These corpse dolls must be coming out of the Zaimon, but in order for them to come out of multiple Zaimon and at the same time, those Zaimon must be linked up to a wider network. And the potential for that, if we're dealing with the quantities of corpses that I think we are..."

"Is a full on zombie apocalypse," Shindou's complexion greyed at this, and Shunsui nodded.

"Exactly."

"Permission to swear, sir."

"Granted," Shunsui set the scroll aside, resting his hands on the desk. "I might be over-thinking this, and I can't totally rule in or out whether Aizen Katsura is involved. All I know is that, right now, the Dangai doesn't seem to be a good place to send what is essentially a mere handful of shinigami. In small clusters, these corpses aren't a match for our weapons. But if we are dealing with thousands of undead soldiers...and an unknown puppeteer...it could be a very serious incident. I have a bad feeling that, by forcing that Gate in Sixth to admit our officers, we could be opening a can of worms we really don't know how to close."

* * *

Finally, it had begun.

The fetid tunnels of the disintegrating Dangai were an unlikely location in the pursuit of personal glory, and yet, despite the trembling walls of the tunnels and the virtual lack of light, Ikata had felt a sense of triumph as he had watched the Gate close behind him. For some in his patrol, he knew, the severance from the comfortable world of Seireitei had been a wrench, but he himself had not been afraid, and had scorned any of his officers who had dared to confess having cold feet. This was the moment he had been waiting for - his chance, at last, to make a name for himself in the annals of Seireitei, and he was not going to pass it up lightly.

He had been Vice Captain of the Eleventh Division for almost thirty years now. An uneasy relationship with a curmudgeonly and often intolerant Captain had not made it a pleasant experience, but Ikata was thick-skinned and most of Minaichi's more waspish insults had simply washed over him like water off a duck's back. He had been promoted in the wake of his cousin's death in action in Rukongai, a man who his Captain had considered almost family, and one that Minaichi himself had been forced to kill after the man had been turned into a Hollow. It was a painful memory in Eleventh's past, but Ikata had never cared much for his diligent and hard working cousin, and had immediately seen the opportunity when the vacancy had arisen. Although Minaichi had tried to avoid it, Ikata had known that the job would, ultimately, fall to him. But, in the thirty years he had held the office, he had constantly been prevented from leading key missions - not just by his Captain, but by the collective annoyance known as the other Vice Captains. Although he was as capable as any of them, and older than most of them, his peers were not fond of listening to his point of view, and so, when the idea to enter the Dangai had come up, Ikata had immediately jumped at the opportunity. He was the Vice Captain of the Eleventh, a Division that, one day, he had ambitions to lead and to turn into a proper combat Division with raw military ability at its core, and the Dangai was unknown, dangerous space in which heroes could be made and reputations secured.

Yes, Ikata had been only too glad when Mareiko had finished fussing and had allowed them to step into the darkness. Others might fear this deployment, but not him. He was already relishing it, and the stories he would tell on his return.

Thus far, there had been little in the way of trouble to deal with. The passages were, indeed, fragile, but Mareiko's advice about focused reiatsu had come into its own. All of the officers deployed were capable enough of using their reiatsu with the stray reishi, bonding it together beneath their feet into a sort of makeshift pathway. Even the officers from the Seventh had proven adequate at this task, meaning that Ikata had had to do little in the way of instructing them, merely making sure that they followed his lead and didn't try to take over. It had been a coup for him that he had managed to force Hajime into conceding authority over the whole patrol, but even more so when he had realised that he would be commanding Kikyue, the hime of the Endou Clan and a person of much higher birth and bloodline than his own. He had expected trouble from her, knowing as he did how the inner circle of high born Clansfolk tended to look down on those born beneath them, but, to his surprise, Kikyue had not made any complaints, ensuring instead that her officers kept to Ikata's own parameters, and followed his orders without demur.

Well, she was still very young, and, Ikata reminded himself as he negotiated a fresh split in the Dangai tunnel floor, she was probably used to taking orders from the lower born Hajime, anyway.  
 _  
Everyone makes such a fuss about her and her spirit blade and the fact she raised it so young she never got to the Academy. Well, I never trained there, either. No such thing, not in my day. I learned the good old fashioned way. Beating up people who got in my face, and proving to them that, fists or reiatsu, they'd soon realise they'd made a mistake._

"Fukutaichou, we seem to be reaching a divide in the pathway, ahead," the voice of one of his junior officers at his right hand made him turn, glancing at the boy quizzically. "Sekime-taichou gave us coordinates for expected crossroads, sir, but they don't match what's in front of us."

"Sekime-taichou said there were likely to be anomalies," Ikata snatched the Dangai plan from his companion's hands, squinting at the paper in the darkness. "Damn, too dark to see. Here, take it back," he thrust it at the youngster. "Like as not it's useless, anyway. The Dangai's not something you figure out on bits of ratty paper. We'll map it on foot, and it'll save time. We're here looking for anomalies, so if one crosses our path, the only answer is to investigate it."

"Yes, sir," the junior saluted, stuffing the plan back into the folds of his hakamashita and dropping back to convey the instruction to the other officers. Ikata strode on ahead, not minding that he was putting a few metres of space between himself and his companions, approaching the split in the road and examining it as best he could in the darkness.

Ikata was a bellicose and physical individual, given to barking loud orders and well known among his comrades for belligerent behaviour and a lack of perception. He had attained the rank of Vice Captain largely because nobody else had wanted it, and had kept it because he had been tenacious enough to deal with Minaichi's foul tempers and swinging moods following the death of his predecessor. Although he was insensitive, rude and often unpopular outside his own Division, however, he was not a failure at his job. His chemistry with his Captain was atrocious, largely because he was willing to badmouth Minaichi to anyone who asked, and had no qualms about hiding his personal ambition to one day lead the squad himself - but he was a competent fighter with reason to have confidence in his skills in both combat and leadership. For this reason, he didn't even glance back to ensure that his orders were followed, for he knew that they would be. Whatever his peers thought of him, he had carved out a niche as an effective right hand man to the flinty and unsociable Minaichi. If he had been of mind to mutiny, Ikata knew that the officers at Eleventh would follow him, rather than their Captain, because he had taken the time to know them, teaching them his own brand of martial technique and bothering to remember their names when Minaichi preferred to see them just as rank and file. Yet despite his blatant ambition, Ikata was not stupid enough to think that a violent military uprising at Eleventh would in any way, shape or form progress his career in a meaningful fashion. He was ambitious, arrogant and overbearing, but he was also patient, waiting for the day that Minaichi retired his rank. He had waited for the Vice Captaincy, and he would wait for his Captaincy - but in the meantime, he knew that making this mission a success would be an important and valuable hit on his resume for the future.  
 _  
So I'll be the first one to check anything out, and I'll be the one to report back on it when we return. I'm going to stamp my authority all over this, so that everyone sees I am Captain material. And one day, I will be Captain at Eleventh, when that old prune retires his sword. He moans about everything more and more with each passing year. Sooner or later he'll jack it in, and I'm not sitting around and waiting for them to promote someone else over me. This is my mission, and I'm damn well going to close it down._

"Ikata-dono?"

Kikyue approached him at that juncture, pausing a respectful distance from her comrade as though in deference to his leadership. He cast her an insolent glance, and she offered him a tight smile, her eyes giving nothing away.

"Your officer told us that there's an anomaly here. A divide in the path. Which way are we to go?"

"We're not separating, if that's what you want to suggest," Ikata said firmly. "There is a divide, here. But that's nothing to write home about. Look. The tunnel that way looks pretty broken up. I don't think it even exists beyond a couple of metres. If you take your idiots down there, they'll disappear into the abyss and I don't fancy explaining to your Captain why you were foolish enough to go on a suicide jump into nothing. We'll go this way," he flung out a thick arm in the direction of the other tunnel. "We're looking for trouble, but not the self-inflicted kind. And I doubt your rogue fugitive is hiding in a place where the tunnel is gone."

"I wasn't going to suggest separating," Kikyue's voice held a faint edge, but she kept a hold on her temper. "I just wondered what your thoughts were. I am here to coordinate with you and the Eleventh, and so I would appreciate it if you could inform me as well as your own officers whenever a decision is made. We aren't going to be much use if we just follow on blindly behind."

"Not sure you're a lot of use anyway," Ikata said bluntly, "but fine, I take your point. If I have to stop and explain every little twist and turn like a tour guide, though, we'll be here all bloody week."

With that he brushed past her, heading down the stable tunnel without waiting to hear her response. Behind him, he was aware of a quickly stifled surge of indignant killer instinct, and he smiled, a lazy grin that crossed his features as he ambled down the passageway.  
 _  
Jumped up hime. Probably used to pulling rank and complaining if she doesn't get all the attention directed her way. Her brother was a much more reasonable person to deal with. Knew his place as a youngster and only spoke up when he had something worth saying. Still, the kid will learn, probably. If she lives long enough to learn, I suppose. Endou tend to kill each other a fair bit. Well, hardly surprising, given their attitude to their betters._

He paused, reaching out a stubby finger to touch the wall of the Dangai lightly.  
 _  
This tunnel feels much safer than the one we entered through. This is the passage on the Dangai map, so I guess this is proper Dangai space, now. We're into the Senkai network...but that's no good. Whatever's being puked up into our World isn't coming from the normal Senkaimon. That last fork was damaged, but the dead folk must be coming from somewhere. And since we haven't seen any, it's clearly not here. Which means this mission is going to get very dull, unless I can find something to liven it up.  
_  
They walked on for a while, the stability of the familiar Senkaimon tunnel settling the nerves of some of the more jumpy officers. Where there had been silence, before, conversation began to break out between the other shinigami, but Ikata paid no attention to their small-talk, carefully examining the wall of the tunnel for any sign of abnormality as he walked. To his disappointment, he found none. As they reached a broader section of tunnel space, he even caught sight of familiar markings on the ground, numbers branded in white paint that showed up in the dim light. All the Gates in current use had this kind of crude marking, helping to match their coordinates to the Dangai plan, and at the sight of it, the junior officer who had spoken earlier let out an exclamation, pulling out the plan eagerly and poring over it for a digit match.

"Fukutaichou, I think I know where we are! We've reached Gate Sixty Two...near the border of Sixth and Fifth."

"If we wanted to visit Gate Sixty Two, I dare say we'd have gone to that border, so that's not much good to us," Ikata said dismissively. "We don't need to know where we are, Tanaka. We need to know where the corpses are - and they're definitely not here."

"No, sir, but now I have a coordinate, I can...woah!" The young officer broke off in mid-sentence, a look of fear and dismay crossing his features as the floor beneath his feet began to give way. More instinctively than anything else Ikata reached out a meaty paw, grabbing the scrawny youth by the obi and hauling him back to safety.

"Be careful where you put your feet, moron," he berated the shaken individual, holding up his hand to indicate for the rest of the party to stop. "We know there's instability. You can't rush ahead like that. S'why I'm leading, so as idiots like you don't get yourself killed by being careless."

He crouched down on his knees, reaching out to touch the black hole that had opened up in the floor not far from the white marker. It was not a big hole by any means, but as he touched it, Ikata felt a shiver run down his spine, followed by a surge of excitement. This was the Dangai, a normal Senkaimon tunnel, but here, lying directly below it, was something else...a dark space with a sinister atmosphere of decay, and whatever it was was so putrid it was corroding against the registered shinigami tunnel, breaking it down beneath their feet.

Beneath the Senkaimon tunnel was another tunnel. Although he could not see it, Ikata suddenly knew that this was the case. It was not the sensation of empty nothingness that typified normal Dangai tears, but something much more focused.  
 _  
This is what we are here to find._

"What is it, Ikata-dono?" Kikyue pushed through the officers, her brows knitting together as she saw the hole, and Ikata sighed, but waved her forward.

"I think it's another tunnel. One rubbing against this one, somehow," he said, glaring at her as if daring her to disagree, but Kikyue frowned, kneeling beside him and touching her own delicate fingers to the hole. Slowly she nodded.

"There is something there," she agreed softly. "I don't know what it is, but it doesn't feel...right. The only trouble is, how do we get into it? We can't get through that hole, it's too small, and if it's not a tunnel..."

"You worry too much," Ikata was on his feet, drawing his sword from its sheath at his side.

"Sekime-taichou said not to use _zanpakutou_ in here!" Kikyue looked alarmed, reaching out a hand to stop him, but he pushed her back, shaking his head.

"I'm not that stupid," he said cuttingly. "I can use my sword without releasing it. We need to get down there. It's why we're here. How else do you suppose we get in other than cut ourselves a door?"

"Vandalising the Senkaimon is probably not in our brief," One of the other Seventh officers - Ikata thought his name was Takasugi - murmured under his breath, not intending for the Eleventh Vice Captain to hear, but Ikata's eyes narrowed at the flippant tone.

" _I'm_ in charge of this mission, and if anyone's too much of a coward to stick it out, Gate Sixty Two is over there," he said, raising his voice so that all the gathered officers could hear him. He gestured to the white coordinates with the point of his sword, then, "of course, anyone who runs away will have to explain to the Captain - or to Endou-taichou - why. If you don't get disciplined for cowardice, you'll sure as hell be a laughing stock. We're here to investigate things that aren't normal. That's not normal, so we're going to investigate it. I'm in charge, so we're doing it my way. Any further objections?"

There was a soft murmur between some of the members of Seventh, and Takasugi cast Kikyue a questioning glance. Ikata bristled, glowering at her and daring her to defy him, but she sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Ikata-dono is right. We need to investigate," she said simply. "If that's the way in, then we'll just have to take it."

* * *

"The Dangai mission got off safely this morning, apparently,"

Enishi pushed open the door of Ugendou, pausing to drop a pile of papers down on his Captain's desk with a wry grin. "I saw Atsushi-dono as I was checking the recruits' cleaning work on the front Gate. He was in good spirits - I'm guessing because Ikata's away for a bit - and he told me that he'd heard direct from Sekime-taichou that everything had gone smoothly. I thought you'd want to know that, given that the Dangai ban is what's keeping you from sending out the Real World mission."

"They opened the Gate without any issues?" Juushirou glanced up from the book he had been reading, setting it aside and gesturing for his Vice Captain to join him. "That's good. I am annoyed about the delay, I won't pretend otherwise. And can't help hoping that they find Katsura in that black hole. If he's in our custody then maybe we can start to untangle what is and isn't his fault...and I could send Koku on patrol without worrying about him."

"Why would you be worrying about Koku?" Enishi looked startled. "He's a competent kid. He knows the situation."

"But sending him to hunt his own brother?" Juushirou asked. "I know it's part of the job description, but Enishi..."

"You're being soft on him again," Enishi scolded, dropping down on a spare cushion and offering his leader a resigned glance. "I know I shouldn't be telling you how to manage your members, Ukitake, but in this case I think I have to. Shikibu had a point, the other day, about protecting him too much. I know that when she called you on it, it was because of Nagesu-sama's request, and there wasn't anything you could do about that - but this is different. He's going to get stir-crazy if you keep him penned up here, waiting like this. He doesn't know whether he's going or not when the Real World mission happens, but it hardly matters. We aren't going to the Real World, any of us, until this whole Dangai thing is settled, so he might as well be on the normal rota with everyone else."

"I had a similar conversation with Shunsui," Juushirou admitted, burying his head in his hands and running thin fingers through his lank white hair. "But I worry he could be a target. I don't know what to make of Katsura at the moment. Not knowing is making me second-guess my judgement on what I should do."

Enishi gazed at his Captain for a moment, then let out a gusty sigh, shaking his head.

"I'll expect a disciplinary for what I'm about to say," he observed frankly, folding his arms across his broad chest, "but I think you're going to damage the kid if you carry on singling him out. You aren't worried about recruits on these patrols. Katsura is dangerous, maybe. I don't dispute that. But you aren't worried about sending _them_ into that danger, are you?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Then are their lives less important than Kohaku's is?" Enishi pushed his point home, fixing his Captain with an earnest look.

"Of course not! I wouldn't ever look at any of my members that way!" Juushirou was indignant. "They are all important, and you know it!"

"Well, it sounds like it," Enishi stuck to his guns. "Koku is stronger'n all of them put together. He's trained better. He's more used to patrolling. He's taking initiative and working with one of the new'uns, because he wants to prove himself as Twelfth Seat. But you're taking that away from him by keeping him here. Koku isn't the problem, Ukitake. _You_ are. You're over-thinking it, as usual...and you're going to damage his development if you aren't going to let him face up to this as a shinigami should."

"Enishi?" Juushirou's head jerked up, and he stared at his adjutant in dismay. Enishi smiled ruefully, nodding his head.

"As I said, I'll expect a disciplinary report for calling my Captain out on his judgement," he said honestly. "I have to, though. S'why you appointed me and I know it. You don't see Koku objectively. He's like your kid, so you shield him - but that's wrong. You can't look out for a subordinate officer that way. Koku's powerful. He's damn strong, and we both know it. But he isn't going to find his resolve to use that strength if you don't challenge him to do it in the field. So Katsura's maybe causing trouble. That's not Koku's fault. If he can't face it, you're telling him he's too weak to follow his convictions. You're encouraging him to reach out to his brother, rather than remembering where he belongs and what he's here to do. It's an insult to the kid, if you want my opinion. And to those of us who've trained with him. You can't protect him forever. He has to blood his blade sooner or later."

"But on his own brother?" Juushirou protested. Enishi shrugged.

"Nobody's gonna expect him to do that," he agreed, "but Koku's not so stupid as to not realise that coming here means he and Katsura are potentially on opposing sides. Being a shinigami isn't about nannying personal sensibilities. We spent long enough in Seventh learning that, didn't we? We'd all be dead if we'd allowed ourselves to think for a moment about anything but the job we were sent there to do. Didn't you stand before Hirata's blade and stop him from vaporising his people when they threatened your life? You told him you'd handle your own safety and that he shouldn't protect you from things you could protect yourself from. You were right, then. You're wrong, now. Koku has to do the same as you did. His challenges are different, but if you don't let him face them, he won't be much use to anyone. And that sword of his, I don't pretend I understand it. But one thing I do understand is that, when he came here, Koku said that Kyouka Raigen expected him to work and make a difference, not just sit back and be complacent. We're part of making sure that his sword doesn't get angry with him - you have to let him progress, else he might as well have never joined the Thirteenth at all. We all know he had a little sleepwalking incident the other night. Shikibu and I have talked about that, and we both wondered if its because his sword is getting restless. If so, keeping him to barracks is only going to make it worse."

There was a long silence after Enishi finished his speech, and for a moment, the Vice Captain wondered if he had gone too far. Then, with a tiny shake of his head, Juushirou's shoulders sagged, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"You're right," he said sadly. "I can't contest anything you just said. You're entirely right. Enishi, I find it hard to know what to do where Koku is concerned. More now than I have these past five years. Ever since Sensei first spoke to him, I've been more aware that I don't understand Kyouka Raigen. I've tried reading the old legend of the Royal Swords again," he patted the book at his side, "but it's so detached from any sense of reality that it's really of no use. I know the last person who held the Mirror sword was driven to suicide. Koku has scars on his wrists from a previous fight with Kyouka. When I remember that, it frightens me. I want to make sure that he does reach his potential - but...Katsura is his brother. I've met Katsura. He was wild and untamed, and yet Koku believes in him and still, deep down, idolises him. It was hard enough, telling him we were looking, and the reasons why. He didn't believe it and I hated having to tell him."

"But you did tell him, and he knows, now," Enishi pointed out. "He'll expect to go patrolling. If he doesn't, he'll start to wonder why. More, so will others. Koku wants to be like the rest, Ukitake. He's said so, from the start. He doesn't want to be treated differently. He wants to be one of the team, and so he should. It's a good team, and he fits into it well."

Juushirou was silent again for a moment, and Enishi could tell that his Captain was digesting everything that had been said.

"I don't like hearing it," he confessed. "That is why I chose you as my Vice Captain, though. You see things, sometimes, in a completely different way. You don't over-think the things I worry about, and sometimes, when you put it so clearly, I realise how much I've been pushing things out of shape. You're right, I can't shield him from this. He's more at risk if I do. I don't want him to turn out spineless. It's just hard to be a role model for a young man whose spirit power is entirely beyond my calculation and my comprehension on so many levels."

"There are a lot of the squad who are like that for me, so I stopped worrying about it," Enishi said comfortably, sitting back against the wall of the chamber. "It's not for me to attain their goals, anyway. It's for them to do it. I'll train with them, and give them advice, but they're the ones talking to their swords. I suppose I figure they'll sort it out between them, one way or another. The ones who succeed will, anyway. I don't need to know how Koku's _zanpakutou_ works. I'm not summoning it, or using it. I need to know how he swings a blade and what his defensive weaknesses are. I think he's done well, but there's still more to do. We can't see the future, Ukitake. Even he can't see it all the time, and we shouldn't be worrying about what isn't happening yet. If Katsura appears, and bothers Koku, we'll deal with it then. Till then, Koku's your man and I don't think that will change, to be honest. But if he thinks you don't believe in him - that's when you'll have a problem. He looks up to you. Even I can see that. If he sees you are willing to send recruits but not him..."

"So what do you suggest I do?" Juushirou asked softly. "We don't know where Katsura is. He's good at moving around, and we can't seem to track him."

"Well, the easiest solution is that I take Koku on patrol myself," Enishi suggested. "I'm not the most sensitive to reiatsu ever, but from what I understand, Katsura can't be traced that easily anyway, so it probably doesn't matter. I think I can protect Koku, and the recruits, if need be. I mean, Katsura isn't Keitarou, and he may have given Kikyue-dono a good fight, but she was emotional, and I don't fight that way. I think he's probably not equipped to deal with a proper physical sword opponent, and I can be that, if the need arises. I won't let harm come to Koku, Ukitake, but I think you need to let him go. Let me take him, tomorrow, in the morning patrol. I'll tell him myself, if you give me the word. I haven't taken him for a while, and it will make a nice change."

He eyed his Captain hesitantly.

"That is, unless you have me on disciplinary, because I was damn rude to you just now."

"I don't think you said anything that didn't need saying, so why would I punish you for pointing out the truth?" Juushirou smiled sheepishly. "I'll bow to your wisdom. You are better placed to deal with it objectively, and you're right. I'm pretty sure you can protect any junior officer you take out on your patrol. Take him with you, if you like. I won't stand in your way."

"Good. And I'll take Yatsubashi too, if I may," Enishi got to his feet, looking relieved. "He's a good lad, he works hard, and he knows Koku. You did speak to him about Keitarou, right?"

"Yes, and he seemed fine with the situation," Juushirou agreed, extending a hand to close the book with a sigh. "Hirata had me worried about him and how he might react, but he took it very sanely. I know you see a lot of potential in him, Enishi, but don't let it seem as though you're favouring one over the others. They're all good recruits, don't forget."

"Yes, they are, and I'm not," Enishi promised. "It's just, if Yatsubashi knows about Keitarou, then if Katsura is an issue, and I have to take Koku out of circulation, he won't react badly to it. I'd rather take that drama out of it. I don't see why anyone'd have a problem with who Koku's Pa was, not now, but unfortunately you never know until the situation arises. Yatsubashi's level-headed, and he doesn't complain. Plus, he's pretty decent with that sword and he doesn't lack confidence. I'd like to take him. I'll take a couple of the others too, though, if you like. In fact, it might suit that way,"

He looked thoughtful, and Juushirou cast him a keen look.

"You mean, give Koku the responsibility of keeping an eye on the recruits, so that if his brother becomes a part of the equation, he knows that their safety comes first?" he asked. Enishi nodded.

"You gave him and Kayashima those ranks this spring with the idea of forming sub-patrols in the summer," he said matter-of-factly. "Recruits are in sub-patrols. Training both Koku and Kayashima to think that way makes sense. Kayashima doesn't need much prodding. He wades right in and deals with things as he sees them - but Koku is still a bit shy for my liking. Training with Naniwa is one thing, but he needs to command respect from the others, as well. I think that informally, in a patrol situation, that would be a good place to start."

"Then I'll leave it to you," Juushirou agreed. "Maybe don't take Naniwa, if you feel like that about it, but I see your logic. And I'm glad of it, Enishi. I'm glad you're here to bring me down to earth sometimes. Shunsui tried, but his head his always full of bigger conspiracies than I've even seen. He mentioned that I was shielding Koku too much, but he also thinks a lot of other things are going on and that doesn't help me rationalise. You clear my head beautifully when you put things so simply. I'll entrust Koku's patrols to you, until the Real World mission is back on and I can hopefully look at what to do with a saner mind."

"All of them, sir?" Enishi asked quizzically, and Juushirou nodded.

"I think it's better for him that way," he agreed. "But for the time being, you have my permission to take him tomorrow morning."

"Then that's a good place to start, and I'll work from there," Enishi looked pleased. "I'll tell Shikibu, too. She's annoyed by the Real World delay, as well, so maybe she'll take him on one of hers some time soon, too. Thank you, Taichou. I'll go work up a proper list for the morning, now I know I have your consent."

He jerked his head forward in an informal bow, then left the office, shutting the door behind him with a bang and striding across the wooden bridge that separated Ugendou from the bank of the koi pond. As he walked, he hummed a tune absently to himself, relieved at how his leader had taken his blunt advice.

 _Shikibu said I'd be the best one to tackle it, being that I was used to bull in a china shop tactics, but I didn't know if he'd be angry. Maybe she was right. Ukitake's my friend and I know that Koku isn't like the others. But to me, he has to be. And in a squad sense, that has to be preserved, especially at times of crisis. Koku needs to know that the same rules apply to him as to everyone. That's how squad discipline is, and while I understand Ukitake's fears, he can't let them influence his decisions. Keitarou's dead and he damn well shouldn't be involved in how this squad is run, now that he is. Katsura can please himself. I'll be damned if any of my officers are going to be swayed by rebel chaos, even if they do have a blood connection._

He reached the courtyard, pausing for a moment to observe the sword drill that Atsudane was conducting out in the spring sunshine. These were the lower seats, last year's recruit officers who were finally on the seated ladder, and, as he stood watching them, he noted with satisfaction how much a couple of them had come on in the twelve months they had been at the Thirteenth. Being the District squad meant that graduates almost invariably came from the Academy, but that didn't always mean a smooth transition into squad life, and the year minimum at recruit level had generally proven successful in shaving off rough corners and improving accuracy and drive. Atsudane caught sight of the Vice Captain, saluting him with a grin, and Enishi returned the gesture, a broad smile crossing his own face as the lower officers hurried to follow suit.

"Don't let me interrupt," he instructed. "I was just thinking how people have improved. Keep up the hard work - I want to see you lot all setting the new recruits a positive example, especially on patrol."

"Yes, sir!" the reply came promptly, and Enishi nodded his approval, gesturing to Atsudane to continue with his work. He crossed towards the main building, heading inside and moving to examine the noticeboard for the list of duties, chores and other errands that was the Division's way of keeping track of everyone's movements. A quick check of the lists told him that Kohaku was busy with shunpo coaching, and he grimaced, reminding himself that, however powerful the young shinigami was, this was a persistent weak spot that he would have to keep in mind on the patrol the next day. Though he could now shunpo after a fashion, Kohaku had distinguished himself on a number of occasions when flustered spirit power or a distracted state of mind had led him to shunpo into solid objects. Some of the bright sparks who had been recruits alongside him had begun to keep a list of everything Kohaku had accidentally head-butted, and the document included the Division gate, a wide variety of different tree species and even, on one occasion, a visiting Vice Captain. Fortunately, the Vice Captain in question had been Souryou Kanshi from the Tenth, who had found it funny rather than offensive, but Enishi internally winced at the recollection.  
 _  
Well, we can't all be good at everything. Lord knows my kidou isn't up to scratch and it never will be. I did enough to be safe at the Academy, but I don't pretend I remember it all, and I'd never use it unless I really had no choice. Trouble is, shunpo is a survival skill and Koku needs to be able to move swiftly from place to place, not collide with things. It might be amusing for his friends, but it's a lot less funny when its a matter of life and death in a dangerous situation._

The training was taking place at the rear of the Division, in the gardens that Juushirou was so proud of, and as Enishi made his way there, he could hear Kirio's exasperated voice scolding her student for something or the other. From her tone, Enishi guessed it was not the first time she had explained a particular issue, and, as he stepped into the garden, she glanced up, relief flooding her expression.

"Fukutaichou! Will you help me? I'm trying to drum it into Koku's thick skull that he's never going to make any progress in shunpo unless he improves his concentration. He just doesn't focus for long enough and I can't get him to take it seriously."

"I am taking it seriously!" Kohaku objected, looking put out. "I am, I just don't find it easy. If I drop my guard, Kyouka's all over my thought processes, and if I don't, then I can't access any reiryoku at all. It's not so easy as that, Kirio-san. I am trying - but I'm just not very good at it!"

"You shouldn't answer back your superior officer, not when she's suffering your ineptitudes," Enishi's eyes twinkled with amusement at this protest, and he came across the grass, clamping both hands down firmly on Kohaku's thin shoulders. "Listen. Hikifune is right. Shunpo isn't an art for dreamers. You're perfectly capable if you put your mind to it, but there's no sense you wasting Hikifune's time if you aren't willing to take her critique. We're trying to teach you a skill that might save your life one day, you know. Hollows and enemies don't usually stop and listen to your excuses before killing you. You do know that, right?"

"Yes, sir," Kohaku looked abashed, and he reddened, casting Kirio an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just...it's frustrating for me, too. I've been trying to get this right for five years. Kidou is easy and I can control my reiryoku when I cast a spell. Why can't I do this?"

"Believe me, if they were the same, I'd be casting spells much more proficiently than I can," Enishi told him ruefully. "Kidou involves remembering things. Shunpo is more of an instinct. Your sword shouldn't be any part of it, either. It's between you and yourself, and you should be able to do it even if Kyouka Raigen wants to talk to you. It's a matter of self-discipline. Some people get it right away. Others take time to master it."

"I'm in the latter category," Kohaku groaned. "I suppose maybe it is my fault. A lot of things have happened lately, and I'm probably distracted by them. It's hard, not knowing what's happening."

"Well, I've just been talking to the Captain, and we've decided you're doing no good lurking around here waiting to find out about the Real World mission," Enishi told him easily. "I'm leading a patrol tomorrow, out towards Eighth. You're coming. I'm also taking some recruits, and I'm going to ask you to help keep an eye on them. That should keep your mind occupied, so set them a good example."

"A patrol? Recruits?" Kohaku's eyes became big, and Enishi nodded.

"You're Twelfth Seat, aren't you?" he asked, and Kohaku nodded.

"Yes, but..."

He paused, then,

"I was starting to wonder if Taichou wanted me on patrol, with Katsu-nii on the agenda," he admitted slowly. Enishi pursed his lips together, then shrugged.

"I'm not interested in your brother, and nor should you be," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm interested in conducting a patrol to make sure the ordinary people in Eighth aren't in any danger. That should be your concern too, so put that in your mind, all right? I haven't decided who else is coming, tomorrow, not yet. But I don't take people on patrol if I don't intend them to be useful there, you know that."

"Can I come, Fukutaichou?" Kirio asked hopefully. "I don't have a patrol tomorrow, and I'd quite like the break."

"Aren't you leading the late patrol tomorrow?" Enishi looked startled, and Kirio shook her head.

"I was, but because the Real World is on hiatus, Naoko-san said she'd take it instead," she replied. "I'm at a loose end."

"Well, then you can come with pleasure, as my second," Enishi told her with a grin. "In the meantime, try and drum some more useful shunpo logic into this head," he ruffled his hand roughly across Kohaku's tousled head, causing the younger officer to yelp, "just in case we have to make a sharp exit from a field full of mad Hollows."

"Chance would be a fine thing, on both counts," Kirio sighed, "but yes, sir. I promise, at the very least, I'll do my best."


	27. The Hollow Forest

**Chapter Twenty Six: The Hollow Forest**

By the time that the sun rose over Sixth District, Katsura and his young companion had made it to the outskirts of a busy, bustling market town, and the two of them paused for a moment to catch their breath, gazing down with relief that they had finally reached civilisation. The trip through the Dangai had scared them both, and, although Katsura had not mentioned it again, Homare knew that her guardian had been put on edge by what they had experienced inside the tunnel. He had told her it would be safe, she remembered, slipping her hand in his and squeezing it tightly as they headed down the winding path towards the town centre, but it had not been, and she knew he was worried that he had put her actively in danger.

Still, they had made it safely out. Homare was young, but she was also pragmatic. She had learned at an early age that circumstances were prone to sudden change, and that sometimes, it was better to be thankful for the little she had than worry about things from the past. Right now, she reflected, they were safely in Sixth District, and, as Katsura had told her, it was a sea of pink blossoms, each tree more plentiful than the last. They were genuinely like pink clouds, caught in the tree branches, and, every so often, a stray petal or two was knocked free by the morning breeze, floating elegantly to the ground like floral snow. In spite of the fright of the night before, Homare felt certain that it had been worth the trip. She had never seen anything so beautiful, and inwardly she hoped that they would be staying in Sixth District for a while - at least, until the flowers all faded.

"I guess the first thing is breakfast," Katsura spoke at that moment, glancing down at her. "Are you tired? We didn't get a lot of sleep, last night, and with everything..."

"I'm fine," Homare was quick to reassure him. "I'm not tired. And it is pretty, here. Just like you said it would be. It's lovely, Nii-chan. I'm glad we came. I'm glad I came here with you."

"Even through the tunnel?" Katsura looked apprehensive, and Homare nodded.

"Nii-chan protected me, and we're here now," she said simply. "But I would like breakfast. Are we going to stay here, Nii-chan? It looks so pretty. Can we?"

"Let's see," Katsura rummaged in his sash for the rough cloth purse, tipping the coins out on his hand and counting them carefully. "We don't have a lot of money, and I can't go back to get more from Father's stash because the Gates aren't safe to go through. We'll have to stay in Sixth for a little bit, because I won't put you in danger. I'm sure the shinigami will fix the Gates, but I need to send a message to my brother to tell him what happened last night. I can't meet up with him again, it's too risky."

He snapped his fingers shut, offering her a smile.

"I think we can rent a room somewhere on the edge of the city," he told her. "But I can probably only pay for a couple of days accommodation. There aren't any Hollows out here for me to kill, and doing so in a busy place like this would attract too much attention - the shinigami patrol places like this quite regularly. So I'll have to find some other kind of work if we're to stay here - I think I'd rather we didn't spend too long in this town, and pressed on to find a village. It's easier to find work in places like that, especially at this time of the year...and they won't ask so many questions about where I'm from."

"All right," Homare agreed. "Do you want me to send the letter for you? The one to Kohaku-niichan?"

"I will," Katsura nodded. "I can't do it myself. Too risky. If I give you a coin and the letter, do you think you can manage that?"

"If you tell me where to go, yes," Homare nodded. "I can't give it to a shinigami, this time. There aren't any here right now."

"No, but messengers in Sixth travel regularly from towns and cities across Seireitei," Katsura told her. "They're robed in red and black...see, like that man over there," he pointed towards the far side of the street, where a portly gentleman robed in black hakamashita and crimson kataginu was clearly finishing his breakfast before going on duty. "Those are the people who carry messages."

"So I should give your letter to him?" Homare looked quizzical. Katsura shook his head.

"I think he's probably already been hired. Look, he's heading towards the city limits, and I expect he has his horse, tethered outside," he said. "But a man dressed like that, he should be able to help. I haven't written the letter, yet - but we'll find food, and I'll do that. I have paper, fortunately, and a little bit of my inkstone left, so we don't need to buy that. We can probably afford to get some soup, and maybe some fruit, if the prices aren't too bad. At this time of the year, they tend to be expensive, because only some places in the very South of Eighth District manage to produce plums and cherries early."

"Then we can just have soup," Homare assured him. "I don't mind."

It was not difficult to find a soup vendor in the busy town market, and before long both of them were fed and refreshed, sprawled out at the edge of the town square while Katsura put the finishing touches to his brother's letter. Homare gazed at the paper curiously, eying the black squiggles with interest.

"I wish I knew how to read and write like that," she observed sadly. "It looks so pretty, Nii-chan, like little pictures telling a story. Do you think I could learn, sometime? Will you teach me? I'd like to know."

"When all of this is over, if we're able to, I'll try," Katsura grinned at her, wafting the sheet in the air to dry the ink and then folding it carefully. He swept the brush across the paper again, then paused to eye it critically, before nodding his head.

"That will do," he decided, taking a length of worn ribbon and tying it around the letter tightly to keep it shut. "Hopefully, that's enough. I've written his name and his division on there, so it should get to him. All you need to do," he added, pushing it across the ground towards his companion, and placing a small copper coin on the top, "is find a messenger like I showed you before. Tell him you have a letter to send to a friend of yours, who is a shinigami. If he asks why you know him, tell the messenger Kohaku came to your village, and helped you, and so you wanted to send him a thank you letter or something like that. Understand?"

"And I give him this, to pay him?" Homare scooped up the coin, and Katsura grinned, nodding.

"You're getting the hang of this," he agreed. "Yes. Are you sure you're all right on your own? I don't think I should be seen with you, not doing this, and I really want to try and get us a room for tonight at least. We've done a lot of travelling, and I think both of us will think better when we're properly rested."

"All right," Homare scrambled to her feet, nodding her head importantly. "I'll go find a messenger person, then. I'll come back here, then, afterwards, and wait for you. All right? I'll know where to come," she added, pointing to the big old tree in the centre of the square, "because of that. It has weird, twisty branches. It looks funny and pretty, and I'll remember it, so I'll come back here."

"Let's do that," Katsura stood, putting away the writing material and dusting down his worn attire with a rueful smile. "I'll see you shortly. Good luck."

"You can count on me," Homare told him firmly, and Katsura grinned, patting her on the head before striding off across the city towards a side-alley. Watching him, Homare felt certain he had been here before, and something in that knowledge reassured her.

 _Niichan will find us a place to stay, and when I send this, we'll be able to go and rest. Maybe then he'll stop being worried. I hope so. I hope when he gets this, Kohaku-niichan can help.  
_  
She turned on her heel, hurrying off to search the busy streets for another individual in the red and black robes that Katsura had pointed out to her before. As she rounded the corner of one street, she thought she saw one, but, as she drew closer, she realised to her disappointment that he had already accepted a commission from another townsperson. Katsura hadn't told her whether messengers could take multiple messages, but she knew that drawing attention to herself would be a bad thing, and so she decided against asking, turning back and beginning her search a second time.

She had not been retracing her steps for long when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her on the street. At first assuming it was just another local resident, she only realised something was wrong when a skinny hand shot out from the shadows of one of the local alley turnings, grabbing her and pulling her backwards. Another hand went over her mouth, preventing her from screaming, and a second individual, a tall, scrawny youth leered over her, sending a wave of panic through her young body. She struggled and fought against the person who held her, but it was to no avail, and the second youth pushed his grimy face towards hers, until he was close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"Hello, little girl," he said, his voice raspy and unpleasant to the ears. "I think you have something that I want."

Mindful of the message tucked into the folds of her robes, Homare stiffened, frightened that they were there to find Katsura, and had somehow realised what she was there to do. She kicked back at the man who held her, hitting him on the kneecap and causing him to let out a howl, loosening his hold. She took her chance, biting down on the hand clamped over her mouth, but as she spied her chance to escape, the second man reached out and grabbed her by the arms, shoving her up against the wall with a thud that momentarily stunned her.

"You have money. I saw you, with that nii-chan, by the tree," he said menacingly, as his companion swore and cursed, hobbling over to join them. "You're a feisty one, I'll give you that, but I don't like fiesty women. Especially not runts like you. So I'll tell you what we'll do. You give me your money, and I'll let you go. You don't, and we'll take you and throw you down the nearest well."

Homare's eyes became big with fear at this, and she clamped her hands tightly over her sash, protecting the letter and the money Katsura had given her. The youths laughed at her instinctive and naive reaction, and the first youth gestured to the second to hold her still. This time there was no recourse for escape, and the second youth shoved gangly hands towards the folds of her clothing, pulling them loose and digging around in her sash for what they sought. Homare was close to tears now, too frightened to cry out as the youths ripped the letter from its hiding place, sending the precious coin clattering across the cobbles. At the sound of the money, the thief tossed the letter aside, hurrying after the coin before it disappeared into a drain, and his friend dropped Homare unceremoniously against the ground, chasing after his companion as suddenly it was a competition between them to secure the cash. Homare did not wait around to see whether they would come back. Grabbing up Katsura's precious letter, she turned on her heel and ran, tears blurring her sight as she fled back towards the square, open space and the curled tree where she knew Katsura would meet her.

In her hurry she tripped over her own feet, going sprawling across the cobbles, and her tears began to fall in earnest as the full shock and horror of what had just happened washed over her. She had never thought about being robbed in Seireitei, or that any such thing could happen in a place with so many beautiful flowers and trees, and for a moment she just huddled there, unable to control her emotions as she searched in vain for any sign of her guardian.

"Are you all right, young lady?"

The voice was a stranger's, and she started, hugging Katsura's letter to her chest and gazing up at the newcomer defensively. He was an old man, lean and muscular despite his age, with white hair and a kindly face that seemed at odds with the hilt of the sword that hung at his waist. He was robed in colours that, had Homare known it, were the colours of the Kuchiki clan, and an image of two birds was woven into the fabric on the shoulder panels of his _kataginu_. At the sight of her tears and her dishevilled clothing, the newcomer frowned, crouching down at her side and reaching into his own robes for a handkerchief. He held it out to her, offering her a smile.

"What's happened to you?" he asked softly, and as Homare hesitated, he touched the cloth gently to her cheeks, drying her eyes and pressing the handkerchief into her fingers.

"Here. Calm yourself. I'm not going to hurt you, but someone clearly did," he said gently. "My name is Keiichi. Can you tell me yours?"

"H...Homare," Homare gulped and Keiichi settled himself on the cobbles beside her.

"And what happened to you to make you cry, Homare?" he questioned. Homare eyed him warily, and Keiichi smiled.

"I work for the local family that governs this area," he said evenly. "It's my job to make sure people in this town are safe and happy. You're not happy, and something bad clearly happened to you this morning. If you tell me what, maybe I can fix it. I can try, anyway. That's what I'm here to do."

"You can't do anything," Homare sniffed, nonetheless wiping her eyes with the proffered handkerchief before handing it back. "I promised my Niichan I'd send a letter, but I can't send it now. Some people stopped me. They t...t...took my money, and...now I don't have any, and N...Niichan was counting on me...and...and...I said I would do it but now I c...can't!"

A fresh flood of tears threatened, and Keiichi sighed, patting her gently on the head.

"I see," he said gravely. "I'm sorry that happened to you. Is your Niichan somewhere close by? I could speak to him, perhaps, and I'd like to make sure you were safe before I go."

"He's l...looking for l...lodgings for the night," Homare said unevenly. "He s...said he'd m...meet me here, but he isn't h...here yet, and...I..."

She faltered, holding up the letter.

"I can't send his letter," she repeated. "I promised, but I c...can't. I don't h...have any more coins."

"Would you like me to take the letter and send it for you?" Keiichi asked softly, and Homare stared at him, taken aback by this offer.

"Why would you do that?" she asked warily, and Keiichi smiled.

"Like I said, it's my job to keep people safe," he said evenly. "I've failed, today, because someone was able to rob you. It's my fault you were crying, because I didn't stop them. They took your money, and so I should do something to make that right. I have a number of messengers that I can take it to, and it wouldn't be difficult. Where is the letter going? I'm sure we can resolve this so that your Niichan isn't inconvenienced."

Homare stared at her rescuer, her eyes big.

"Is that really your job, Keiichi-san?" she whispered. Keiichi nodded, indicating the symbol woven into the fabric of his robes.

"This badge is the badge of my Lord, who governs this area for the Kuchiki family," he said. "It means that I have the obligation to protect everyone who comes here. You said your brother was looking for lodgings, so I'm not surprised you don't know me - but a lot of people in this town see me often. I can help, if you'll let me. Will you? I can have the letter sent today, and then it will get there safely."

"The Kuchiki family," Homare repeated this slowly, then she sighed, holding out the letter to her companion. "I don't know a lot about the Clan families, but I do want to send this. Niichan said it was important. I don't want to let him down."

"Then let me see, where does it need to go?" Keiichi took it, glancing at it, then pausing, frowning and glancing back at the young girl. "Aizen Kohaku? That's who the letter is for?"

"I don't know his other name." Homare admitted. "It's to Kohaku-niichan. He was kind. He came to our village and he was nice to me. I know he's a shinigami. In Thirteenth Division. That's who it's for."

"I see," Keiichi hesitated, then slid the letter into his own _obi_ , offering her a smile and getting to his feet. "I think I've met him. It's an unusual name, and my Lord has a strong fondness for the Thirteenth Division. His grandson is the Captain there, you know. I'm sure I can get this safely to Kohaku-dono for you. You can leave it with me, Homare-chan. I promise I'll take care of it from here."

"Thank you," Homare offered him a shy smile, accepting the old man's hand as he helped her to stand up. "Niichan will be happy, when I tell him that."

"He's still not here, huh?" Keiichi glanced around him. "Can you tell me his name? Maybe I could have people look for him and bring him here to you."

"His name?" Homare hesitated for a moment, then, "His name is...is Gorou-niichan, but you don't need to do that. I mean, he's coming to find me. He'd be cross with me, if he thought I'd made a fuss."

I don't like to leave you on your own, though, not when you've had such a scare," Keiichi said gently. "You're not hurt, are you? I see a few scrapes and bruises. Did they hurt you badly?"

"They were rough, but I kicked and I bit one of them," Homare said firmly. "I'm all right. I'm not easy to break, Keiichi-san. So long as Niichan's letter is sent, I'll be fine."

"Well, if you're sure," Keiichi looked doubtful, but he nodded his head. "All right. But if you have any problems, Homare-chan, remember this logo," he tapped his badge again. "If you speak to anyone wearing this badge, and tell them that Keiichi sent you, then they'll help you, no questions asked. They're my officers, you see, and they are here to keep people like you safe from thugs and thieves. I'll also try my best to find the people who robbed you, so they can't do it again to you or anyone else."

"Thank you for being kind," Homare dimpled, squeezing the old man's hands and then loosing them. "Thank you for sending the letter. Now I need to go find Niichan, but I'm glad I met you, Keiichi-san. I'm glad that people in this town can be nice."

With that she turned, hurrying off across the cobbles towards the twisted tree. Keiichi stood and watched her for a while, but Homare knew that, so long as a city official was watching her, Katsura would not appear and she sighed, settling herself down beneath the tree to wait.

 _I was lucky that Keiichi-san helped me, but he doesn't know that Niichan doesn't like people with badges and swords, and there's no way Niichan would have come to meet him. I hope Keiichi-san just goes and sends the letter, now. If he waits for Nii-chan, it will be complicated. I hope he doesn't wait._

She made herself comfortable between two of the tree roots, turning to glance back in the direction where Keiichi had been, but to her relief, the retainer had disappeared from view. She let out her breath in a rush, examining the bruises on her legs with a critical eye. Carefully she straightened her clothing, retying her sash more tightly to hide the damage of the assault.  
 _  
Nothing bad, though. Nothing broken, so I'm fine. Niichan doesn't need to know about this. He'll just worry more, if he does. So I won't tell him. I'll just say I sent the letter, and that's all. That was what I was meant to do, anyway. Keiichi-san is my messenger, so it's all right. And maybe, now, Niichan and I can rest for a while. I hope so. Seireitei is more complicated than I expected, but I want to be with Niichan, and so I won't let him worry about me. If he does that, he might leave me behind again, and I won't let that happen._

She clenched her fists in determination.

 _I'm going to stay with Niichan. No matter what._

* * *

The tunnel beneath the Senkaimon pathway was a lot more uneven than the formal Gate tunnel, and, as Ikata and his companions cautiously eased themselves into it, it was clear that, in contrast to where they had been previously walking, this spirit corridor was far from secure. The floor was bumpy and uneven, and the atmosphere was pitch black, the air thick and cloying as though something within it had been rotting there for a long time. The tunnel walls wobbled and shook from time to time, and as they picked their way along the narrow passage, it was only too clear that the delicate surface they were walking on was cluttered with objects of different sizes and shapes. Occasionally a careless footstep resulted in a loud crack that echoed through the empty air around them, the sound like crisp winter tree branches in a forest grove. In this place, however, there were no trees.

Using any kind of Kidou to illuminate the tunnel would be potentially suicidal, but, forewarned by his past experiences on location in Rukongai during one of the more dangerous periods in its recent history, Ikata had come prepared. Fumbling around in his _obi_ for stone and a piece of wood, he struck the two together, watching with satisfaction as the wooden branch flared alight on the first try.

"Ikata-dono, do you think it's all right, setting a fire down here?" Kikyue's tones sounded worried, but Ikata ignored the censure in her words, shrugging his shoulders.

"Better than using Kidou," he said frankly. "Basic camping logic, this. Anyone who's spent time out on location knows to bring fire implements with them."

"And if it sets the whole tunnel alight?"

"It won't," Ikata snorted. "Listen. When your family were busy ripping each other to shreds over God knows what in District Seven, Eleventh and Twelfth had jurisdiction over Rukongai and I was stationed there on and off when it was most violent. Kusakawa's insurrection was the worst part of it. We fought Hollow creatures and we lost men. People killed in front of us, or turned and we had to cut them down. Blood, body parts everywhere. Grim massacre, it was, at times. But it was still the Rukon. Using spirit power was strictly regulated. There were rumours that releasing _zanpakutou_ might make the problem worse, so we were told - swords and spells only if we were in danger of our lives, or protecting Pluses. Otherwise, it was basic skills. We were expected to survive without it."

"Kusakawa-dono's insurrection," Kikyue spoke icily. "Wasn't that the time when shinigami posted in the Rukon to protect it were actually also causing the mutations there? Or is this another insurrection that I don't know about?"

"That was nothing to do with me. Nor Eleventh. Unless you're entirely stupid, you should know that my predecessor - _my cousin_ \- was killed trying to stop that treason and my Captain was the one who brought Kusakawa down," Ikata bristled. "Besides, that's not my point. My point is that even when things were at their most unstable, nobody stopped us lighting fire with flint and dry wood, though. Sterile flames like this," he wafted the branch, "don't set spiritually charged reishi alight. That's basic spirit science even a baby raised in District One would know from the moment they crawled from their cradle. I know what I'm doing, and I know what's safe. Nobody said anything about us not lighting a torch down here, and we can't see a damn thing as it stands. I'm in charge and I made the call. Nobody's died from it, and now at least we know where we're stepping."

"I don't know if that's a good thing, Ikata-san," Takasugi glanced down at the ground in front of him, grimacing. "Looks like someone else was here before us. A long time ago. We've been walking through a graveyard. Literally."

"Well, they ain't going to be walking anywhere anytime soon with their legs smashed up like that, so I don't suppose we worry about them," Ikata glanced back at the corpse that lay sprawled across the floor, casting it a cursory look. "It seems pretty dead to me, and not of the resurrected kind."

"It's pretty smashed up. We must've marched right over it," Kikyue turned back to examine the skull, fingering a long, dark crack that ran across a disjointed jaw-bone. "This one's no more than bone, though. I guess it's been here a really long time...or it didn't make it out, when the others decided to come visit Seireitei for a bit. I'm guessing it's a man, but it's really hard to tell like this."

"People really lose the sense of being people when they lose their flesh and features, don't they?" Takasugi reflected. "It's a bit humbling, really, that this is how we all end up."

"Hopefully how we end up isn't being trampled on in some godforsaken tunnel in the middle of illegal Dangai space," Kikyue said acerbically, and Takasugi offered her a rueful smile.

"True enough. But you know what I mean."

"This isn't the Senkaimon, though, is it?" Hashimori bent to to pick up the remains of a brittle femur, snapping it cleanly in two and glancing at the dried inside. "You're right, Kikyue-hime. There's nothing here to be reanimated. The report said that the corpses have had some semblance of flesh on their bones. There's been no talk of skeletons walking Seireitei."

"The report the _Vice Captains_ received indicated that the corpse dolls in Sixth were stopped when their hearts were slashed through," Ikata put emphasis on the rank, re-asserting himself into the conversation with a grunt. "Not my fault if Kitabata didn't feed that info down to the rest of you, but a skeleton doesn't have a heart. Stands to reason it won't be getting up to fight us."

"So the corpses that walk have to have their hearts still, even if the heart isn't beating?" Hashimori looked up. Ikata shrugged.

"That's for the Unohana to figure out," he said frankly. "If we see any, we slash them up. That's our brief. Forensic examination is for those nerds at the Fourth and Third to process."

"We should probably take a sample of the bone here, though, since we're in unmapped space and it might be useful in dating when this person ended up here," Kikyue decided. "Keep that bone, Hashimori - or the part of it that looks least likely to disintegrate. We'll take it back, and the Fourth can look at it. They'll know better, but I don't suppose these were coming to Seireitei at all."

"So are we inside a Punishment Gate, then?" Takasugi wondered, glancing around him, as Hashimori saluted, secreting the worn bone away in his sash. "It seems like it, but I had thought they were just Gates. Not whole long tunnels."

"Keitarou apparently meddled with them," Kikyue said darkly. "But yes, I imagine that's what this is. People were tossed in here to die. And, clearly, it worked."

"I suppose nobody cares about sweeping up corpses in a place nobody intends to go, but it shows what a twisted bastard Keitarou was," Ikata remarked. "Traipsing through the entrails of other ingrates to take a short cut from here to there."

"I think there are more bodies, sir, in the tunnel ahead," Tanaka reached across to tap his Vice Captain's arm, and Ikata turned, swinging the torch in front of him to illuminate the path. Sure enough, bits of corpse littered the tunnel, with stretches of raggedy, bloodstained fabric torn between them at intervals. A glint of silver indicated the remains of a broken sword, and Ikata strode forward, nudging this with his foot until it came free from its resting place. He picked it up, tilting the hilt to examine the insignia.

"Some kind of flower," he reflected. "Here, Kikyue-dono. You're a girl. You look at it. Tell me what it is."

"I'm not exactly the kind of girl who spends a lot of time with flowers, Ikata-dono," Kikyue stiffened at this blatant piece of sexism, and Ikata snorted.

"If you're scared of a dead man's sword, then say so. I just thought you'd like to be useful, given you're such a high born _hime_ ," he snapped back, and Kikyue's expression became dark. Her reiatsu flickered faintly with indignation and Ikata was aware once again of the killer instinct that was being tightly controlled inside her small frame. He smirked, thrusting the weapon in her direction, and Kikyue glared at him.

"Endou aren't in the habit of being bothered by death, but some of your juniors look about to vomit," she retorted, snatching the weapon away and holding it up to the light herself. "Maybe you should've picked them better, or trained them. It already smells bad enough in here, and my officers aren't equipped to deal with fainting shinigami. It doesn't happen in Seventh, so we're not trained for it."

"Nobody is going to faint," Ikata was cross about this. "The Eleventh are a combat Division. We're proud warrior Yamamoto. We're not wussy Kuchiki, dancing around cherry blossoms and all of that crap."

"Then we're fine, aren't we?" Kikyue returned. "And as for this, I don't know what it is," she pushed the sword back in his direction. "It's not an iris, so it's not Endou. That's all I know about flowers. You'll have to find someone else."

"We'll take it with us, then," Ikata thrust the broken blade into his own broad _obi_. "Staying here isn't much use. We found dead people," he kicked his foot out at a severed leg bone, "but these aren't going to take us any closer to finding out what happened in Seireitei. We came in through one of the affected Gates but we've found no animated dead people. Just a bunch of scattered bones. And," he glanced at Kikyue, "we still didn't find any evidence of your fugitive."

"No..." Kikyue sighed, nodding her head. "He's not easy to trace. If he used his reiryoku, we might find him, but in this tunnel? Not a chance. Even if he was here and even if he did use his spirit power, It's so full of rotting whatever that it's impossible to detect anything worthwhile. I can't even sense your reiatsu, Ikata-dono, and you're standing right beside me."

"Well, the tunnel goes on ahead," Ikata waved his makeshift torch ahead once more. "This won't last much longer, but we can go forward. I guess we do. If we trample a few corpses in the meantime, then that's just tough. If we break their legs, they'll find it harder to escape here anyway, and while I think these are way beyond any kind of resurrection, it doesn't hurt to kill two corpses with one stamp."

He grinned, clearly amused by his own dark humour, before stalking away into the tunnel ahead. The torch burned out before he had gone more than a few paces, but he merely tossed the charred remains of the twig aside, trusting that his companions would keep up with him and follow the sound of his steps where they could not necessarily follow his reiatsu. The darkness was oppressive, but, as the group of officers continued deeper into the Zaimon tunnel, it was the constant trembling and juddering of the walls of the corridor that began to make the Eleventh's senior officer uneasy. The tunnel was becoming narrower, threatening to constrict and twist together, and he began to wonder whether they would shortly reach a dead end. If that happened, they would have to turn back, and, as it had been his idea to take this path, blame for the wrong turning would undoubtedly rest on his shoulders.

He was just contemplating this unsavoury possibility when the tunnel before him flared out wildly without warning. At first believing the passageway was falling apart, Ikata braced himself for a swift retreat, but, as he did so, he realised that there was light coming from the far side of the misshapen pocket of space that loomed up ahead of him, and excitement stirred once more in his heart. What it meant, he didn't know, but it was not a dead end, and he hurried forward, ignoring the fact his officers were behind him and had no idea what they were heading into. He found himself in a distended piece of spirit tunnel, the walls stretched thin and seared through by some unknown spiritual force that had left deep scars in the delicate fibres. In some places, the damage was bad enough that it had broken through the tunnel to the abyss beyond, and the frayed edges flapped forlornly as though moved by some unseen spiritual force. There was energy here, although it too was beginning to fade, leaking out through the holes and disappearing into the black emptiness that lurked beyond the Dangai. Nevertheless, Ikata's senses were sharp enough to realise that the energy was not coincidental, but something potent and spiritual that had torn through the tunnel like a hurricane, forcing the walls to deform and warp under its pressure.

 _Someone has been here. Someone...or something._

"Kikyue-dono!" he bellowed, gesturing for the Endou _hime_ to come to join him, and she did so, her expression telling him that she was wholly unimpressed by his manner of summons. Ikata paid no attention to this, though, gesturing instead to the torn walls.

"Something clawed this apart. Something spiritual, but not a blade edge," he said brusquely. "You know what reiatsu footprint this ingrate fugitive of yours has, correct? Maybe it was him. I guess you'd be able to tell that?"

Kikyue sent Ikata a black look, but she made no demur at his dismissive attitude, obediently stepping forward to examine the damage. She frowned, chewing on her lip, then shook her head.

"I don't think it's him," she said, and her words sounded deflated. "It's not right. It's not raw enough. I don't think that was Katsura's doing, Ikata-dono. It doesn't feel the same. It feels more like..."

She paused, then sighed heavily.

"It feels more like a _zanpakutou_ ," she admitted. "But I guess that's stupid. Katsura doesn't have one of those, and it's not as though this reiatsu is familiar."

"Well, then it's impossible," Ikata was losing interest. "Whatever it was, it's not here now, so we go on. There's light ahead, which suggests we might be breaking back into the proper Dangai space. This tunnel may just connect two legitimate tunnels with each other, but we need to go forward all the same. That's our duty, and we need to make sure we check everything."

With this self-important speech, he swaggered forward again, and although from somewhere behind him he thought he heard Kikyue's exasperated sigh, he was relieved to hear her give clear instructions to her officers to follow on behind.  
 _  
I guess Kitabata drummed it into her that she should do as she's told with me on this mission, and so much to the better. I'm more experienced than either of them, and I know what I'm doing. I'd expected more trouble from those stupid, savage Endou, but I suppose nobody's going to cause problems if their precious hime is willing to bow her head to my orders and toe the line. She's a little mouthy, but nothing I can't handle and so much to the good, it makes my life easier. I'm a Vice Captain. I should be obeyed by a Third Seated officer, even if she is the daughter of a Clan Leader._

He reached the opening in the tunnel, dazzled momentarily by uneven shards of light that shimmered down like silver rain. Where there had been nothing above him but the gloomy black of the transit tunnel, there was now a network of greys and blacks, interspersed with what looked like branches of a strange kind of tree Ikata did not recognise. The ground spread out before them, uneven and rocky terrain that showed no sign of either water or grass, and the air was tight and musty, though less pungent than the rotting odour from the tunnel they had just walked.

Although Ikata did not know where he was, he knew one thing for certain. This was not the Dangai, and nor was it Seireitei. This was something else...a place that wasn't on Mareiko's plan or recorded in Shinigami archives. This was unknown territory, and Ikata's mind began to race at the thought of being the hero who had discovered it, bringing new and exciting knowledge back home to Seireitei. Perhaps this was Keitarou's secret hideout, he reflected, bellowing for his officers to hurry out and join him in this new, strange landscape. Maybe it had simply always been here, a place so deep in spirit space that no shinigami had ever discovered it before.

"What the hell is this place?" Takasugi let out an exclamation of surprise. "Kikyue-dono, where are we? Are those trees?"

"They look like trees, but they feel like crystal," Hashimori ran his fingers over one of the tree trunks, breaking off a fragment of a branch and examining it in his hands. "Should we take samples of these too, _hime_? The Urahara might want to analyse them, since this isn't like anything we have back home."

"If we're taking samples, _I'm_ going to be the one directing them," Ikata interjected before Kikyue could respond to her officer's question. "Take samples of everything, but make sure they're submitted to me before we leave. I am the one charged with making the final report. The Endou have no business with scientific examination, and I promised Sekime-taichou that I would deliver such samples to her personally."

"I don't suppose it matters, so long as we investigate," Kikyue agreed, sniffing the air. "The atmosphere here is strange. It feels like home, but not like home. Spiritual, but...frozen in time, somehow. Reishi at home is constantly changing, moving and developing, but the aura here feels static. It feels as though very little ever changes...and I can sense that aura again, Ikata-dono. The one from the tunnel. Can't you? That dark ripping sensation that tore open the walls of the pathway we just came from."

"Of course I can," Ikata blustered, for he had not even thought to check, but, as he extended his own spiritual senses, he realised with annoyance that the young _hime_ was right. The same dark aura mingled with the musty smell that pervaded the whole area, and he gestured for them to advance, cautiously examining the landscape for anything that he could use to reassert his position in charge.

There was no firm pathway here. The odd crystal trees sprung up from the dry earth at frequent intervals, their trunks heading up towards a sky that was practically invisible from the ground below. Odd patches and gaps in the overhead cover revealed what looked like a nocturnal sky, making Ikata wonder if they had been travelling all day, and from time to time, dusty clouds of snow white sand cascaded down from above, making it seem like even the rain in this strange place was sapped dry of all its water. It was not particularly hot, but the arid nature of their surroundings made Ikata's throat feel parched and he fumbled at his belt for his water gourd, taking a deep gulp of the pure, clear liquid. Around him, many of his companions followed his example, and there was little conversation, as the small group of shinigami struggled to work out exactly where they were.

"Do you think Keitarou built this place, sir?" Tanaka was the first to break the silence as they passed a network of rocky caves that seemed to rise up like a mountain as high as the eye could see. Ikata shrugged.

"He's dead, so it doesn't matter if he did," he said dismissively. "We're here to find out why the Dangai's throwing out dead folk, that's all. Keitarou's not left his grave, and he's nothing to do with this. If he made this place, that's irrelevant. We're not here for him. He's already met his karma."

"Katsura might be, though," Kikyue pointed out. "This isn't the Dangai, that's for sure. It's some kind of spiritual plane - and if Keitarou did build it, it might explain why his son has found it so easy to hide."

"It's very quiet," Takasugi murmured. "I don't like it. It feels wrong. Does anyone else feel as though we're being watched?"

"What could be watching us, here?" Hashimori demanded. "What is there that could live in a place like this?"

"Something," Takasugi shivered. "Don't you feel it? Eyes, everywhere. Watching us. Watching, sort of like they're looking at an expensive sushi menu, and are eyeing up the choice pieces from a distance before coming in for the kill."

"I feel it, too," Tanaka admitted. "Since we began walking past the caves. Could there be something here, sir? Maybe this is where the corpses come to. Maybe this is where they are. Waiting to spring out and attack Seireitei."

"I find it hard to imagine dead people doing that," Kikyue said categorically. She kicked out at the ground, then, "and I'd expect to see more blood if they did. From all reports, the corpse dolls decay as they are fighting. Bits fall off them. Blood oozes out of them. They're messy antagonists. This place is clean. No sign of bones, detritus, nothing. And no smell of decay, either. Besides, why would they be watching us? The corpses that have attacked in Seireitei so far have been driven to kill. They haven't been lingering in the shadows, and to be blunt, just because they tend to still have eyeballs, there's no reason to assume they can see what they are attacking, or even know what's around them."

"It depends on what's controlling them," Takasugi muttered, and Ikata snorted.

"Kikyue-dono, I thought your men were used to dealing with death," he said frankly. "It sounds to me like they're losing their nerve. Do you want me to beat their wits back into them, or can you manage it on your own?"

"Fukutaichou! Look!" Before Kikyue could respond to this fresh insult, Tanaka let out an exclamation, reaching out to grab Ikata's sleeve and tugging it hard. With his other hand, he pointed desperately in the direction of the caves, and Ikata, who had been about to scold him, found his words dying on his lips as he registered that where there had just been a black expanse of emptiness, moments before, there was now a sequence of eyes - glowing, reptilian, golden eyes - staring at them from every perceivable opening. Instinctively his hand went to the sword at his waist, as the familiar and unmistakeable sensation of a Hollow's hunting aura began to spread out across the barren landscape. Already Ikata's combat brain was sizing up the terrain, for he had quickly realised that the number of Hollows here in this strange place outnumbered him and his companions by at least three to one. He had no idea how strong they were, or what their intentions might be, but he was under no illusions that there would be any form of polite negotiation.

"Hollows!" Hashimori exclaimed unnecessarily, and Ikata drew his _zanpakutou_ from its sheath.

"The embargo on spirit power is off!" he instructed. "This isn't the Dangai, so no hesitation. Deal with the threat, all of you. Fight to kill. Hollows are Hollows. We know all we need to about them, and there's no point in trying to take samples. Not even the Urahara are that fussy about detail."

"I think we'll be lucky if we escape here with all our own limbs, let alone any of theirs," Takasugi muttered, as a tremendous howl flooded through the claustrophobic arena, and first claws, then spiny, bobbled appendages and curled snouts began to lurch forward from the caverns on either side. They acted with caution, Ikata noted, as if expecting a hostile barrage from the shinigami and their weapons, but they were ever increasing in number, and although Ikata was ready to cut a path through, he realised that even if he did so, he didn't know where he was going.

 _This place is a Hollow nest._

The truth hit him like a ton of bricks.

 _I don't know how or why, but it is. This is their terrain, not ours. They know where to go, and we don't. They're also acting together, not as individuals. I've never seen Hollows like that before. Hollows who are thinking...Hollows who are strategising, and who know our blades mean death._

" _Hadou no Nanajuu Hachi. Zangerin!_ "

As the Hollows began to close in on the shinigami group, there was the sound of a voice from the upper echelons of the cavern wall, followed by a searing curve of powerful spiritual energy that sliced through the nearest Hollows, dividing them in half and causing them to disintegrate into black spirit dust. The surviving Hollows reeled back, letting out shrieks and howls as they scuttled back towards their caverns, out of the way of further onslaughts. This immediate act of self-preservation over hunting instinct was also something Ikata had not seen in Hollows before, but it was not the time to ponder on this phenomenon and, as he turned to look for the source of the spiritual energy, he saw for the first time that they were not alone in the barren clearing.

An old man, dressed in silver and white _hitatare_ , with snowy hair pulled back from his face in a silver clasp stood watching them with calm interest. His face was lined and his hands clearly wrinkled with age, but his body was not stooped, and there was a certain grace about his bearing that indicated a sense of self-importance or rank that seemed at odds with his current location. He stood atop what initially appeared to be a pile of fallen tree-trunks, but, as Ikata looked closer, he realised that it was an uneven staircase, leading upwards towards the boughs of the crystal trees overhead. In his right hand, the stranger held what was unmistakeably the hilt of a sword, curved and glittering with spiritual energy. Instinctively Ikata knew that it was some kind of _zanpakutou_ , although it was clear the weapon had only been used to fire the high level and effective kidou spell, and had not been released in its own right. His thoughts flitted back to the savaged wall of the tunnel, but, just as quickly as he had thought it, he dismissed the idea from his mind. The man had released a powerful spell, but there was nothing in his aura that resonated with the dark and sinister energy they had encountered on their arrival here. Ikata was by no means the most spiritually sensitive shinigami in all Seireitei, but he knew that the reiatsu they had encountered before had not come from the individual that now stood before him. The man's expression was serene, and he seemed amused as he gazed down on them from his perch. Something in this attitude grated on Ikata's pride, and the Vice Captain felt suddenly indignant that this random stranger had stolen his thunder and swept out the role of hero and saviour from under his nose.

"Who are you!" he demanded, and the old man disappeared, re-materialising a few feet in front of where Ikata stood. Gently he tapped Ikata's hand, indicating for him to sheath his sword.

"They won't come back, now. They know that I won't show them any mercy, if I'm in the mood to kill them," he said softly, and Ikata wrested his arm away, glaring at the newcomer in annoyance.

"I said, who are you?" he snapped back. "I'm Ikata Jintarou, Vice Captain of the Eleventh Division. I'm in charge here, so answer me. Who are you, and where did you come from?"

"Ikata-dono, he just blew a bunch of Hollows apart," Kikyue's hand was curled around the hilt of her own weapon, and there was tension in her voice. "Maybe you shouldn't be demanding things from him. We don't know yet, if he's an enemy or a friend."

"That's hurtful, young lady, when I just saved you from the Hollow swarm," the old man tut-tutted, shaking his head in disapproval. "Clearly there are no manners left in Seireitei among the young."

"Don't speak to our _hime_ like that!" Hashimori reacted immediately. "An insult against the Endou means death, and you'd do well to know it!"

"I see," the old man sheathed his still-gleaming blade, seemingly unconcerned by the hostility in the officer's stance. "Endou, are you? I suppose that explains it, although the Endou I remember were far quicker to the kill."

"I'm not an Endou," Ikata fought to reassert himself. "I'm a Yamamoto, and we're real warriors. Old school. And I'm in charge here. I asked you a question. Are you going to answer me, or should I make you with my sword?"

He clamped his hand down more firmly around the hilt of his weapon, and the old man's beady black eyes narrowed.

"A Yamamoto, are you?" he asked softly. "I see. My apologies. I hadn't realised. I was always taught that names are precious things - pieces of information that should be given out but warily."

"I was taught as a warrior is taught, to name yourself to your enemy before killing them," Ikata returned neatly, and the old man chuckled.

"I can't argue with that logic," he agreed good-naturedly. "I was once a warrior myself, many years ago. In my youth, of course...not now. Now I'm just an old man, but yes, I remember the heat of conflict like it was yesterday."

He paused, eying the Vice Captain for a moment.

"Ikata Jintarou, was it? I see. I admit, I don't know the name Ikata. But you do look...I think I can see it, in your face, the features of your Clan. And, if you're a Yamamoto, that changes things considerably. I appear to have given offence, and that grieves me greatly. You see, we are likely kinsmen, and therefore I should give you a proper welcome - and, of course, introduce myself."

He smiled, revealing teeth that were disturbingly clear and perfect in spite of his obvious age.

"My name is Yamamoto no Jirou Kunimori," he said, inclining his head in Ikata's direction. "I was once a shinigami, like you, and lived in Seireitei. Unfortunately I became stranded here, some several years ago, and I have been here ever since."

"Yamamoto?" despite himself, Ikata was taken aback, and Kunimori nodded, reaching up to remove the silver clasp from his straggly white hair and holding it out.

"Indeed, as this is my witness," he said gravely. "I have been here many years, and I would be glad to hear news of my mother Clan."

Ikata took the clasp, turning it over and glancing at the logo that was engraved in the shiny surface. Sure enough, he recognised the crest of the Yamamoto, albeit in an ancient form, and he nodded, handing it back.

"All right, apparently you are," he said frankly. "I don't know your name, though, Kunimori-dono. I never heard of you before, which is odd to me, especially not given that you have the Clan name."

"As I said, I have been here a long time," Kunimori carefully replaced the clasp in his hair. "So long ago that I don't even remember when. Well, age will do that to a man, and ageing here is a cruel fate. I don't even know the name of the current Clan leader - a shameful thing to say when one possesses the family name."

"It must have been a long time ago, in that case," Ikata looked taken aback. "Yuuichi-sama has been head of the Clan a good several years now, since his father, Hashihiko-sama passed away."

"Yuuichi-sama. Hashihiko-sama," Kunimori repeated the names slowly, then sadly shook his head. "No, I am afraid both are strangers to me. Ah, this is depressing. I appear to have been here even longer than I thought. To think that I might have ended my days here without ever speaking to another member of my Clan...and I have so wanted to do that very thing. More than you can ever know."

"I suppose that makes sense," Ikata frowned. "Question is, what is a Yamamoto doing in a place like this?"

"A lot of shinigami became stranded here, when the Dangai failed to take us where we were meant to go," Kunimori said sadly. "Reaching this oasis was a better fate than those who became lost forever in the tunnels, and they would often collapse and swallow up those trying to make it to the Real World. Life here is harsh, however. Many souls have perished in the arid climate, or been eaten by those beasts you saw just now. But I've been here long enough to know my way around, and I learned how to get rid of the local threats. This is where the Hollows spawn, and it's not safe for individuals with spirit power to lurk. On the upper level, however, there are few Hollows, and the land is tranquil and safe. Will you come with me to the Dome? It is paltry shelter, but secure from Hollow invasions, and we can speak more easily there."

"How can we know we can trust you?" Kikyue was hesitant, and Kunimori smiled serenely.

"There are more of you than there are of me, and I am an old man gone near senile from isolation in this place," he said simply. "I have but few companions and my wits and skills are dull and rusted from my long time here. Surely I am more at risk than you are, a group of young officers like yourselves against an ageing fossil like me?"

"Ikata-dono?" Kikyue glanced at the Eleventh's Vice Captain, who grimaced, sheathing his blade firmly and shrugging his shoulders.

"He's right," he said evenly. "We're more danger to him than the other way around. Besides, he's a Yamamoto. He's kin to me. The Yamamoto aren't like the Endou, and we can't stay here. Get your men together. We're going to this Dome."

* * *

"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir, but I thought that I should bring this to your attention."

Keiichi pushed back the sliding door of his master's salon, pausing to bow his head before the Kuchiki lord.

The old man was a creature of habit, and so, at this time of year, when the cherry blossoms were at their peak, Keiichi knew without a moment's hesitation that he would find Kinnya here, sitting by the window and enjoying the sun setting over the pink-speckled horizon. Although his ebony hair was increasingly peppered with grey, and his skin was starting to show his advancing age, the man's storm-cloud grey eyes were bright and alert, reminding Keiichi of days long past when they had both lived their lives in the heart of the Kuchiki administration. He wore simple robes, the colours of the Kuchiki Clan lacking all the ornate decorations favoured by the main house, and the stick that lay propped up against his seat concealed the ornately carved scabbard of his trusted _zanpakutou_ , the enigmatic tachi blade Raiurei. At Kinnya's throat hung the crest of the Clan, strung on a delicate silver chain ornately engraved with twisting tree branches and sword blades. A present from his late father when Kinnya had been just a boy, it was the only real clue in the old man's apparel to the high level of his birth, for despite his modest robes, Kinnya had been born the son of one Clan Leader and had grown up as brother and chief advisor to another. Even now, when he chose to spend time so far from the heart of Kuchiki influence, Kinnya's advice was often sought by the current incumbent, his nephew Guren, with whom he shared a close bond. Privately Keiichi thought that, if Kinnya had been of a mind to cause trouble, there were few individuals within or without the Kuchiki who would be able to oppose him.

Fortunately for the Kuchiki, Kinnya's temperament had prevented such an eventuality. He had never sought ceremony, and had taken his chance to slip away from prominence at the accession of his nephew. His distance from the heart of power meant that he was often underestimated by the lesser members of the Kuchiki central court. Kinnya, for his part, took pleasure in frustrating the peacock ambitions of these flustering individuals, by digging up obscure District laws to protect the rights of the common folk who resided in the Coastal Province. In this way, Keiichi reflected, Kinnya's soul and the soul of the Rebel sword Raiurei were indeed well matched, but in truth Kinnya's proactive guardianship of his District people had flourished into life on meeting his sole grandson and descendent, Juushirou. The bond forged between these two men had been good for both, and, although Juushirou's mother had been illegitimate, Kinnya's whole household referred to the Thirteenth Captain as "Juushirou-sama" without fail.

Since he had first met Juushirou, Kinnya had made a point of personally attending local District gatherings and hearing the grievances and issues of his populace, and, when he was not visiting their local halls and meeting grounds or entertaining one of Juushirou's many siblings and their young families, he was generally here or in his library, even at the time of year when most Kuchiki headed to the main house to celebrate the sakura. His tenants recognised and lauded him more readily than many of his political peers and inferiors, and many a stiff-nosed Kuchiki magnate would have been horrified to see the old lord crawling around the front salon of his manor, pretending to be a horse with one of Juushirou's delighted nieces or nephews perched on his back. Deep down, Keiichi was eternally grateful to Juushirou's presence in Kinnya's life. When the old man had pulled away from the world to mourn his daughter and wait for his own death, Keiichi had worried that it would his job to bury his master. Since meeting Juushirou, though, Kinnya's life had been transformed, and in all ways for the better. He had found a new place in the world, but it was a world of his own choosing, not one imposed upon him by his bloodline.

Even retired and at this distance from the Gotei, Kinnya's affection for and interest in his grandson and his career was unfaltering. For that reason, when he had seen who the letter was addressed to, Keiichi had not hesitated in his course of action. Whether the message was suspicious or not was not for a retainer like himself to decide, and it was better for Kinnya to know of it, than to let it slide and risk later consequences.

"What is it, Keiichi?" Kinnya turned from the window, casting his man-servant a warm smile. "Come see the sunset. The sky is beautifully clear this evening, and the colours are very fine. I think it is one of the nicer sunsets I have seen this spring. Such a shame that the cherry blossom will be gone, soon. It really is too fleeting, our District's crowning beauty."

"I dare say it will return next year, my lord, and you will be able to see it again," Keiichi smiled wryly, coming to stand at the old man's side. "I am sorry to disturb you, especially when the night is so clear, but I thought that you ought to see this. I obtained it from a young girl in the local town, when I stopped with my men for refreshments on our ride back from our usual patrol. She had been turned over by thieves and was in some distress, so I promised to help her, if I could."

"A young girl?" Kinnya cast Keiichi a quizzical glance, and Keiichi laughed, shaking his head.

"No, my lord, and I'll thank you not to add ulterior motives to my genuine acts of kindness," he said, amused. "I mean a young girl, not a young lady, and I am far too old to have my head turned by any local jezebels. No, this was a small child of maybe seven or eight. She was dressed in faded clothing, and had no shoes on her feet. When I met her, she was dusty and crying. I didn't think that you'd like it, if I left her like that."

"A child?" Kinnya's humour faded at this. "Thieves, in the local town? Keiichi, not again. I thought that we'd resolved that business. I'm certain that the ringleaders of that last problem were well-rounded up and dealt with quite firmly. Don't tell me we missed a few?"

"I don't know, sir, but I have already dispatched men to find out more information, and, I hope, stem it at source," Keiichi frowned. "Unfortunately, in a vibrant and wealthy town like that one, I fear that the removal of one group of thieves only invites another. I will see to it that it doesn't continue, don't worry - although I suspect that these were small fry, being that they targeted a young girl on her own, who obviously had little means to make her worth the effort."

"Was she hurt?" Kinnya asked, and Keiichi shook his head.

"No, but she did tell me that her money had been taken," he replied softly, sliding his hand into his obi and pulling out the sealed letter. "She had this to send, and the coin her brother gave her to send it was stolen. She was quite distraught about it. Apparently the letter was very important, and she didn't have another coin. I told her that I would send it for her, and that she need not pay me, as it was my job to prevent thieves in the town. She wasn't sure at first, but in the end, she agreed. I thought that I would see to it tonight - but I felt you should know about it before I did."

"I see," Kinnya's eyes became thoughtful slits and he held his hand out for the letter. "You think there is something amiss about this communication, don't you? Some reason why you brought it here, instead of just giving it to a messenger. I have no issue with your acts of kindness to the local people, Keiichi, but bringing their mail to me is unusual."

"The letter is addressed to Kohaku-dono, my lord," Keiichi handed the folded paper over, and Kinnya took it, turning it over in his hands. "I thought that surprising. Why would a young girl in the local town hereabouts be sending a letter to Kohaku-dono, in Thirteenth Division's barracks? How could she know him? She was a poor child, sir, and more, I felt certain she wasn't local. She mentioned that her brother was finding food and lodgings, so she'd travelled here recently and didn't seem to know the town, or how to keep her money hidden from eagle-eye pickpockets. In spite of that, she was sending a letter to a shinigami, one she knew both by name _and_ Gotei Division. I took the liberty of checking, my lord, when I returned, and the Thirteenth Division do still patrol in Sixth District. In fact, they were here a short few days previously, according to our reports. But that patrol was led by Enishi-dono, and Kohaku-dono was not included. My men know him, because of his connection to Juushirou-sama, and they were quite clear that he wasn't with this patrol. As far as I can ascertain, Kohaku-dono hasn't been here in the Coastal Province area for at least eighteen months. Perhaps closer to two years."

"Hm," Kinnya's lips pressed together for a moment, and he glanced at the letter, taking in the sprawling kanji for Kohaku's name that covered the front fold. "That is mysterious."

"More so because the girl said she'd seen him, recently. She said that she met him in her village, and he was kind to her, not so very long ago," Keiichi agreed. "It is possible, I suppose, that she might have met him in a different District, and she and her brother came here on foot to trade...but she had no shoes, and her feet were not bloody or bruised enough to suggest such a long trek from outside of Sixth District. They may have come from beyond the Coastal Province, but I can't see how they would have travelled a long way here. Perhaps from Fifth, as that border is closest but...no. There was something, my lord. Something that felt wrong. The child was innocent. Naive. But she hesitated, once or twice, in giving her answers. I felt she was thinking about what to tell me...and that put me on my guard."

"Of course it did. It will be a dark day indeed when your wits start to fade, my friend," Kinnya chuckled. "Besides, this letter itself is suspicious even without that. I trust that you've seen the kanji on the front?"

"I did," Keiichi nodded. "Written in a far too well educated hand given the impoverished state of the small girl's clothing. Not that I have any issue with District folk learning letters, but..."

"It's not only that," Kinnya began to loosen the ribbon that tied the letter firmly closed with the tips of his nails. "Kohaku's name is unusual. When Juushirou first wrote to me to tell me about his decision to take on the boy, I was struck by that fact. Kohaku himself is a pleasant lad. Juushirou is fond of him, and from all accounts, so he should be. Our people here know him, and appear to consider him Juushirou's adoptive son, which I suppose is probably what he has become, now. He is trusted by the Gotei and he works hard. Thirteenth also travel and he patrols in different areas, and it is possible for people to meet him. Even write to him, perhaps, if he was particularly solicitous - although I think such things are unusual. The trouble is that, even if you happened to be literate, if you only heard Kohaku's name, you would assume it was written thus," He stretched out a wizened finger, shaping the characters for 'amber' in the air between them.

"Kohaku's spelling is unique. What Keitarou meant by it, I don't know. Perhaps he wanted his children to all be trees...it certainly seems that way. But how many people outside of the Gotei would know that Kohaku spells his name with "river willow" and "white?" Moreover, how many people in District villages are educated to a good enough level to even be able to recognise an obscure character like 'river willow'? Such kanji do not form the necessary when dealing with everyday life. Most local traders suffice with knowing the character for 'tree' and that is enough. Yet this is well written, and more, _correctly_ written. As are the characters for his surname...and those for Thirteenth Division."

"Someone with too much knowledge," Keiichi mused, and Kinnya nodded.

"Kohaku should not be receiving letters, generally," he agreed, removing the ribbon and setting it aside on the polished table that stood nearby. "All his close friends are in the Gotei with him. Edogawa Mitsuki, the healer my grandson is so fond of, is currently stationed in District Four, and that is two whole Districts from here. Besides, the child said it was from her brother...so a male. I don't suppose she gave you a name for this unknown brother of hers? Someone else must have written the letter; the hand is too competent for a young child, and I can't imagine her to have written it herself, so she must indeed have a companion with her."

"The child? Yes. Gorou," Keiichi recalled. "She hesitated for a beat before she said it, but that's what she said."

"Gorou," Kinnya snorted. "A very nice, generic name indeed. A perfect pseudonym, one might say...and if the child hesitated, the chances are she knows it too."

"You think it's from Katsura, don't you?" Keiichi asked. "Keitarou's other son...the one that the Gotei are looking for, and that Guren-sama was so angrily ranting and raving about following the desecration of Ribari-sama's memorial grove."

"I think that makes the most sense, though if it is from him, he lacks his father's ability with subtlety," Kinnya unfolded the letter. "Trusting a small child to deliver something so potentially incendiary as a letter to his brother...and allowing it to fall into our hands so easily are things Keitarou would not have been foolish enough to do. Moreover, writing the name like that might have ensured its delivery, but it also gave away the education of the sender. Maybe we should be reassured by that. This rebel is not a genius like his father, for all he appears to be a troublemaker."

"He seems quite good at hiding," Keiichi said thoughtfully. "But if he is here, in Sixth District, he doesn't know, yet, that we are suspicious of him. There may be a chance to find him, sir. Do you want me to prioritise that fact?"

"I think that would be a good plan, yes," Kinnya nodded. "Finding the local thieves is important too, of course, but I think it would be pleasant to have a face-to-face conversation with Aizen Katsura."

"Is the letter a problem for Juushirou-sama, sir?" Keiichi asked, and Kinnya shook his head.

"No..." he said slowly. "No, it isn't. The contents are quite interesting, Keiichi. Katsura seems to be sending his brother a warning. A warning about the safety of the Dangai. From this, it looks very much as though they have been in touch before, recently, and that will catch my grandson's attention. Otherwise...I become intrigued by this fugitive more and more. I would like you to find him very much, Keiichi. Find him, bring him to me. I know the Gotei seek him, but I am curious on my own account, and I'd like to hear what he is thinking for myself."

"Yes, sir," Keiichi inclined his head in acceptance of the instruction. "And the letter, sir? Will you keep it? Or...?"

"No," Kinnya folded the letter up once more, retying it with the ribbon and setting it down on the table to his side. "I will send it to Thirteenth, tonight, by express messenger. We must keep your promise to the child, Keiichi. Never let it be said that my retinue lie to children. But I would appreciate it if you would bring me my writing brush and some fresh parchment. I will send it to Thirteenth, but I intend to send it to my grandson. I feel I should explain myself to him in doing so, but if Kohaku is moonlighting with his troublesome brother, this is something Juushirou must deal with himself, and I must give him the material he needs to do it."

"I will fetch it at once, Kinnya-sama," Keiichi grinned, nodding his head. "I imagine it will give Juushirou-sama something to think about."

"Juushirou's chief strength is his kindness, but that is also his greatest weakness," Kinnya said simply. "My duty as his grandfather is to ensure that it is more the former than the latter. I am inclined to like Kohaku, and I know how fond Juushirou is of him, and so I don't wish to cause trouble. But I don't believe in keeping secrets from grown men with responsibilities in this world. Juushirou can read Katsura's letter for himself - and then decide how best he, and his Division, should act."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_  
 _Is it wrong that, when I read back over that middle section to proof-read it, I reread the bit where Kunimori appeared, sword glittering, and thought, "DUMBLEDORE APPEARS!" ._


	28. Kohaku's Omen

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Kohaku's Omen**

The upper level of the strange, empty world was totally different from the claustrophobic Hollow forest, and wherever Kikyue looked she could see an expanse of white stretching out in all directions. The sky overhead was black as night, but the gleam of an eerily pale crescent moon illuminated the landscape as though it were day. Occasionally, a branch of a crystal tree poked through the sand, but the whole area was like a huge, snowy desert.

It would not be hard to lose bearings in a place like this.

They had been walking through the sand for some time before, in the distance, the Dome that Kunimori had mentioned began to loom into view. It was a strange structure, built in a white-grey sandstone and, as the name suggested, it arched up into a dome-like ceiling over the top. It looked like a fortress of some kind, Kikyue decided, but not one like she had ever seen before, and, as they drew closer to it, she began to feel more and more uneasy about where they were and whether it was a good idea to follow a stranger inside what could easily be a trap.

Kunimori's movement across the landscape had been nimble despite his apparent age, and, as they had walked, he had kept up a merry conversation with Ikata, talking about the Yamamoto Clan and exclaiming about the various different anecdotes the Eleventh's Vice Captain had chosen to share. Ikata liked to talk about himself, but Kikyue had never seen anyone listen with such rapt attention to obvious bragging, and it put her on edge. Was this old man really so senile or lonely that he would welcome any company, or was there more going on here that she and her companions did not yet understand?

"Kikyue-hime?" Takasugi drew alongside her, and Kikyue glanced across, a frown marring her young features.

"Doesn't this feel wrong to you?" she murmured. "We're in a strange place, populated by Hollows. Into the midst of this comes an unknown shinigami. A stranger who saves us without knowing who we are. On the contrary, he knew we were from the Gotei...from Seireitei...but he hasn't asked us why we have come. Don't you think that's strange? He's more interested in talking about the Yamamoto than he is in finding out why we are here."

"Or, asking us to take him back with us," Hashimori interjected from the other side, and Kikyue nodded her head.

"You see it too?" she asked, and Hashimori inclined his head in confirmation.

"He used a powerful Kidou spell, without a full incantation," he said bleakly. "I don't even know the incantation for that spell, and I consider myself fond of Kidou. He's an old man, but I don't believe he's frail. That spell took out a good number of Hollows, but it's not really that which bothers me. It's the way the Hollows reacted to him. Did you see? They crowded around us all right, but the moment he appeared, it changed. Hollows that run from a shinigami...a particular shinigami, when moments earlier they had been gearing up to kill us. Those Hollows are sentient...sentient enough to know the danger of being near that blade."

"So what's his story?" Takasugi mused. " _Hime_ , what do you want us to do? Ikata and his men are one thing, but we're here to find Katsura, and on your orders. This isn't Katsura, but it is suspicious."

"Well, one thing is for sure," Kikyue reflected. "His sword didn't cause the damage in the tunnel. The dark aura we felt down there came from somewhere else. His reiatsu isn't particularly dark or malevolent. He has good spell-casting skills and I expect he's still more of a warrior than he admitted, but he hasn't done anything hostile to suggest he means us harm. He mentioned others, though...I don't know, but it strikes me that maybe there's more to this than we've really taken into account. Something is missing from this picture. I just don't know what it is."

"Aizen Katsura?" Hashimori asked, and Kikyue shook her head.

"No," she said regretfully. "To begin with, I thought so, but the marks in the tunnel were made by a _zanpakutou_. And now we know this place, wherever it is, is an oasis for shinigami stranded here from the Dangai for one reason or another. Hashimori, Takasugi, think about that for a minute. What tunnel did we enter here through? Not a Senkaimon, no. Not something authorised by the Gotei. But..."

"The Zaimon tunnel," Takasugi faltered, his expression becoming pale as he glanced up towards Kunimori's retreating figure. "Oh, is that what you think? That the shinigami who came here..."

"Are potentially criminals from the Punishment Gates. Yes," Kikyue agreed darkly. "Including Kunimori-dono. He said he was stranded here by a broken Gate, and maybe he was. But no Senkaimon leads to this place. We don't even know what this place is. All we do know is that Hollows live beneath the surface, and there are shinigami here who shouldn't be...shinigami we know nothing about. Shinigami..."

"Who must have been here a damn long time, if they came in through those Gates," Takasugi murmured. "I'm no expert, _Hime_ , but what kind of life force would you have to have to survive thousands of years in a place like this without resources?"

"I think the more pertinent question is, what kind of anger or resentment has time to build during that long exile?" Hashimori muttered, and Kikyue's heart clenched in her chest at this thought. She nodded slowly.

"Kunimori-dono doesn't appear hostile, and we've no reason to believe he is," she said softly. "But I don't like it. I don't like this at all."

"Oi! Are you Endou coming, or are you going to rot out here on the sands all day long?" Ikata interrupted the conversation at that juncture, and Kikyue glanced up, seeing that they had all but reached the Dome and the Eleventh Vice Captain was waiting impatiently for them to catch up. "I know your people have a reputation for savagery, but we are here for a reason, and we have a job to do."

"It's quite all right, Ikata-dono," Kunimori held up his hand, offering Kikyue a benign smile. "The Endou and the Yamamoto have not, in my memory, been particularly close allies. You and I have the bonds of kinship, but I won't force your companions to follow suit. There is nothing to hide in this place, but I imagine your comrades seek to take a look around. We can wait for them inside, though I don't advise returning to the Hollow Forest alone," he added, glancing at Kikyue. "It's not a safe place for shinigami who do not know their way about."

"Thank you, Kunimori-dono. We'd like to take a sweep of the desert, if we may," Kikyue was surprised, but she nodded, offering the old man a faint smile. "We came seeking a particular individual - a young man called Aizen Katsura. I don't know if you have ever heard that name, but our orders to find him supersede common manners and Clan hospitality. My Clan Leader is very determined to find this man, and so we must put that first."

"Aizen Katsura," Ikata snorted, but Kunimori smiled.

"I do not know this name," he said honestly. "If you came into the Dangai seeking him, then I fancy you had a wasted trip, for I remember the names of everyone I meet, and I have never met this person. Still, you must follow your orders, and I will not try to prevent you. The Dome is here, whenever you wish to come inside. I shall leave the door unlocked. The Hollows never come here. They haven't yet worked out how."

He winked at Kikyue, then turned, his fingers glittering as he unsealed the entrance of the chamber. He bowed his head to Ikata, gesturing for the other man to follow him inside, and Ikata barked out orders to his men to follow them into the Dome. Kikyue and her companions watched the Eleventh Division officers disappear into the strange building, one by one. Soon they were alone in the bleak, sandy landscape, and she let out a heavy sigh.

"If he's such a bad guy, wouldn't he have forced us to go with him?" Hashimori looked doubtful for the first time, and Kikyue shrugged.

"Maybe there just isn't anything here to hide," she reflected. "It certainly doesn't look like there are many rocks to stuff secrets underneath. I believed him, though, when he said he didn't know Katsura. If he's been here a long time, and Katsura hasn't, then it suggests this place has nothing to do with Keitarou at all. Whether Kunimori-dono is an innocent shinigami trapped here by a failed pathway or a criminal thrown into the Dangai, it's impossible to tell - but he doesn't seem threatened by our being here, and if he says he doesn't mind us looking around, then I guess that's what we do. And, since Ikata's left us alone, we can do so without idiot Eleventh breathing down our necks."

She offered Takasugi a grin.

"Takasugi, I want you to take a walk out towards the south, where those two tree branches pop up through the sand," she added, pointing across the sandy horizon. "See whether there's anything else to be seen that way. I want to spend more time in the Hollow Forest, but I don't suppose it's a good idea with so few of us, so we should map this area and go back with information. It might have nothing to do with what we were sent here to investigate, but I have a feeling it does."

"Either way, people are going to want to know about it," As Takasugi saluted, disappearing off in the direction she had indicated with a smooth and perfectly executed shunpo, Hashimori turned to gaze up at the dome with a pensive expression. "This isn't part of the Dangai, but a whole other spiritual plane. The air feels like home, but at the same time, totally different. It's a reishi world, but not as we know it. As a child, I remember hearing stories - myths - about a land where the Hollows lived. Do you think..."

"This is that place? The so-called Void World?" Kikyue looked startled, and Hashimori shrugged.

"We came through a Hollow nest to get here," he pointed out. "Maybe it is. Maybe Keitarou's tampering with tunnels linked the Hollows to the Dangai."

"What we came here through was not the Dangai. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't the kind of spirit space we're trained to navigate," Kikyue shook her head. "Keitarou used the Zaimon to create new tunnels, though, and maybe you're right. Perhaps he did link them. But if shinigami were sent here through the Zaimon...and ended up in this place...some of the tunnels must have been here already. Someone else must have made them...and we just don't have records relating to it."

" _Hime_ , someone's coming!" Hashimori's hand went to the _zanpakutou_ at his waist, and Kikyue turned, her own sword sweeping free from its scabbard as she realised her companion was right. Although at first she did not see him, the seeping sensation of a dark, penetrating aura was unmistakeable and, as the figure hazed into her line of sight, Kikyue felt a chill grip hold of her heart. Kunimori had not been the owner of the sinister reiryoku that had scorched the tunnel, leaving deep spiritual scars, but this newcomer's reiatsu was eerily familiar, and she knew that, this time, the person who approached was the same one whose sword had done that damage. The sensation was unmistakeable. It was the sensation of walking death.

"You really shouldn't be here."

The newcomer materialised not three feet from where Kikyue stood, causing her to step back, and Hashimori was immediately between them, his _zanpakutou_ raised as though preparing to release and attack. This stranger appeared younger than Kunimori, with dark hair and soft eyes that seemed somehow melancholy. His robes were old-fashioned warrior _hitatare_ , like those worn by Kunimori, but in different colours, and the pattern woven into the fabric was a flower, but Kikyue did not know what flower it might be. A sword hung at his waist, and although it was clearly sleeping, Kikyue felt a great sense of inner unease as she glanced at it, suddenly even more certain that this weapon was the origin of the death scent that had pervaded the tunnel. In spite of this, though, the sword's owner had nothing hostile in his demeanour, and Kikyue was struck by the contrast between the sinister blade at his waist and the apparent sadness in the man's expression and stance. At the sight of Hashimori's challenge, the newcomer raised his hands to indicate he was not about to draw his own weapon, offering a troubled smile and shaking his head.

"I don't think you want to fight with me," he said softly. "This isn't a place you want to be. I advise you to leave it, otherwise perhaps you never will."

"Are you threatening us?" Hashimori demanded, and the individual sighed.

"Who are you?" he asked evenly. "You can't possibly know who I am or where you are, or you wouldn't be so keen to issue a challenge. This place isn't safe for youngsters like you. It's not somewhere shinigami belong. You shouldn't have come here. I don't have any interest in you."

"Well, we have some in you, sir, because you shouldn't be here, either," Kikyue decided to take charge of the situation, indicating for Hashimori to stand aside. "It's all right, Hashimori. I'll deal with this. My name is Endou Kikyue, and my Clan Leader sent me here hunting a rebel called Aizen Katsura. I have the power to arrest you - unless you can prove you have reason to be here, too."

"Endou?" The man's eyes flickered with recognition at the name, and he smiled faintly. "I remember your family. You had a kinsman...a great man, called Hiromu. He served my Clan closely for many years. I thought well of him. The Endou were a loyal people. I have no fight with you or your kind."

His smile faded, and he looked sad.

"I do not know your missing rebel," he added. "My name is Tokitori Tsuneyoshi, but in this place, such things don't matter. I was sent here..."

He trailed off, gazing up at the moon.

"On the surface, it seems peaceful," he added pensively. "But truthfully, there is no peace when inside it hides such turmoil."

"You were exiled here, weren't you?" Hashimori demanded, and Tsuneyoshi shrugged.

"Whatever such things mean," he said flatly. "I suffered an injustice and its an injustice that I intend to right. But not with you," he added, glancing at Kikyue. "I have no grievance against the Endou. On the contrary, I remember them with great fondness...always loyal, always men on whom I could rely. You aren't my enemies, but I am not the only one here. I won't kill you, Endou Kikyue - but I suggest you keep out of sight, and don't give your name so freely to strangers. Names are precious. They are the keys to your very soul."

"Kunimori-dono said that too. About names being precious," Kikyue frowned, and Tsuneyoshi's features went white at her words.

"You have spoken to Kunimori already?" he whispered, and Kikyue cast him an odd look.

"Why is that such a problem? Are you afraid of him?" she challenged, and Tsuneyoshi laughed, a hollow, empty laugh. He shook his head.

"No, but you should be," he said matter-of-factly. "Tell me, Kikyue-dono. Did you give that man your name?"

"No..." Kikyue was confused. "Why? Why would it matter, if I did?"

"It doesn't matter," Tsuneyoshi shook his head. "If you haven't, then no harm is done. But you should leave here. It isn't safe, in this place."

"We can't. Our companions are inside there, " Hashimori gestured towards the Dome. "They are with Kunimori-dono, and if there's danger, we can't rightly leave them behind."

"Even if they are a bunch of idiots," Kikyue added. Tsuneyoshi frowned.

"You came with others?"

"Yes. Yamamoto shinigami from the Eleventh Division." Kikyue agreed. Tsuneyoshi's expression changed at this.

"Yamamoto?" he echoed. "But...you left them? Alone? With Kunimori?"

"Yes," Kikyue agreed. "They were getting on famously, as it happened. What of it?"

"If Kunimori's already made his move, then it's probably too late for me to be making warnings," Tsuneyoshi glanced up at the Dome. "Too late for you to be returning home from here, either. I'm sorry, but I'll have to take you with me. If Kunimori has already seen you, and has taken your friends within the Dome, then I'm afraid it's already too late."

His fingers glimmered with a strange, eerie light, and with a jolt, Kikyue realised it was a Kidou spell. As Tsuneyoshi murmured the words of the incantation, she grabbed Hashimori by the _hakamashita,_ hoping to shunpo cleanly from the scene, but Tsuneyoshi seemed to have read her intentions, and, as the hazy energy engulfed them, Kikyue felt the world around her blurring and spinning until she no longer knew which was the sky and which was the sand beneath her feet. Her sword slipped from her grip, falling soundlessly onto the ground beneath her feet. Something soft came up to meet her, and then, as darkness rushed in from every corner of her senses, she felt someone grab hold of her, bundling her up in their arms.

"I don't wage war on women, and I have no quarrel with the Endou. I would like to let you go, but it's too late. I can't send you home," she heard Tsuneyoshi's words, full of regret and apology. "I'm sorry, Kikyue-hime. You should not have come here...but now there's no way that I can let you or your companions leave."

* * *

Eighth District had the warmest climate of any of the eight Districts, and, as Enishi's patrol weaved their way between the villages that led back towards Inner Seireitei, Kohaku paused to admire the bright coloured blossoms that were already beginning to open across across bushes and fields. All around his feet, tiny daisies and bulb plants broke up the sea of verdant green, and the sounds of bird-song pierced the air as the courting season got under-way. In other parts of Seireitei, late frosts still kept the tree branches barren, but not here, where the snows had melted a good few months before. If you didn't know what time of year it was, you could be forgiven for thinking that Summer was on the approach, and the bright shades and mild temperatures had attracted traders to market from the neighbouring Districts of First and Seventh. In the past, the border with Seventh had been closed and strictly guarded but, since the overthrow of the previous despotic regime, trade links between the two regions had flourished, and so sales of Eighth District blades and Seventh District _sekkiseki_ stone could be found side by side at the bigger town markets.

For Kohaku, who, even after five years, had not tired of visiting different parts of Seireitei, the peace and prosperity he saw on the streets of the Kyouraku district made his heart swell with warmth. His parents had come from Third and Seventh respectively, but, perhaps because of the nature of his spirit power and its apparent Kyouraku roots, it was here that he felt most at home. Each time he visited, he found something new to marvel at - a fresh insect, or a different blossom - and more than once over the past few years he and friends had attended some of the local flower matsuri that were uniquely part of Eighth's flamboyant culture.

The patrol had been a quiet one, for no Hollows had been reported, and although Enishi and Kirio had asked questions along the way, there had been no witness sightings of Katsura. Kohaku did not know where his brother was, only that he had been planning to leave Fourth after their meeting, and so it had been with some relief that he heard the Vice Captain declare that there was no sign of the fugitive here. With Katsura off the radar, he had been more able to enjoy the chance to go out and experience the beauty of Eighth in the spring and, after the border camp and his images of Keitarou's corpse, he felt that it was a patrol that he had badly needed.

 _Thank you, Taichou. Fukutaichou._

He gazed up at the sky, taking in the rich blueness marred only by wisps of fluffy cloud.

 _I don't think I realised how caught up I was getting in things. I needed this. Maybe Kyouka and I both did. I feel better, somehow, out in the real Districts seeing real people and not thinking about dead ones lurking in dark tunnels. It's so easy for me to get distracted and bogged down in stuff like that - but it helps nobody. And it's not as though there's anything for me to do, right now. Katsu-nii was worried about the Dangai and what was going on there, but Eleventh and Seventh have already sent searches inside it. So I probably don't even need to mention seeing my brother to anyone. They're already looking into the things he was worried about...and he's good at hiding, so I doubt they're easily going to find him. I'm glad he made it clear he was moving on. It means I genuinely don't know where he is, even if I have seen him recently._

"Kohaku-san?"

The voice of Morata, one of the three recruits Enishi had chosen to join the patrol jerked him back to reality, and he turned, looking sheepish as he realised he had stopped dead.

"Is something wrong?" Morata asked, and Kohaku shook his head.

"No. I was just enjoying the day," he said honestly. "Eighth District is really pretty at this time of the year. I like coming here, when it's like this. It's full of life and colour and...well, I just like it."

"I've not been to Eighth before," Morata admitted, falling into step with his companion as they quickened their pace to catch up with the rest of the patrol group. "I'm from Third, originally, and it's a very long way across Districts. Third in Spring isn't that much to speak about," he added pensively. "It takes a while for everything to dry out after ice and snow and usually a fair bit of fog, especially near the river estuaries and the delta. I can't imagine it being this warm at this time of the year - no wonder Eighth is seen as a thriving District."

"I grew up in Rukongai," Kohaku said dryly. "There wasn't really any...well, anything, there. No sun, no moon, no blue sky. No flowers. Grass was mostly dead, and a bare trickle of water, if you were lucky. Coming to Seireitei for the first time was a revelation. I think that's why I love this place so much," he added. "It's so completely opposite of where I grew up."

"It must've been hard, growing up in Rukongai," as they joined the pack, Takahashi overheard the end of Kohaku's comment, moving to join them. "I never really thought about it, but I suppose I thought you were born there but grew up here."

"No," Kohaku shook his head. "So everything in Seireitei is still very much a novelty, even now. I never get tired of going on patrol to places. Even if I've been there before."

"Have you been to Eighth, Yatsubashi?" Morata asked the final recruit, who cast Kohaku a thoughtful glance, then offered his friend a grin. He nodded.

"Once, as a small boy," he agreed. "My family have a long history of working for the Endou family, in the military and as bodyguards and so on. One of my uncles was rewarded for good service with a bonus one year, and he has no children of his own, so he decided to treat me, my brother, my sister and my other cousins to a special trip. There was a famous border matsuri being held that year in one of the Eighth District provinces that border Seventh's land, and there was a big market there, too, with lots of different food specialities from across Eighth. I was about eight or nine at the time, I think. It was a fun experience. I've never forgotten it."

"The Kyouraku sponsor a lot of festivals, I think," Kohaku said thoughtfully. "I've heard something about them, from Shizuka-san - a friend of mine from Eighth Division. She grew up there, and she told me about them all once. I've been to a few, when I've been able to get a day off to go, but it sounds as though every region of Eighth has its own special matsuri - and I haven't been to all of them."

"Seventh isn't big on matsuri," Shinobu admitted. "Things are still economically difficult, so aside from Tanabata and New Year, we don't really do anything special. Seeing the matsuri in Eighth was like a dream. It's hard to believe places so close together can be so different."

"The Kuchiki have their sakura festivals, in the spring," Takahashi remembered. "I've heard about them. I haven't had a chance to patrol in Sixth yet, though. It's a pity. I'd like to see if it's as they say."

"It was certainly beautiful when we were there the other day," Shinobu reflected. "We were at the coast, and the view was amazing."

"Clouds of pink, everywhere," Kohaku nodded, his eyes becoming faintly dreamy at the recollection. "The coast is the prettiest part, too. I recruited at Thirteenth in the summer, so I missed the spring that year, but the next year, I went there with Taichou and some of the other officers."

"With Taichou?" Shinobu asked sharply, looking surprised. "The Captain himself, on patrol?"

"I doubt the Captain sits in the office all the time giving orders, Yatsubashi," Morata looked amused. "Why shouldn't he go on a patrol somewhere? It's his Division so it's up to him."

"It wasn't really a patrol," Kohaku said thoughtfully. "We were carrying out an errand to the Coastal Province, which is where Taichou is from, and we spent some time with his family."

"With his..." Shinobu's eyes could not become any bigger, and Kohaku smiled.

"He has a lot of kin in the Coastal Province, and it was really a private errand," he reflected pensively, "but he took me along because there was a relative of his who wanted to meet me, and he thought it would be a good idea for both of us. It was his grandfather. Apparently I'd come up in conversation between them, which prompted the invitation."

"You went and paid a house visit to the Captain's _grandfather_?" Shinobu still looked pussy-struck by this revelation. "He _invited_ you to? Does he do that a lot with people?"

"Taichou's grandfather? No, I don't think so," Kohaku pursed his lips. "He's a kind man, but I got the feeling he'd like to keep out of military and political matters, if he could."

"Why would he be involved in military and political matters?" Takahashi looked confused. "Taichou's from the Districts...unless...is his family like Yatsubashi's? Do they work in the Kuchiki retinue?"

"No..." Kohaku said slowly. "Taichou's grandfather is Kuchiki Kinnya-sama. He's a noble lord, and he has control of the Coastal Province."

"That would make Taichou Clan, though," Shinobu objected. "He's not. He's District. Like us. That's why he's such a revelation."

"He is," Kohaku agreed, "but his Grandfather isn't. Taichou doesn't make a secret of it; they're very close. Taichou's mother was born illegitimate. She married a District landholder, and Taichou was born. So Taichou is District, but Kinnya-sama isn't. And it's not like Taichou uses Kinnya-sama's influence. It's a family bond, not a political one, so I suppose it doesn't matter much who his grandfather is, in the bigger Gotei picture."

"A Kuchiki Clansman, and he invited you to his house, anyway?" Morata let out a low whistle. "As a recruit? That must've been some conversation with the Taichou, to make him want to invite you to visit a Kuchiki manor."

"I didn't know Taichou had a Clan kinsman," Shinobu admitted.

"Well, Kinnya-sama doesn't seem to like Clan stuff very much," Kohaku said with a wry smile. "He's much happier dealing with the Coastal Province and the District people there. He considers Taichou's wider District family like his own blood kin, and takes an active interest in promoting Seireitei equality in his own lands."

"That's probably why he was curious to meet you, then," Takahashi reflected. "I mean, if you grew up in Rukongai, he must have been interested."

"I wonder if it was that kind of curiosity," Kohaku admitted. "I think he was interested in me because Taichou had taken me in like he did. I liked him, though. I've never met my grandparents, although my mother's parents are still both alive, I think. It was a bit complicated, with my family, so I suppose it was interesting to me, too, meeting someone else's. If that makes sense...I suppose it sounds a little bit strange, but I learned that family - something to call a real family - is a rare thing, and precious, too."

"I guess you really are like kin to the Captain, aren't you?" Takahashi asked. Kohaku shrugged.

"He's been very good to me," he agreed honestly, "but I don't know if it's quite...like that. I mean, Thirteenth is a sort of family, and it's not like I'm the only person in the squad who has ever visited his home."

"Come to think of it, Yatsubashi, you were there the other day, in that area, weren't you?" Morata remembered glancing at Shinobu, who had apparently recovered himself, nodding his head.

"Fukutaichou said that he'd been there quite a few times," he agreed. "I suppose Taichou really means it, then. He sees all of the Division - maybe even us - as part of a wider family."

"He really does, it's not a cliche," Kohaku assured him. "He's not someone you'd want as an enemy, but if you're his squad member, he'll go above and beyond and he'll put his full faith in you no matter what. That's what I've learned in the five years I've been here. And, going back to the original topic, he does patrol in person. It's just that, with everything so peaceful, it's not been so necessary. Taichou's sword is really very powerful. There's nothing for him to use it on, at the moment, so there's no reason for him to waste his time and energy doing a job that we can benefit from far more. We need the experience, not him - but if there was a dangerous situation, or a crisis, he'd be there in a flash. That's the kind of Captain he is."

"Spoken like a true Thirteenther," Enishi's voice came from behind the group at that juncture, making them all jump and Kohaku turned, sending the Vice Captain a rueful look.

"I was just telling the recruits about Ukitake-taichou, because they asked about him leading his own patrols," he explained, and Enishi grinned.

"He'd probably like to do it more, but then we'd be out of a job," he said wisely. "In peacetime, it unsettles the Districts to see a man in a haori roaming around the villages. Taichou cares about the people in those villages, so he sends other officers. _You_ know I'm your Vice Captain," he added, slapping Morata warmly on the back and making the young man cough, "but _they_ just see _shihakushou_. The haori, though, they know that all right. They know that's a symbol of our leadership, and when a Captain's on the roam, it means bad things are afoot someplace."

"I suppose I didn't think of it like that," Shinobu looked startled. "There are a lot of things a Captain has to think of, aren't there? I mean, beyond the obvious. Even little things like not scaring the local population by deploying himself directly into a battle scene."

"Captains often have a hard job, if y'ask me," Enishi said frankly. "I don't know if I could do it, being stuck behind base lines waiting for news. A Captain's job is to watch and wait for the troops to return and report, but sometimes I think it's the hardest thing to do. I'd rather be in the field and in the thick of battle. I know what to do, there."

"Have you see Taichou's sword in action, Fukutaichou?" Takahashi asked eagerly. "Kohaku-san said it was powerful - and something to do with fish, the other day," he added, casting Kohaku a grin, "but I don't really know much about it."

"I heard it was a storm sword," Shinobu added. "Is that true?"

"I went to school with him. Of course I've seen it. Many times, in various different stages of training," Enishi laughed. "Sougyo no Kotowari, it's called, and yes, Yatsubashi - storm and sea, to be correct. But it's not my place to gossip about my leader's weapon. Suffice it to say there aren't many in the Gotei that can beat it, when Taichou is serious. He's not often, by the way," he added, "but it's nice to know he can be, if the need arises."

"Maybe that's why the Council of Elders listen to him, then," Morata mused. Enishi shook his head.

"No. That's just Ukitake," he reflected. "But when you've been here a while longer, you'll probably learn for yourselves. If Taichou thinks you're good enough, he might even train you himself. He does, sometimes - he enjoys it - but not usually with recruits."

He thumped Kohaku's shoulder lightly.

"Koku here was an exception," he added, winking at the Twelfth seat, who reddened at being so singled out. "Well, I s'pose that goes without saying. We rather tore up the rule book for this one - but it's worked out all right, so no complaints."

He grinned at the recruits.

"Well? Are you done with the questions? We're finished with the proper patrol work for this morning. We're heading back to Inner Seireitei, now, so if there's anything you want to pick up before we do, the next village over the rise is your last chance," he told them warmly. "Koku, I'm putting you in charge of making sure these three don't dally and don't get lost on the way back to barracks. Hikifune's gone on ahead with the others; she's got a supply detail from Shikibu and she's taken the others to collect the bits and pieces we're missing. I'm here, of course, but I want to speak to a few of the Eighth officers on duty at the border, so I'm trusting you to take charge of the recruits for me and I'll see you there."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku looked surprised, but nodded, saluting, and Enishi winked at him before disappearing into a smooth shunpo that left the Twelfth Seat highly envious. He sighed, then turned to glance at his companions.

"You heard Fukutaichou. Is there anything you want to pick up from the local village? We won't have much time, not if Kirio-san has gone on ahead, but if you need any bits and pieces..."

"I don't need anything," Shinobu shook his head. "Morata? Takahashi? What about you?"

"No, but I'd like to walk through the village, if we can," Takahashi admitted. "I like the way the Eighth markets are."

"I noticed that every single town we've been through has a swordsmith and blades on sale at market," Morata observed, as the four officers made their way down towards the final village that flanked the barrier between Inner and Outer Seireitei. "I heard Eighth specialised in blades - I guess that's true, huh?"

"I'm pretty sure the Endou get a lot of their retinue swords from District Eight trading," Shinobu looked thoughtful. "I've heard something of it from my cousin - they're meant to be very good quality. The Kyouraku have some kind of deeply rooted military history, and maybe that's where it comes from. I don't know. Kohaku-san, do you?"

Although the question was posed entirely innocently, there was something reserved in Shinobu's expression that seemed at odds with his even tone, and Kohaku felt a faint flaring of his companion's reiatsu, as though the younger officer was fighting to keep either his emotions or his temper in check. He frowned, racking his brains for anything that had been said which could have possibly upset the other shinigami, but he came up blank and, giving it up as his imagination, he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not from here, so I don't know," he answered honestly. "I've read some stories, and legends, and things like that, but I don't know if they're true. Kyouraku-taichou has said before that his family have a proper warrior history - but I don't know anything about it. There are a lot more books in the archive than I have time to read, unfortunately. I'd like to know more about a lot of things, including Seireitei history."

"You've met Kyouraku-taichou, too? I mean, to talk to?" Takahashi looked startled, and as Kohaku nodded, Shinobu frowned.

"Well, he is a friend of our Captain, so I suppose that's not strange," he said slowly. Kohaku's expression became sad.

"No. Not strange at all," he said softly. "He comes to Thirteenth a lot. I'm surprised you haven't seen him. He visits the Captain all the time. And he doesn't have airs and graces or anything. I mean, even though he's a Clan Captain, he doesn't act like it. He knows a lot of people at Thirteenth, and he often stops to chat."

"I've been too busy with chores to notice," Morata laughed, and Takahashi chuckled, nodding his head.

"I admit, I don't pay attention to who comes visiting or when," he admitted. "I did hear that Kyouraku-taichou went to school with our Captain, though. At the Academy, remember?" he glanced at his friends. "It came up, that day Ukitake-taichou came to see us about recruitment. So I suppose it makes sense. I mean, we're friends," he looped an arm around Shinobu's shoulders and one around Morata's, "and we're still constantly in each other's pockets. Fukutaichou just said he'd known Taichou since Academy days, too. I'd like to think that, when we rank up, we'll still be pals. Why wouldn't they spend time hanging out? I guess it works best for Seireitei if Captains are on good terms."

"Isn't that awkward for you, though, Kohaku-san?" Shinobu's gaze bored into Kohaku's for a moment, and Kohaku frowned, looking confused.

"Awkward? I don't understand. Why...?"

"Well, because..." Shinobu paused, glancing at Takahashi and Morata as though remembering that both were present, and he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I suppose it's not something you want to talk about. I mean, Taichou said it wasn't a secret, but...I..."

"Is this about my father?" Kohaku asked quietly, and Shinobu looked uncomfortable, then shrugged his shoulders.

"I spoke without thinking," he owned. "I didn't mean...if it's awkward..."

"It's not awkward," Kohaku realised with a jolt that his earlier impression of Shinobu's mindset had not been his imagination at all, and that something in the earlier conversation had bothered the young recruit enough for him to forget himself and ask such a loaded question. Hoping that it was no more than carelessness on Shinobu's part, he pushed aside his own misgivings, squaring himself to deal with the conversation ahead as he knew Juushirou would want him to react. "If you want to ask about my father, I don't mind. I'm assuming you were wondering if it bothered me, that the person who killed him is so closely associated with my Captain. It's not a hard question to answer. The answer is no, so it's not a problem for me at all."

"Woah, wait a minute," Morata's eyes bugged out of his head, and he stared at Kohaku in confusion. "Wait, Kohaku-san - Kyouraku-taichou _killed your father_? What now?"

"I'm sure Yatsubashi-kun will fill you in on all the details, as he's heard them from the Captain directly, but it's not a secret," Kohaku said evenly. "You know my name is Aizen. Aizen Keitarou was my father. Kyouraku-taichou killed him, at Third Division, five years ago. After that, I was taken in by Ukitake-taichou and he trained me so that I could recruit and join the Gotei. Fukutaichou said I was an exception, and that's what he meant. Everyone else in Thirteenth knows about Father, and about me," he added, glancing at Shinobu, "so you shouldn't feel odd about it. I don't. It's the truth, but it's also the past, and I don't have any issues with Kyouraku-taichou at all."

"Wow," Takahashi swallowed hard, then, "Okay, that was something I didn't expect. I thought maybe your folks messed up when on location in the Rukon or something, but not that..."

"I'm sorry," Shinobu dropped his gaze, and Kohaku had the impression that his junior was inwardly berating himself for getting carried away with the conversation. "I knew Hiroshi knew about it, so I assumed...I mean...I didn't intend to bring it up. The question...kind of came out before I thought about it, and...I shouldn't have said anything at all."

"And as I said, it isn't a secret," Kohaku reiterated firmly. "When Father died, it was a state of war. A lot of people died. I don't like war, so I didn't get involved in it. And now it's the past, like I said. And we've stopped dead in the middle of nowhere. We won't have time to go to the village, now - I suggest we head straight back to Inner Seireitei if nobody has anything they need to get. Fukutaichou is trusting me not to lag behind, and I don't want to betray that trust."

He turned on his heel, leading purposefully off in the direction of the Inner Seireitei border gate, and, as he did so, he was aware of Morata hissing in Shinobu's ear.

"You're a tactless idiot. I think you made him cross. He's our superior officer. You can't just go poking around in his family history like that."

"Like it's any of our business, anyway," that was Takahashi. "Come on. Let's do as he says. He's right. We'll all get in trouble if we lag, but Kohaku-san will take the worst hit if we're late, because Fukutaichou put him in charge. Let's not make the situation worse."

"Well, he said it didn't matter. I didn't mean it but it's done now," Shinobu's response was defensive. "Drop it, will you? Come on, or he'll leave us behind."

"Hiroshi will brain you," Morata added. "He likes Kohaku-san and he'll be mad at you if he thinks you've been trying to wind up a seated officer."

"I wasn't trying to wind him up!" now Shinobu sounded indignant. "It wasn't on purpose! It just came out...I didn't think about it, that's all!"

"I hope you all know that I can hear every word of your conversation. What I don't hear are your footsteps in this direction," Kohaku had had enough, and he wheeled around on the hapless trio, glaring at them with the righteous frustration of a ranked officer whose orders were being ignored. "I don't remember giving you permission to gossip in whispers behind my back, and you don't seem to be obeying instructions. If you don't want to be reported for insubordination, I suggest you get here," he pointed to the ground at his side, "now, and stop being stupid. You're not at the Academy any more. This is the Gotei, and in the Gotei, when you're given orders, _you obey them_."

A flicker of angry _reiryoku_ hummed and glimmered around his body for a moment, threatening to flare out and engulf the three recruits but, as he took in the stricken expressions on the faces of his young companions, Kohaku reined in his temper, pulling back his rebellious spirit power and waiting impatiently as they hurried to join him. Once they had, he nodded his head, turning and gesturing at the road ahead.

"No more distractions," he said firmly. "Yatsubashi, if you want to know about my father, then I'm more than happy to tell you about it. But I don't think that Taichou spoke to you about my background in order for you to make a scene about it. Learn to hold your tongue. In a military operation, when you rank at the bottom, you shouldn't expect to automatically be included in every loop."

Shinobu flinched at the edge in Kohaku's words, but the seated officer wasn't done, for he turned his attention to the remaining two recruits.

"Morata, Takahashi, the same goes for you." he said evenly. "Fukutaichou put me in charge of you. When you ignore my orders to whisper among yourselves, you lay yourself open to disciplinary reports. Insubordination against me is also insubordination against Fukutaichou, and that means against the Captain, too, because he authorised this patrol. Orders are _not_ for negotiation, they are for following."

His eyes darkened

"If you have a problem with being given orders by an Aizen, I suggest you speak to the Captain about it directly," he added coldly. "If not, then maybe you should do as you're told without the fuss."

"We're sorry," Takahashi said, exchanging glances with Morata, who nodded. "I guess we forgot ourselves for a moment, there. You're right, sir. It's not our business."

"We have no problems taking your orders, sir," Morata added contritely. "We didn't mean to be insubordinate. We all got carried away. That's all."

Kohaku glanced at Shinobu, who kept his gaze trained on the ground. He made no attempt to speak at first, and Kohaku could feel swirls of indignant anger biting against the young man's reiryoku. There was a pause, as the recruit fought to get his temper under control and then, at length, he lifted his gaze, inclining his head slightly in Kohaku's direction.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said flatly. "I was out of line. It won't happen again."

Kohaku gazed at the younger man for a moment, sensing the flickers of wounded pride and resentment that still filled Shinobu's aura, and inwardly he sighed. Whatever had upset his companion, it had clearly not been helped by such a brusque scolding, but Kohaku was not a confrontational person by nature, and he realised that, if he pursued it now, he would probably just create a bigger scene.

 _I'm meant to be keeping order, not starting a fight. Least said, soonest mended. At least, I hope so. I guess they are still all raw recruits. It takes a while to shake down. I should know. It took me longer than anyone to learn how to deal with hierarchy and following orders._

"Let's get back to barracks," he said aloud, and the three recruits saluted, Shinobu slightly later than the others, before falling into line with him as they made their descent to the barrier. Although Kohaku had kept his words even and strong, inside his heart was pounding, and he knew that, if they had resisted his command, he would probably have struggled to reassert himself a second time. It had been hard, too, keeping his reiryoku in check, for Kyouka Raigen's pride had flared up in indignation at both the questions and the lack of immediate obedience, and it had been all he could manage to keep the flickers of raw, dark energy inside of his own body. Kyouka Raigen was an unforgiving master at times, and Kohaku knew that elements of his _zanpakutou_ 's own frustration had seeped through into his reaction. Taking the lead was a difficult proposition for someone who had grown up isolated from other people, but it had been the mention of his father which had truly unsettled him. The trip to Eighth District had freed his spirit, but the mention of Shunsui and Keitarou's fight had stirred up negative memories of the hallucination at the border camp once more, and, at the same time, that horrible moment five years before when he had known his father was dead.

He glanced across at Shinobu, whose expression was clouded, not giving anything away, and he stifled a sigh.

 _Maybe it was an innocent question. I suppose it does make sense, to wonder, when you know bits and pieces. I'm not going to hide it or keep it a secret. People misunderstand more the less they know, so I have to be ready to talk about it - I think I knew that, when Taichou decided I would work with the recruits this year. But the truth is, Yatsubashi-kun, I don't blame Kyouraku-taichou for Father's death. I don't feel any grudge against him, because I know what really happened. The one who killed Father, that's me. The son who betrayed his trust, and told Kyouraku-taichou how and where to do it. I incited Kyouraku-taichou to do what he did. I made him feel there was no choice but to, because if he didn't, Juushirou-dono would have died. Nothing I told him was a lie, and nothing I did was wrong...but I killed my father, not him. It's me I hold responsible, and so there's nobody else to blame. I don't have a problem seeing or speaking to Kyouraku-taichou, but I'm not over being the cause of Father's death, and maybe I won't ever be._

Enishi was waiting for them as they reached the Inner Seireitei barrier, and he cast them a warm grin, thumping Kohaku approvingly on the back.

"You made good time," he remarked, and something in his words told Kohaku that the Vice Captain had had no additional errand, but had deliberately left him alone with the recruits in order to see whether he could make them follow his orders. This realisation at first made him feel a little giddy, knowing how close it might have come to going wrong but, as he met Enishi's gaze, Kohaku knew that the Vice Captain had factored in this risk when he had sent them off together.

 _But I passed the test. We got here, and quickly. And they listened to what I said. I told them off, and they responded to it. Even after knowing who my father was, they obeyed me and accepted my command._

He drew a heavy breath into his lungs.

 _This time. I just wish I didn't feel so emotionally exhausted by the experience._

"We'll head back to barracks," Enishi was still speaking. "Hikifune's gone on ahead there so there's no need for us to hang around. Follow me, all of you. It's almost lunchtime, and I don't know about you, but I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."

Something in Enishi's matter-of-fact humour settled the uncertain tension between the other four officers and, as the Vice Captain cleared their way through the border checks, Kohaku let out his breath in a rush, relieved that the morning's errand was finally over.  
 _  
I thought maybe Taichou would keep me away from patrolling in case of Katsu-nii, but I was wrong. The opposite, in fact. Fukutaichou took me out and left me in charge of recruits. He wasn't worried about my loyalty or that Katsu-nii might appear. True, they dropped me into the middle of a potential bonfire, but still, it means something that they'd test me in that way. They aren't looking at me any differently because the Gotei are on alert. I'm just one of the officers, doing my duty...progressing as scheduled. He...they...trusted me. They've always trusted me._

He frowned, feeling a pang of guilt for not having disclosed the meeting with Katsura to his senior officers.

 _Are they wrong to? Was that betrayal on my part? I wish I knew. It's all so complicated. But I know my brother isn't involved in what's been going on...and I don't know how to explain that without making the whole business a lot worse. Maybe when the officers come back from the Dangai, maybe then they'll have proof and we'll know more. Maybe..._

As that thought crossed his mind, they passed the stretch of thoroughfare that led to the Senkaimon that stood near the Twelfth Division barracks. Once retired from the system, it had been reconnected to the main Seireitei network following Keitarou's insurrection, and it was a well-used and busy Gate which, in times when the Dangai was not off-limits, would have probably been used to effect a quicker patrol arrival in Eighth District that morning. Today, though, it stood still and quiet, under the same lock-down embargo as all the other Gates while the investigations into the Dangai were under-way.

There was nothing remarkable about this Gate, but, as Kohaku and his companions approached it, the Twelfth Seated officer felt a sense of deep unease nestling in the bottom of his heart. At first sure that his unsettled emotions were a hangover from the clash of wills on the path home, he tried to push the feeling aside but, as they drew closer to the Gate, the sensation only became stronger. As he gazed at it, tendrils of dark, cold fear began to wrap themselves around his heart and his lungs, squeezing them tightly and making it hard for him to breathe. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, he reached up to rub at his chest, trying to free himself from the invisible shackles, but as he fought to bring air into his body, he saw the Gate suddenly haze and break apart within the wooden frame, ripping a hole in the atmosphere that yawned into a sinister black tunnel leading into the beyond. He let out a little gasp, glancing around him to see whether anyone else had noticed the Gate's apparent self-activation, but to his dismay, the three recruits and Enishi appeared oblivious, laughing at some comment Morata had made. Deeply unsettled now, Kohaku turned his gaze back to the Gate, hoping he had imagined it, or that it had been a trick of the light that would pass as they moved forward.

But the Gate still appeared open, and Kohaku felt Kyouka Raigen's spirit rippling and surging within him as though preparing to protect him from some unseen threat.

 _Kyouka, you feel it too, don't you?_

Instinctively he moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, looking for comfort and reassurance from the enigmatic mirror blade.

 **Yes, Kohaku. I feel it. Whatever it is, it isn't right.  
**  
 _Nobody else sees it._

 **Because it hasn't happened yet. But it will happen. I don't know what, or why, but that Gate has the stench of death.**

 _It hasn't happened yet?_

Kohaku's heart constricted in his chest, then,  
 _  
Then this is...future? But I haven't...not since Father died. I've not seen..._  
 **  
That doesn't mean you can't, won't, or never will again. This is something beyond my ken, Kohaku. I don't know what it is. All I know is that the Gate may look shut, but it's not. It's leaking reishi into the atmosphere. It's leaking through the seal and polluting the air...polluting your thoughts with things yet to come. Just because the Gates here seem all right doesn't mean that they are. Something dark is inside, fighting to get out. Something beyond the seal of the Gotei.**

Almost before Kyouka Raigen had finished speaking, Kohaku felt a pulse of bleak energy wash over him, and he stumbled, tripping over his feet and falling with a thud onto the cobbles below. Around him, the exclamations of his colleagues seemed very far away. The questions they were asking sounded as though they were being spoken in a foreign language, sounds and patterns but not coherent words that Kohaku could answer. The Thirteenth Division, the beauty of Eighth and even the cobbles of the thoroughfare seemed part of a different world, for, as Kohaku watched with growing trepidation, the Gate shimmered, and from its depths, a grotesque form began to emerge.

Kohaku swallowed hard, bile surging into his gullet and it was all he could do not to be physically sick as the powerful. intense waves of hallucinogenic reiatsu continued to pummel at his body, sending his entire being into a state of shock. The individual that had stepped from the Gate was robed in the uniform of the Gotei, but it was not this that had alarmed the young Twelfth Seated officer so much. The leading figure paused to glance at him, sending a jolt of fear pulsing through his entire body, for the eyes that locked into his were no more than hollow sockets, and the figure was little more than skin and bone, a skeletal frame wrapped in the black and white of a _shihakushou_ shroud. Behind this horrific figure came more, other skeletons with empty eyes and bony feet rammed into white tabi and wooden sandals. Each one of them bore a sword at his waist, weapons that even from here Kohaku knew were _zanpakutou_ , but the usual hum of spiritual energy he sensed from such blades was entire absent, and the hollow emptiness only added to his fear. Slowly and almost mechanically he counted them.

There were eight in all.

Irrational panic ruled his body and, had he been able to remember how to scramble to his feet, he knew that he would have taken to his heels, running far away to a place where he could no longer see or feel this terrible, macabre scene.

 **Kohaku, get a grip on yourself! Don't let it swallow you up inside!**

Kyouka Raigen's words brought him back to his wits a moment before he thought he might lose himself in panicked hysteria.

 **Get a grip and focus. Think about what you're seeing. It hasn't happened yet. Think about it. What you're seeing...think about what it means. Don't focus on the fear. Focus on the message...isn't that what we've been working on from the start? You need to control it. You need to let it tell you what you need to know. Stop trying to run from it. Let it tell you what you need to know.**

 _They're all dead._

Kohaku wetted his lips, his gaze following the spectral entities across the stone cobbles towards the Gate of the Eleventh Division. As each apparition passed over the threshold, they disappeared into dust. From somewhere deep within his soul there was a blood-curdling, agonised scream, and then a wave of spiritual silence that was somehow more deafening to his senses than the cry of moments before. Although he knew he should be glad that the spectral entities had vanished from his line of sight, Kohaku suddenly felt a deep curl of foreboding which, no matter what he did, refused to go away. He had seen the monstrosities and they had terrified him, but Kyouka Raigen had been right. In his terror, he had sought to escape them, but in that instinct to flee, he felt certain he had _not seen_ something - something he should have seen, and something that he would regret not understanding later. He glanced at the entrance to the Eleventh Division, suddenly aware of how much the shadow cast by the Division insignia appeared like a stain of blood against the stone. He shivered, blinking and rubbing his eyes, and the illusion was gone.

 _I'm sorry, Kyouka. I'm still not good at this. Whatever it was I needed to understand...I didn't._

The sword remained silent, and Kohaku did not know whether his blade was judging him, or had forgiven his lack of composure. He drew a shaky breath into his lungs as the world began to return to normal. The Gate was no longer an open Gate but a static entity, untouched and still, as though nothing had ever happened. There were no corpses, and there were no screams. But although nothing had happened, he knew that what he had seen was not going to be so easily pushed aside, and he shivered, wrapping his arms around his body in an attempt to find some warmth.

"They were all dead." he whispered, and strong hands hauled him to his feet, giving him a little shake.

"Kohaku? Snap out of it. You fell over - are you okay?"

That was Enishi, and Kohaku focused his attention on the Vice Captain's brusque, anxious tones, swallowing hard against the nausea.

"I saw something," he whispered, "something at the Gate." He pointed, then, "They were all dead, but I don't understand...why."

"Saw something?" Enishi frowned, releasing his hold on the younger officer. "You've gone white and you look about to hurl. I sent the recruits on inside, since I didn't think you looked right and didn't like to worry them, but if it's something serious, its probably outside of my expertise, too."

"I'm all right," with a tremendous effort, Kohaku pulled himself together, facing his senior officer bravely. "It just took me by surprise. I haven't...not like that. Not for a while."

Enishi sighed, leaning back against the wall that divided the inner barracks from the world outside. He gazed at Kohaku in resignation.

"I thought taking you along on the patrol might clear your head. Guess not," he said frankly. "Are you all right, now? I can take you to Fourth, if you're not, but Edogawa's not there, and she's the one who seems to know best where you're concerned. It's been a while, and she's in Fourth District, so..."

"No, it's not necessary, sir," Kohaku shook his head. "I'm not ill. I mean, I feel shaky, but I'm not going to be sick or pass out or anything like that. I'm calmer, now. I'm sorry. I caused a disturbance. I didn't...mean to."

"You saw something we didn't see, didn't you?" Enishi asked bluntly, and Kohaku nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Something that has happened? Or something that hasn't happened yet?"

"I...think the latter, sir. I'm not sure, but Kyouka..." Kohaku touched a finger to his sword hilt, then, "Kyouka said it hadn't happened yet."

"Something to do with that Gate?" Enishi's gaze flitted to the closed Gate, and Kohaku followed his glance, a shiver running down his spine at the memory. He nodded.

"Yes, sir. When we were approaching it, I saw it...it opened. And...something came out. Something..."

He trailed off, struggling to know how to explain what he had seen, and Enishi groaned.

"I don't pretend I understand what you do, or how," he owned. "I believe you, but I'm damned if I know what to do about it. Go to Ukitake, I suppose...though I said I'd take charge of your patrols and such for him while he was dealing with other business. You're serious though, aren't you? This is something...we shouldn't ignore?"

"I don't know, sir," Kohaku said honestly, raising his gaze to the older officer. "I haven't seen the future for a while. I've been training to control that - to only use it to predict moves in battle, and I haven't had any stray visions of the future since Father died. I wasn't expecting it...it took me off guard, and I don't think I understood whatever it was I was meant to learn from it. But..."

He swallowed hard.

"I don't think this was something I could guard against," he admitted. "It was too much. The Gate...something from that Gate...made me see it. Something beyond my control."

"Can you tell me what came out of the Gate?" Enishi asked, and Kohaku hesitated, feeling the deep grip of unease encircling his soul once more. He gulped, grabbing hold of Enishi's sleeve before he knew what he was doing.

"They were all dead," he whispered. "All of them, like skeletons in uniform. They were shinigami, but they were dead, sir. There were eight of them, I counted. And then it was like...that whole shadow was blood," he pointed at the Eleventh Division's barracks, and closed his eyes. "I don't know why I saw it. But that's what I saw, sir. Skeletons coming from the Gate. Skeletons in _shihakushou._ "

"And they went to the Eleventh?" Enishi looked thoughtful. "You're sure? Positive?"

"Yes, sir. That's where they went. When they got there, they disappeared. There was a scream and blood. Then nothing. Then everything was quiet and normal again, and I didn't see any more."

"More corpses, huh." Enishi pressed his lips together. "All right. Then I guess I know how we act. The Gate isn't open right now, but I'll send a message to Eleventh and we'll put someone out tonight to monitor it. Maybe I'll ask Atsushi-dono to do the same, just for safety. I'll tell them that we've had intel of a likely corpse attack through that Gate, and that all officers should be on their guard. That way, if it happens here in Seireitei, we'll be ready. These corpses aren't meant to be that strong. So long as we're prepared, there's no problem...so that's what I think we should do."

Kohaku glanced back at the Gate, frowning.

"Yes, sir," he said softly. "I hope that's all it is. I mean, that's what I saw, but...I can't help thinking there's something...really wrong. Something different, this time. It was wrong enough to make me pick up the vibes and see it...and I feel like it's something I should be trying to stop, but I don't know how."

"You can't be responsible for everything, you know," Enishi told him categorically. "You can only say what you see, and we're here to help, too. I know you're worried, and I won't pretend it doesn't bother me, too, when spiritual hoodoo is on the cards, but if these are corpses like the ones in Sixth, we'll take them out. You said they disappeared when they reached Eleventh, right?"

"Yes, sir, but..."

"Well, I'm a mite biased, being Yamamoto-born, but I'd say that's a bad Division for anything to choose to ambush," Enishi offered Kohaku a grin. "They like fighting, there. Proper military code, thanks to Ikata's drill and Minaichi-taichou's pride. You said they vanished. Probably that means Eleventh will take them out. The scream and the blood is probably all about that, too. Corpses being returned to being corpses. Nothing for you to worry about."

He tapped Kohaku reassuringly on the shoulder.

"I'll go and send messages now. You go back to barracks and try not to worry. I'll report what you said to Ukitake and if he wants you, he'll call you - but in the meantime, go take a bath, relax and calm down. We've seen the end of the world and overcome it, once. Don't think we can't do it again."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

And that's your lot for this Christmas time. As you guys have probably realised, my schedule is a bit crazy at the moment and I don't have time to write about Koku and company much for now :( I do have more chapters of this written, but I miss dumping you people with some questions and cliffhangers, so I'm ending my update here for now. See you in a few months for the next installment no doubt...have a good break and see you in 2018 :)

Cookies to my long term readers and reviewers in particular 3. Juu's spirit still lives through you :)


	29. Night Shadows

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Night Shadows**

"I really thought that Kohaku-san was going to report us to the Vice Captain this afternoon."

Morata tossed his _hakamashita_ down over the end of his bunk, reaching for his nightrobe and pulling it around his upper body, tying the sash at the waist and sending Shinobu a dark look. It was several hours later, and, although the division curfew had long since passed for the evening, the recruits had still not settled for the night. Shinobu, Takahashi and Morata had not seen much of each other for the rest of that day, due to differently assigned chores and duties, but now, at bedtime, Morata returned the subject to the day's patrol. "I can't believe we got away with it. Some advice, Yatsubashi. Next time you want to annoy a seated officer, maybe don't do it when I'm with you. I don't want to get a bad reputation in my first month here, and he really didn't seem happy about the things you said."

"I wasn't the one hissing and whispering, which is what he actually yelled at us for," Shinobu threw his own _hakamashita_ aside, returning the glare with an indignant one of his own. "Besides, he went over the top. He didn't need to dress us down like that. It was unnecessary, and you guys grovelling afterwards didn't help."

"We didn't grovel," Takahashi sank down on the end of his bed, reaching down to remove his tabi. "We saw good sense, agreed with his position and accepted he was right. Which he was, Yatsubashi. Morata's got a point. This isn't the Academy; we don't have an answer-back clause here. And, to be honest, I don't think we had one there. You're not Anideshi any more. I know you took crap at times from some of the Clan brats when they were in a high temper and flaring their pride, but this is different. Kohaku-san's not a Clan bigwig with too much ego. He's an officer who outranks us by..." he paused, counting on his fingers, then scrunched them up in a ball, "well, umpteen seats, as it happens, since recruits are unseated, and you started poking your nose in where it wasn't welcome."

"I didn't do it to be malicious," Shinobu sighed, pulling on his own nightrobe with a grimace. "Whatever you think, Takahashi, I didn't. I didn't even think about it. And yes, I was stupid to say it, but does that really require him talking to us as though we're still in school uniform?"

"Far as he's concerned, maybe we are," Morata reflected. "We're barely out of that uniform, and though Sensei gave us a lot of authority back at the Academy, here we are on the bottom rung of the ladder. Besides, Kohaku-san is someone in the Taichou's trust and good graces. Insulting him seems a bad career move. And I'm really not going to do it."

"What are you guys squabbling about? It's late, and I'm tired," Hiroshi pushed back the door of the dorm, pausing as he registered the scene he had just walked into. "The tension in here is thick enough that you could cut it with a knife. What gives?"

"Please tell me whatever it is, you're done," Katou asked plaintively, following his room-mate into the chamber, and Tanemura, who had been right behind them, nodded, sliding the door shut and making his way to his own bunk.

"I'm done," Shinobu shrugged. "It's not a bit deal, Hiroshi. Just something on patrol today. That's all."

"Fukutaichou's patrol?" Hiroshi hung his towel on its rail, then moved to sit on his bed. "I thought you enjoyed those. Something wrong with this one? Weren't you going to Eighth? I thought that was pretty at this time of the year?" He glanced at Tanemura, who nodded his head.

"It is. The thaws are always early, and by this time there are flowers all over," he agreed. "I'd have liked to have gone on that patrol. I haven't been home in a while, and I miss it, here. It's entirely too green and grey and not colourful enough."

"There wasn't anything wrong with the patrol," Takahashi shook his head. "It was interesting, in Eighth, and we didn't have any dangerous incidents to deal with."

"So what's the problem? Sounds like a good day, and you're not even caked in mud," Hiroshi's eyes twinkled with amusement, and Shinobu grimaced.

"I don't mind mud," he admitted. "That at least washes off."

"Yatsubashi forgot where he was and asked a tactless question and we all almost ended up on disciplinary," Morata sent Shinobu a sidelong glance, and Shinobu bristled.

"It wasn't all my fault! You were the ones whispering, not me! I'm not taking the whole blame, and like I said, he was out of line. He took it too far - it was totally innocent and entirely not malicious, but the way he reacted, you'd think I said it on purpose!"

"Who reacted?" Katou looked confused, and Takahashi groaned, flopping back on his bed.

"Kohaku-san," he said wearily. "Look, it wasn't that big a deal. On our way back, Fukutaichou left Kohaku-san in charge of us and went off to run some other errand. We'd been talking about stuff. It was fine. Anyhow, the subject got onto Kyouraku-taichou, because we were in Eighth. I think we were talking about matsuri, and Kyouraku-taichou coming to Thirteenth a lot, to visit the Captain here."

"He does," Tanemura nodded. "I've seen him arrive. He seems to know most of the Thirteenth, but nobody really comments on it when he's here, because, well, apparently he's here a lot."

"Sounds innocuous," Hiroshi frowned. "I've seen him come here too, as it happens. So what about it? Did Kohaku-san think you were wasting time on idle gossip or...?"

"It felt like that," Shinobu murmured, but Morata shook his head.

"No. No, it was entirely fine and friendly, until Yatsubashi decided to ask our supervising officer if it bothered him that the person who killed his father came to visit our Division on a regular basis."

"Pardon?" Katou blinked, looking stunned, and Hiroshi's eyes widened incredulously.

" _Shinobu?_ You asked him _what?_ "

"I didn't think. I didn't do it on purpose, I just got carried away," Shinobu defended himself. "I honestly didn't, I swear! I mean, Taichou told me about it, and I knew you knew and so I thought...I dunno what I thought, but it just...kind of...came out. And when I realised what I was saying, I tried to stop it, but it was too late. He realised what I meant and after that..."

He made a beheading motion.

"Excuse me, knew what?" Tanemura raised a hand. "I'm lost, and I'd like it if someone would navigate for me, so I can get back on board with this conversation."

"Kohaku-san told us that his father was Aizen Keitarou and that, after he died, Ukitake-taichou took him in and mentored him," Morata said grimly. "He said it as though it didn't matter to him, but I think it did. It was tactless," he added, glancing at Shinobu. "And he was right, in how he reacted afterwards. We were the ones out of line, and after that, you're lucky we weren't all on disciplinary."

"I thought you said you didn't have a problem with Kohaku-san's bloodline?" Hiroshi sent his friend a suspicious look, and Shinobu groaned.

"I don't. I don't, all right?" he exclaimed. "I genuinely didn't think about what I was asking, and who I was asking it. It just came out, because he was talking...well, I guess I just...I mean, this guy killed his father, right? But he was just talking like it wasn't a big deal at all, and I just asked without thinking. I didn't mean anything by it! It just sounded weird and so I asked and...well, it got out of hand."

He frowned at his friend's expression.

"I mean it, Hiroshi. But wouldn't you have wondered? I mean, in the context?"

"Maybe," Hiroshi agreed, "but I wouldn't have asked him about it, idiot, and not in front of everyone else out of the blue like that. He's not one of our classmates, he's a superior officer and a practical stranger on top of that. Yes, he's pretty laid back, but you can't take advantage of that and poke your nose in where it isn't invited. I mean, it might upset him. If you really needed to know, couldn't you have held it and then gone to ask Taichou? Not that it is our business, but think about it. Endou-taichou comes here too, doesn't he? Would you like it if someone asked if you minded him coming here because of the stuff that happened in Seventh in the past?"

"Not the same thing at all!"

"It's the same," Hiroshi shook his head. "You don't remember what happened to your family, but it still bothers you, and the Endou were involved. Endou-taichou wasn't, that's the only difference. And Kohaku-san wasn't involved in what happened with Keitarou, either. It's not his fault that that guy is his Dad. Some questions are just tactless. You shouldn't ask them, even if you're curious. It's just not nice."

"Well, he didn't seem to mind talking to you about it, since you said he was the one who told you about his father," Shinobu sighed, flopping back on his bed with a shrug. "And he said it didn't bother him. About Kyouraku-taichou, I mean. That it didn't matter, because he didn't have a problem with Kyouraku-taichou. I really didn't do it on purpose, but I really didn't expect him to react like that. What's so different? It wasn't like I accused him of anything. I was just asking. How is that different to the conversation you had with him about this stuff?"

"Kohaku-san told me about Keitarou because I didn't ask him awkward questions. He liked that I didn't ask about his name, or bother about it, so he wanted me to hear it from him, rather than from someone else," Hiroshi responded. "I think he gets a lot of hassle over his name and his connections. He only talked to me about it because I wasn't interested in finding out that stuff. Otherwise I guess he probably wouldn't."

"And he was angry," Morata added gravely. "I don't know if you guys clocked it, but I was closest to him, and I did. When he told us off for lagging behind, his aura was prickling all over the place. He was like a different person, and I could see he was really holding back his temper, Yatsubashi. There was something in his eyes - you hit a nerve, and I'm not surprised. Even if Kohaku-san hated his father, which if he joined the Gotei, maybe he did, it's not something you ask even your closest friend. And just because he doesn't mind chatting to us recruits on patrol, it doesn't mean we can take liberties and forget our place in the hierarchy. You were stupid and we reacted in the wrong way. In all cases, it's insubordination and it's disrespect to his rank. I think we were lucky. He could've got a lot crosser, but he didn't. He could've really lost his temper, but he didn't. And he could've reported us to Fukutaichou, but he didn't."

"Thank goodness," Takahashi added. "Fukutaichou is great, but doesn't seem the kind to look warmly on lax behaviour."

"So basically, you're all a bunch of idiots and got told off for it," Hiroshi sighed. "Well, if you ask me, you asked for trouble. Get over it and make it a life lesson."

"Is it true, though?" Katou asked. "I mean, about Kohaku-san being Keitarou's son?"

"Yes," Shinobu nodded. "Taichou told me himself. Because I came from Seventh, he wanted me to know about it in full. And I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't intend to. It genuinely just came out at that moment. But it is odd, don't you think? He's taken in by the best friend of someone who killed his father. Doesn't that seem really dysfunctional to you guys?"

"Aizen Keitarou was a monster," Tanemura pointed out. "If I was his son, I would be thanking whoever took him out of the world. I know it's not our business," as Hiroshi opened his mouth to protest at this piece of bluntness, "but it's still true. If Kohaku-san joined the Gotei, he wasn't on his father's side. Maybe Kyouraku-taichou did him a favour. Perhaps that's why he isn't bothered about it."

"Whatever the truth, we will be on disciplinary if we're caught gossiping about it again like this. It's way after curfew," Takahashi said frankly. "Yatsubashi, stop sulking about it. It's done with now, anyway. Naniwa's right. It's a life lesson. Kohaku-san is friendly and easy-going, but he's still a seated officer and he's that for a reason. He told us off good and proper and we should learn to take it. That's what it means, being a recruit. If we cross the line, we'll get our noses lopped off. It's better he scolds us now, for a little thing like this, because one day, in a battle, not obeying an instruction immediately might get us killed. That's the military. It's not a game, and we're not here to be pampered and fussed over."

"Then what about what happened afterwards, on the way back to Inner Seireitei?" Shinobu finished changing into his nightrobes, moving to pull back the covers of his bed. "Did he trip over his feet, like Fukutaichou said he did?"

"I think we should probably learn the lesson of not asking questions that don't concern us," Morata said wisely. "Fukutaichou sent us inside because he wanted to talk to Kohaku-san alone. It wasn't about us, as nothing has come of our telling off, so it must've been something else. Like as not Kohaku-san had something else to report. He held back to tell Fukutaichou and his falling over was a convenient way of getting rid of us, as well as alerting Fukutaichou that there was something more."

"That's very conspiratorial," Takahashi frowned. "Do you think so? I thought Kohaku-san looked pale. Maybe he was just ill. I didn't see him at dinner."

"Maybe Shinobu bothered him more than he wanted to let on," Hiroshi frowned. "Shinobu, in the border camp, when you asked about Keitarou - I know you didn't know anything, then, and nor did I, but you remember, you commented on his behaviour after that? He was short with us, and later, he looked pale and not right. If people go through traumatic things, sometimes, remembering them can make them unwell or anxious. Fukutaichou told me that when I spoke to him about my nerves dealing with Hollows after the Real World mission went wrong at the Academy. Even the most seasoned warriors can be affected, and Kohaku-san is really quite young. He's not much older than we are. I think it's deeper rooted than that. Perhaps you really did step on a landmine."

He sighed.

"Kohaku-san did tell me himself about his father," he added. "He said then that he didn't hate him. Even that he loved him. I think...well, from what he said to me, he still had some issues with what happened, five years ago. The choices he made, and the consequences of them. I don't really feel that it's right for me to repeat the details of what he said because I don't think he intended me to - but I think it was more difficult for him than you might think. Shinobu, I don't think you were malicious. But I think you should be really careful around that subject. I don't think he likes it, however much he pretends that he's okay. It's over for Seireitei, but I don't think it's really over for him. He called it a curse."

"I don't understand how you could love a man like that, but I already made up my mind not to raise the topic again. Like I said, this was an accident," Shinobu replied impatiently. "Can we change the subject now, please? I'd like to go to bed, and I'm fed up with being the pariah because I was a little careless with my curiosity."

Morata opened his mouth to respond, but then hesitated, a frown of consternation touching his fair features.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Tanemura sent his friend a quizzical look, and Morata moved to the window, clambering onto Shinobu's bed. Ignoring his friend's protests, he unfastened the shutter, pushing it open.

"I heard something. Something from outside," he said, and Hiroshi came to join him, peering over his companion's shoulder into the night darkness.

"It's hard to see anything from here," he said at length. "What did you hear, Morata?"

"I'm not sure. Sounded like some kind of commotion, but I'm not clear what or where from," Morata pulled the shutter closed with a sigh. "I guess it's also none of our business. Probably late patrol getting back. We're well past curfew, and we're all going to be zombies in the morning."

"Then get off my bed, and let's go to sleep, maybe?" Shinobu snapped bad-temperedly, and Takahashi nodded.

"Yatsubashi's right. We've had more than enough for one day," he agreed. "I'll do the kidou lamp, everyone. Let's call it a night, huh?"

There was a murmur of assent, and the six young recruits scrambled to get into bed. They slipped beneath the covers, and Takahashi plunged the room into darkness, climbing into his own bed and settling down to sleep. Shinobu let out his breath in a rush, still annoyed by his friends' reprimands, but deep down inside knowing that the person he was most annoyed at was himself.

 _I was careless, today. I said something that drew attention to me and made Kohaku-san annoyed. I have to be better at this if I want to find out things without alerting him to the fact I'm watching him. But Morata is right. He did change, when he was telling us off. There was something in his eyes...something in his aura. Something different from the nice, friendly Kohaku-san we see most of the time. Which means I'm right. It is an act. That moment, he lost his composure and the mask slipped...I just have to find a way to expose that to everyone else without exposing myself to danger._

He closed his eyes, hoping that he would quickly fall asleep. He had no sooner done so, however, when a strange, eerie sensation flooded through the chamber, sending a chill down his spine and penetrating deep into the core of his very being. Shinobu drew breath sharply into his lungs at the sudden feeling of ice coldness, half-wondering if the shutter had not been firmly fastened, but as he opened his eyes, he found it hard not to let out a yelp of dismay, for there, in the darkness, was a ghostly apparition, so pale and faint that he could see right through it. It appeared to be hovering around his bed, but, as he reached out a tentative hand to touch it, the image began to fragment, and he realised that it was nothing more than a spectral imprint, not real and yet not a dream, either.

 _Am I hallucinating things, now?_

"Is it just me, or does anyone else see dead people in our bedroom?" Morata's nervy voice from the opposite bed gave Shinobu back a little of his courage, and he sat up, reaching across to illuminate the small kidou lamp at his side. As soon as he did so, the ghostly skeleton was gone, but although he could no longer see it, he could still feel the imprint of fear carved deep into the core of his soul.

"I saw it," he said in a low voice. "You saw it too, Morata?"

"I didn't see anything, but I feel like the room just turned to ice," Hiroshi shivered, pulling his blanket closer to his body. "I don't know what that was, but it's really cold in here now."

"It's a weird kind of cold. Like it's burrowing right down inside of us." Katou added. "Ghosts don't exist, right? I mean, the room isn't haunted, is it?"

"No such thing as ghosts," Shinobu said matter-of-factly. "Whatever it was, it wasn't a ghost. It was something else. I saw that thing but I also know it wasn't really there. We were just seeing it, that's all. I don't know why, though. Maybe it was some kind of _psychic_ attack?"

"You think Thirteenth is under attack?" Takahashi demanded, and Shinobu shrugged, tossing back his covers and reaching for his dressing gown.

"One way to find out," he said grimly, sliding his _zanpakutou_ through the sash of his robe. "Morata heard a noise outside. Now, if I listen, I can hear stuff too. Footsteps. People running around. Voices. And it's still there. That feeling of something bad going right down to the bone. I can't see that image in front of me any more, but it's still here, inside my head, like we're meant to see it and be afraid. We're not going to sleep like this...so we should go see what's happening."

As if to validate Shinobu's assertion, a scream suddenly erupted from the direction division courtyard, shrill and spine-chilling, and the six young men jumped, exchanging apprehensive glances with one another.

"What was that?" Katou whispered.

"Whatever it was, we should go see," Shinobu reiterated. "Or are you scared? We're meant to be military officers. We can't just sit here and hide!"

"If it's serious we'll probably get told to go back to our room," Tanemura said doubtfully.

"Then we do. We'll follow orders," Shinobu said frankly. "Right now, though, we have none. And if something is going on here, this is our Division. We have a right to be there defending it too!"

* * *

Meanwhile, some two hundred and fifty yards from the Thirteenth Division compound, Furuta and his companion from the Eleventh, a fifteenth seated officer by the name of Karachi had been passing a boring and uneventful night on duty at the Senkaimon. With the Dangai network on hiatus, there was little likelihood of anyone opening or shutting the Gate that night, but Enishi had been particular in making sure that one of his own officers was sent out to guard the location anyway. It had been much more difficult to persuade the cantankerous Minaichi that such measures were necessary, for the Eleventh Captain had frankly scorned the idea that any corpse puppet could best any member of his squad. When he had learned that the warning had come from Thirteenth's enigmatic prophet, he had been even more unwilling, but Enishi had prevailed and, ultimately, the bonds of kinship had won. Minaichi had reluctantly relented, dispatching a junior officer who, in Furuta's opinion, was a strange choice for Fifteenth Seat in a Division so suited to military combat and discipline. Karachi, he had soon discovered, had been sent to join the Gotei by his parents, and had never wanted to be a shinigami, let alone one under Ikata's violent leadership and training, but a quiet night at the Senkaimon had seemed a good way to escape other, less favourable duties, and so for much of the evening the two men had scratched out a rough shougi board on the cobbles between them, using stray pebbles and bits of broken stick for pieces as they wiled away the time.

Furuta had not minded, when Enishi had asked him to come guard the Gate. Enishi was also a military minded individual and a Yamamoto to boot, but in spite of his Clan roots, he commanded huge respect from his subordinate officers for his fair treatment and open attitude. He had told Furuta frankly that the job might be a waste of time, but that he didn't think that he could take the risk that it wasn't. He had told Furuta that Kohaku had given him the tip, and he was inclined to trust it, based on Kohaku's previous record in these areas. Furuta also knew Kohaku very well, and understood that, although the ability to see things that had not happened was hard to understand, it was nonetheless something his young friend could do. Still, as the night had drawn in and the sun had set, the Gate had remained quiet, and Furuta had begun to consider that, maybe, this time, his room-mate had overreacted and made a mistake.

Until you come and see, though, you don't know. Fukutaichou is right. Always better safe than sorry, and there's worse companions to spend a duty with.

Furuta looked across at Karachi, who, having just beaten him in their makeshift game, had taken his sword from its scabbard, polishing it absently with the sleeve of his _shihakushou_.

 _Karachi seems a fair sort. Someone I can get along with, anyway. That helps. You never know, with folk from other Divisions. Some of them are fine, but some are just plain weird_.

"Taichou was really not amused by this evening's mission," Karachi glanced up, offering his companion a rueful grimace. "He thought it was a waste of time."

"Well, it might be, but orders are orders," Furuta stretched his arms out over his head, stifling a yawn. "It is a bit chilly, though. Almost wish I'd brought a cloak. When I'm out at night on official work, it's usually a patrol, but I didn't think of it for something like this."

He smiled ruefully.

"Was Minaichi-taichou very angry at Fukutaichou's request?"

"Oh, just a little," Karachi looked resigned. "Well, between you and me, I've seen worse. Taichou is always easier to approach when Ikata-san isn't at barracks. They don't get along...well, I guess everyone in Seireitei knows that, so even if I mention it, it's not like I'm revealing any deep dark Division skeletons."

"Gossiping about other Divisions is frowned on," Furuta agreed cheerfully, "but I'm all for a collective goodwill towards our neighbours, and that means having all the information. It's always mystified me, anyway. I mean, I'm not disrespecting your leaders. To be frank, I think they're both pretty wicked warriors. Ikata-san has an amazing combat reputation, and of course, Minaichi-taichou's famous now for the Kusakawa incident. He's pretty much a hero in my book, and everyone knows that story after what happened five years back. But they really seem a weird pair. How do they work together?"

"Painfully," Karachi groaned. "I won't lie, it could be easier, navigating between the two. I try to keep my head down and follow orders, but it's hard if those orders clash. Still, I guess, since I have to follow this career path, I could do worse. And you're right. The Captain isn't the kind who wants the limelight, and he doesn't allow us to talk about that business...I don't think he sees it with pride. But we do. I mean, the whole thing is legend now, how he took down Kusakawa and by doing so, saved Sekime-taichou and single-handedly stopped the experimentation on souls in the Rukon without ever taking a single note of credit for it."

He rolled his eyes.

"But between you and me, Furuta-san, I think he hasn't forgiven your colleague for revealing what happened in Rukongai in the way he did. Not that any of us really understand how he did it, but Minaichi-taichou...I don't think he likes the fact your Captain took on an Aizen and ranked him...even less since he knew that it was him that made everyone in Seireitei know he killed Kusakawa."

"Kohaku?" Furuta looked surprised. "But because he did, a lot of bad things were set to rights. I would've thought he'd be glad to draw a line under it. Let it all go."

"Well, Taichou is a complicated person," Karachi said thoughtfully. "I shouldn't say this, but I think he's more sentimental deep down than people know. I mean, he lost the last Vice Captain in that fight, and I hear from the longer-serving officers that they were pretty close. I never knew anyone but Ikata-fukutaichou, but I've heard some good stories about the previous one."

He shrugged.

"He likes your Vice Captain, though," he added. "Taichou, I mean. He likes Houjou-dono. I think he'd have liked him to be Eleventh Vice Captain, if he could have fixed it that way."

"Rumour is that he turned down Eleventh to come to Thirteenth," Furuta responded conspiratorially. "I haven't heard that officially, of course, but it's a rumour that buzzes around our barracks. Fukutaichou's a Yamamoto, but he didn't choose to go to his family. He chose Taichou instead...and I guess that could rub some up the wrong way."

"Well, everyone knows Houjou-dono is a decent warrior, and there are plenty in Eleventh who'd not have complained to be under his command," Karachi said reflectively. "Most folk back at base like Ikata-fukutaichou, though. He's a good officer. People think he's rough and loud but he's easy to understand and he takes a lot of time drilling what he wants into us. He and Taichou are totally different, but maybe that's the secret of the Eleventh's success."

He sighed.

"But when Taichou heard it was something to do with your Kohaku that had me sent out here like this, he didn't really sound happy," he admitted. "Houjou-dono seems pretty convinced by the Aizen future hocus-pocus stuff, but Taichou's not so persuaded. What about you? You must know the guy. What's your take?"

"I don't understand a damn thing about Kohaku's spirit power, or his sword, and I'm fine with it that way," Furuta laughed. "He's not a liar, though. I mean, he says the craziest things. Sometimes, he does them, too. But if he says something, you listen. Trouble is, when he says something like this, it's not usually good news."

"Well, it's quiet here tonight," Karachi glanced up at the Gate. "Maybe this time he was off the mark."

"I'm not sure. Fukutaichou did tell me he didn't know when it would happen, just that he thought we should watch the Gate, because he was sure it would happen," Furuta shrugged. "Kohaku's my friend, and my room-mate, so because of that, I believe him. I don't understand a word of it, but I believe he saw something. But whether it will show up on our watch or not, I don't know."

"We could play another game of shougi?" Karachi suggested. Furuta shook his head.

"Not a chance. You'll win again," he replied fervently, and Karachi chuckled.

"I'm good at it," he said unrepentantly. "You shouldn't take on an opponent unless you know you can beat them."

"I've never been much good at shougi," Furuta admitted. "I'm more of a practical, hands-on kind of guy."

He got to his feet, kicking his legs out absently to get the circulation moving.

"And it is cold. I'm almost tempted to run around in circles. It might look stupid, but I'd like to still have fingers and toes by the time the sun rises."

Karachi looked amused. He opened his mouth to reply, then paused, frowning and casting a glance back towards the silent Gate.

"Karachi?" Furuta was alert in a moment. "Something up?"

"Mm...not sure," Karachi's eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to the Gate, reaching a cautious hand out to touch the air between the wooden frame. "Hrm, it feels normal. Maybe it was imagination. I thought I sensed something, but maybe I'm just bored."

"Something, like a leak?" Furuta asked sharply, and Karachi shrugged.

"Do Gates leak?" he wondered. "Why? What made you say that?"

"Well, when Fukutaichou sent me out here, he'd been talking to the Captain. He said that Taichou thought the Gate seal might be damaged, because Kohaku sensed something from it, and if it was fine, he shouldn't have done," Furuta replied grimly. "I don't sense anything, though. Koku's got mad keen senses, but yours must be pretty decent, if you can pick up an anomaly too."

"I wonder if I did," Karachi stepped back to survey the Gate critically. "It looks normal. I'd get my sword out and test it, but I think that might be a bad idea. The Gate network is suspended till this is all over, isn't it? I'd rather not have my Captain upbraiding me for reckless behaviour."

"Ditto on that," Furuta said frankly, and Karachi shot him a glance.

"Does Ukitake-taichou do that?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Do what?" Furuta was confused.

"Scold his officers if they do something they shouldn't?"

"Of course he does." Furuta snorted. "He's a Captain. What do you think? He pats us on the head and tells us not to be naughty?"

"No...but I've met Shikibu-san," Karachi pulled a face. "I think a lot of my squad think she's the one who does the nasty stuff. I mean, Houjou-dono's pretty straight-forward, and Ukitake-taichou has a reputation for being kind."

"That doesn't mean he's a soft touch," Furuta said acidly. "Believe me. You'd rather be scolded by Shikibu-san or Fukutaichou. Sure, Shikibu-san is sharp and sometimes she's dead sarcastic. But if Taichou gets cross with you, you know about it. Sure, he's kind. He listens and he's supportive and he considers the squad a family. But yeah, you don't want to get him angry. Remember, he lived in Seventh when everyone there wanted to kill him, and he got out alive. He's not someone you mess with. Why do you think the Council of Elders let him tell them off so often?"

"I'm not insulting him," Karachi assured his companion. "Just curious, that's all. But I suppose you're right. A Captain couldn't be a Captain and not command discipline. Sorry. Guess I'm used to the way Eleventh runs, and I'm pretty sure Thirteenth doesn't handle things the way we do."

"Probably not, but you haven't seen the punishment chore list," Furuta responded. "He's strict on ranking, too. No immediate seatings for recruits, a heavy drill schedule for seated officers, and no Real World privileges below Thirteenth Seat. Which, by the way, counts me out of this Real World mission," he grimaced. "Whether it comes off or not, I won't be eligible, because I'm still below the cut-off line."

"Taichou doesn't like the Real World or Rukongai. I think he feels he's seen enough of both," Karachi reflected. "I suppose I take his point, but I...hey! Furuta-san, look! The Gate, look at it. Is it me, or is the atmosphere unstable?"

"It looks like it's wobbling," Furuta put his hand on the hilt of his _zanpakutou_ , taking a step back as he watched the night air swirl and shake between the struts of the Gate frame. "That's not a leak, Karachi. That's a full on tear, by the looks. Either it's broken, or something is coming out. And, given why we're here..."

"Maybe your Kohaku is right, after all," Karachi's hand slipped down towards his own weapon. "It's definitely opening. And we didn't open it, which means something from inside it did."

"Well, whatever it is, it's got a welcome party," Furuta drew his sword, raising it in preparation for for the oncoming attack. "If you want to raise the alarm, Karachi, I'm fine standing my ground here while you do. I'm one seat up on you, so it ought to be me that does."

"Fukutaichou!" Karachi paid him no attention, releasing his grip on his weapon and hurrying towards the Gate as, from the darkening shadows, a familiar, broad figure began to emerge, the black and white of his _shihakushou_ dusty but clearly recognisable, and the badge on his upper arm glittering silver in the moonlight. "Furuta-san, it's all right. You can stand down. It's not a corpse doll. It's Fukutaichou and the others, coming back from their patrol!"

"Ikata-dono?" Furuta paused, as the Eleventh Vice Captain stepped out of the Gate. "Then we needn't be here, need we? We can report to him and then go and...what the..."

His words were cut off mid-sentence, for, as Karachi had hurried to greet his senior officer, Ikata had drawn his weapon from its sheath and, without a moment of hesitation, had sliced the blade down through Karachi's upper body, cutting through his throat and neck and into his ribcage. Karachi choked, slipping to the ground in a pool of blood. His expression was one of surprise and dismay, and he opened his lips, as though trying to speak, but all that came out was more bubbling red liquid. As Furuta watched, frozen to the spot in horror, the light and life began to fade from the other shinigami's gaze. Time seemed to have stopped still, but Ikata had not, and before Furuta knew how to react, the blood-soaked weapon was coming down again, this time in his own direction. Furuta cursed, scrambling to get out of the way, but he was too slow, and Ikata's weapon slid across his shoulder and into his upper spine. The force of the blow sent him sprawling onto the ground, a stabbing pain and a sense of cold wetness seeping over his back, but adrenaline had replaced fear in the shinigami's mind, and he knew that, however dizzy and frightened he felt, if he didn't get away, he would die.  
 _  
I don't know why Ikata-san is trying to kill me. I don't know why Karachi had to die. I don't know anything, except this. I have to report to Fukutaichou, and I can't do that if I'm dead._

Ikata's blade was swinging down towards him once more, and Furuta rolled across the cobbles, wincing as the hard stone jolted his injury. Face up to his enemy, he caught sight of Ikata's expression, and was struck by the lack of any emotion in the other's approach. Behind him, Furuta was aware of other officers, and the sound of metal against wood told him that they, too, were preparing to attack, their weapons drawn.

 _Whatever is happening here, it's way over my rank level. If I escape this, I swear, I will volunteer for Fukutaichou's survival drills, instead of trying to find ways to avoid them._

Furuta scrambled to his knees, ducking as Ikata's speculative swing threatened to slice his head from his shoulders. Instinct rather than skill made him dodge back just in time to miss a second swipe, and although the pain in his shoulder was intensifying, he forced himself to his feet, knowing that so long as he was on the ground, he would meet the same fate as Karachi. The other officer's dead eyes stared at him from across the thoroughfare, and something in this hopeless expression gave Furuta extra determination. He had never been a fanciful soul, and, where others might have been thrown off their purpose at the sight of a Vice Captain killing a man in cold blood, Furuta's priority was simply to get back to barracks - to find a senior officer and report it, before it could get worse.

The Twelfth Division was nearer than his own, but Furuta made the split-second decision that he ought to report the incident to someone at Thirteenth. Whether this was Kohaku's vision or not, he didn't know, but he felt sure someone there would, and he did not look back. Behind him he could hear the swish of a blade swinging through empty air, and this final threat gave wings to his feet, allowing him to run into a haphazard shunpo that took him away from the danger. Not knowing whether he had been followed, he did not hesitate until he reached the familiar entrance of his home barracks, stumbling over the threshold and resting a hand against the pillar to catch his breath.

"Furuta!" Kira's anxious voice was music to his ears, and he glanced up, struggling to regain his composure.

"What happened?" Tsunemori was right behind him, and Furuta realised that the two of them were on night duty at the Division entrance.

"Need. Fukutaichou," he managed to gasp out, and Kira cast Tsunemori a glance.

"I'll go get him," he said quickly, and Tsunemori nodded, reaching out a hand to support Furuta into the Division yard.

"You're bleeding," he said, concern in his soft tones, and Furuta glanced down at himself, grimacing as he saw how much the blood had seeped through the fabric of his _shihakushou_. It was already staining the _obi_ , and the cold wind against his back told him that the uniform was probably torn beyond repair. He nodded.

"I'm all right. Just...pushed myself. To get. Back here. Quick," he managed. "Came to. Report."

"What's this about, Furuta?" Enishi strode across the cobbles at that juncture, eyeing his junior officer in consternation. What happened? Kira says you're hurt and in a state - who did that to you?"

"Fukutaichou, something is...not right...at that Gate," Furuta found his breathing was beginning to settle now that the pressure was off, and he met his Vice Captain's apprehensive look with a grim one of his own. "I don't know...what it means. None of it...makes sense to me. The Gate...opened...like Kohaku said. But...not corpses. Ikata-san...and his...men."

"Ikata's back?" Enishi had clearly not expected this, then, the next moment, Furuta saw the adjutant's expression change, surprise becoming horror and comprehension. "Wait, Furuta, Ikata did this? Your injury...that was his work?"

"Yes, sir," Furuta nodded his head. "I came...soon as I could. Ikata-san...opened the Gate. Karachi...the other officer...went to...greet him. Ikata-san...cut him down. Didn't even...stop. Just did it. Then...came after me. I...had time to...get away. I came...back here. And here I am."

"Damn," Enishi's eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched as though an unpleasant realisation had just crossed his mind. "Damn, I didn't even think...Furuta?" he snapped his gaze back in the direction of the wounded officer, making him jump. "Are you all right? Can you get to the Captain and report this to him? I need to go to Eleventh, I think...but if you can't..."

"I'm all right, sir. I got back here, and I can go to Ugendou. I'll go right away," Furuta felt relieved at this. "But sir, they're at the Gate. Not at Eleventh."

"Not yet, but that's their next stop," Enishi said grimly. "You're sure you can?"

"Yes, sir. I can walk. I'll go report. My injury can wait."

"All right, then do that," Enishi told him. "Tell Ukitake that he needs new night duty, as the current one is otherwise occupied."

"Sir?" Kira looked anxious.

"I want you and Tsukabishi to come with me," Enishi said briskly. "That's an order. I'll take responsibility for it."

"But...going to Eleventh...without being asked to..." Kira faltered, and Enishi shot him a hollow smile.

"I'll take responsibility for it," he repeated, "With my badge if need be. Right now, I'm more concerned with making sure Eleventh Division has living officers this time tomorrow. Furuta, go report. Kira, Tsukabishi, we're going now."

"Yes, sir," Tsunemori spoke quietly, reaching out to grab Kira's arm, and Kira hesitated, then nodded.

"Yes, sir," he added, and Furuta watched as the three officers disappeared into shunpo. He let out a sigh, wincing as the cold night wind teased at his open wound.

 _I won't ever complain about not being high enough rank again. Not ever. I swear._

He fidgeted, trying to stop the flaps of torn fabric irritating the injury.

 _For now, I have to report. Captain first. War wounds later. Fukutaichou looked pretty serious. I guess this is a big deal, and I'm glad to be back here if that's the case._

He hurried across the cobbles, heading for the shortcut that led to Ugendou but, as he reached the halfway point, the world suddenly swung and twisted, the nocturnal colours blurring together, one into another, until he was no longer quite sure which way he was heading. He stumbled, struggling to regain his balance, as the ghostly form of a skeleton emerged out of the darkness, reaching out a bony hand towards him.

This was as much as Furuta's traumatised body could take, and he lost his footing, falling unconscious onto the cobblestones below.

* * *

 _A bony hand extended from the darkness._

 _Long, scarred fingers curled and stretched, trying to grasp hold of something tangible on the other side._

 _Frozen in horror, Kayashima could only stand and watch as the hand was followed by an arm, and then a body, a ribcage with the black robes of the shihakushou hung loosely over the skeletal frame. The head came next, empty eyes like pools of nothing that nonetheless seemed to stare right into his soul, making his vision swirl and his entire body feel giddy. He struggled to take a step backwards, but his feet felt rooted to the spot as more skeletons followed the others out of the black hole. They all had identical, grinning expressions but, as they drew closer, hands outstretched to grab hold of Kayashima's shihakushou, the eleventh seated officer could make out dampness on the cheekbones, as though the empty eyes had shed tears of sadness or of pain._

 _As the fingers of the nearest touched against his skin, he felt a burning, agonising pain, an emptiness as something was ripped out of him, and his body fell to the floor like a ragdoll, his limbs no longer responding to his panicked commands. Suddenly the whole world around him was strange and frightening, the grass and cobbles of Inner Seireitei replaced with cold hard marble, and, as he stared up through hazy, dimming vision, he thought he could make out the smooth curve of some kind of ceiling, blocking the sky from view. At his waist, he could feel the weight of his zanpakutou, but it was a dead, empty object, not responding to his commands. He struggled to move fingers to grab hold of it, but he could not move at all._

 _He saw an old man, staring down at him, his expression genial but his black, beady eyes cold and hard, like pebbles of hate. He was smiling, and in his hand he held something - something that looked very much like a book, although it glittered with a strange kind of energy and Kayashima knew that whatever it was, it wasn't normal. In his other hand was the hilt of a sword, and it too glowed and glittered with a spectral light. As the sword grew brighter, the old man's lips moved again, and darkness rushed over him, plunging him down once more into oblivion and fear. The sense of terror was so great that for a moment he thought he was drowning, his heart pounding in his chest fit to burst._

Just as he was sure that he must be consumed by the stifling darkness that now flooded his body and his mind, there was a violent jolt, and the world that had seemed so real a moment before began to falter and fade. Struggling to free himself, Kayashima fought back, forcing his thoughts and his consciousness to regain some sense of rationality. He was dreaming, he realised that now, and as he returned to the surface, he knew that it wasn't his dream that he was seeing, but that of his friend. This thought heightened his sense of urgency, and he battled back to wakefulness, opening his eyes and taking a deep breath into his lungs. His body was slick with sweat, and he was lying on the floor of the small bedchamber, his blankets entangled around his legs. He had been fighting the images in his sleep, but the fall from his pallet bed had been the thing to stir him, and so he said a mental thanks to his body for fighting back, pulling himself into a more upright position, and rubbing his spine with a wince.

The room normally housed three individuals, but with Furuta on duty at the Senkaimon, its only other occupant that night was Kohaku. The young Aizen had been quiet and preoccupied that afternoon during their kidou drill, Kayashima remembered, and had even missed the evening meal, stating a headache as the reason for his absence. As they had got ready for bed, Kohaku had admitted to Kayashima that he had had another funny hallucination that morning, on the way back from patrol. They had talked it out together, Kayashima pointing out with his usual blunt common-sense that even if he had seen the future, he had reported it in full to Enishi and thus had done everything he could possibly do for the time being. This rationalisation from his peer had seemed to help Kohaku gain some perspective and, as they had changed for bed that evening, there had been no immediate warning signs for Kayashima that this night would be one of those tormented by psychically delusive dreams. Even without fully illuminating the room, though, Kayashima knew Kohaku's reiatsu well enough to realise that his companion was in significant distress, for he could still feel the pulses of hallucinogenic reiryoku, and he took a deep breath, steeling himself against the images that he knew were flooding his friend's mind.  
 _  
I'm awake, and I need to wake you, too. This has to stop, Koku. It's clearly a biggie, this time, but you're going to give the whole Division a scare if you carry on like this._

He activated the Kidou lamp, feeling reassured by the glow that filled the room. It was easier to deal with Kohaku's demons in the light, he mused, hurrying to his friend's bedside and reaching across to give the young officer a short, rough shake. Kohaku let out a faint murmur, and Kayashima could see tears on his cheeks. However frightening the dream had been for him to see, Kayashima knew that it was probably far worse for his sensitive friend, and so, although Kohaku's unsettled reiryoku was enough to remind Kayashima of the fear that had engulfed his heart when he had been sleeping, he gritted his teeth, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the delusions seeped out across the whole of Thirteenth.  
 _  
Taichou entrusted me with looking out for you the first day you became a recruit, but since that day, we've been friends, and friends look out for one another no matter what. That means that, at times like this, it's up to me to pull you out of your dream world. Even if you give me the heebie-jeebies by making me see the crazy, too. That's one of the rules of our friendship, isn't it? You imagine the whole world and I make sure you remember which one is real and which are in your head. I need to keep a firm hold on my sanity, otherwise we're both gone to hell._

"Snap out of it, you idiot. You're dreaming, and you're going to wake everyone up!" he hissed aloud in his friend's ear, giving him another short, sharp shake. This time he penetrated his room-mate's awareness, for Kohaku flung out a hand, grabbing Kayashima by the arm and making him jump. Wild brown eyes snapped open, and Kayashima found himself face to face with his friend, but from the tightness of his grip and the expression in his eyes, it was clear that Kohaku was far from back in the world of the living.

"They're all dead," he whispered, grabbing hold of Kayashima's shoulders tightly enough that nails pressed through the officer's thin night clothing. Kayashima winced, struggling to detach the hold, but Kohaku was not to be dissuaded, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"They're dead. I need...Fukutaichou must know. It was wrong. They're dead. Not corpses. But... _shihakushou_...and the badge. He has the badge!"

"Okay, calm down, breathe," Kayashima struggled to reassert himself, finally managing to get free and putting his companion at arm's length. "I'll listen and I'll help you, but not if you try to maim me. I need my limbs, and if you crush them, I won't be happy. Take a breath, Koku. You had a dream. You're safe, here, in Thirteenth. Everything is okay, here. Trust me, and calm down. When you do, you can tell me, and..."

"I need to speak to Fukutaichou," Kohaku did not wait for his friend to finish, pushing him aside and making a break for the bedroom door. He stumbled across Kayashima's fallen bedding, and the other officer muttered a curse, scrambling to grab his friend and haul him back. His hand brushed through empty air, however, for Kohaku was gone.

Kayashima dropped back against the wall, letting out a sigh of annoyance and frustration.  
 _  
Why is it that you only manage to do a damn proper shunpo when you're half crazy and stuck in another thought plane from the rest of us? Now you're going to create a fuss, and I'm going to get the blame because I didn't stop you from doing it._

He grabbed his dressing gown, pulling it over his shoulders and heading out into the hallway in search of his friend. He had no way of knowing where Kohaku had gone to, but as he reached the end of the hallway, he heard a loud clatter, followed by a crash, and he quickened his pace in the direction of the disturbance. Even in his dazed state, shunpo was not Kohaku's greatest skill, and Kayashima thanked his lucky stars that the noise had probably indicated his collision with something or other.  
 _  
Maybe he knocked sense into himself. I can only hope._

He grimaced, muttering the words to a kidou spell in order to illuminate his way. Ahead, he could see a table overturned, and a jug that had been standing on it had smashed on the floor, creating the loud crash, but the door alongside it was wide open, and Kayashima cursed, realising that the reckless flash step had not stopped his room-mate in his endeavour.

 _He said he was going to Fukutaichou. Where's Fukutaichou, and can I get to him first?_

He paused, raising his spiritual barriers cautiously to search for Enishi's reiatsu, but it was to no avail. Kohaku's panicked _reiryoku_ had scrambled his senses, stifling any other sensation that he might be able to pick up and so he gave it up as a bad job. Briefly, he considered checking the duty board to find out whether or not the Vice Captain was out on night patrol, but as soon as he had thought of it, he discarded the idea. Kohaku had gone out into the courtyard, and if he was going to stop his friend leaving the Thirteenth on a wild goose chase to find a patrolling officer, he could not waste time on unnecessary details.  
 _  
He's not in his room, because Koku's not heading to those quarters. But he's gone into the courtyard, which means if I don't step on it, he might end up anywhere in Seireitei. Literally, if he's trying to shunpo his way there. Fukutaichou had better not be on patrol, I swear. If he is, we've got a huge problem. I dunno how to tell the Captain that I've lost his pet protege._

Kayashima quickened his pace, hurrying out into the courtyard and glancing around him for any sign of his friend. At first he couldn't see him, but then, in the dim glow of the light outside the gate of the Division, he caught sight of a huddle on the floor, and relief flooded over his body.

"Koku, you idiot!" he began, quickening his pace towards his friend, but, as he got closer, he registered the fact that his friend was not alone. As he reached them, Kohaku turned, and Kayashima faltered, seeing the panic in his friend's eyes, and worse, the unmistakeable stain of blood on Kohaku's hands and nightrobes.

"Koku...what..." he whispered, and Kohaku reached out a bloody hand to brush against Kayashima's arm.

"I killed him," he whispered. "I saw it. They had _shihakushou_. It was a sword but...I should have known. I killed him...I didn't see the badge. Kyouka told me to look...but I didn't see it. I didn't see...see the...the badge."

He faltered, tears rolling silently down his cheeks, and Kayashima hastened down at his side, holding the kidou light over the still form that lay on the cobbles beside them. He was robed in _shihakushou_ , the fabric too dark to really show the depth of the injuries sustained, but the white _obi_ at the man's waist was a suspiciously dark red colour, and, as Kayashima recognised the other individual's features, his heart stilled in his chest.

"Furuta," he whispered, raising his gaze to Kohaku's in dismay. "Koku, you didn't...you couldn't...this isn't..."

He swallowed, unable to finish a sentence, and at the sound of Furuta's name, Kohaku began to shake, stumbling to his feet as though trying to get away from the stricken shinigami on the ground. He rubbed his hands together in agitation, apparently trying to remove the blood from his skin, but all he succeeded in doing was marking his white night robes with smudged, bloody hand-prints. Thus defeated, he put his hands to his head, clutching and tugging at his hair as he began to moan and cry. The blood that stained his clothing was now smeared across his face, making his pale features look ghoulish in the dim light, but it was the wild, terrified look in the other man's eyes that shook Kayashima right to the core.

Although he knew that his first concern should be the silent Furuta, ascertaining whether his fellow officer was alive and if so, obtaining help for his injuries, he found that he could not turn his back on Kohaku, aware that the fractured _reiryoku_ that had been seeping from his friend's body was building in intensity. Whether it was the effect of Kohaku's spirit power or his own fear for his friend he could not tell, but he turned away from Furuta's silent form, extinguishing his kidou flame and making a wild dive to grab hold of Kohaku instead. The other officer struggled, screaming and clawing at Kayashima's robes, and it was all Kayashima could do to grab hold of Kohaku's arms, using all his strength to force them down by the other's side. Kohaku was growing close to a full-scale hysteria by this time, as though the sight of Furuta, still and bloody on the ground had severed any latent threads of sanity and rationality that the dream had left behind. Although deep in his gut, Kayashima could not believe that Kohaku was in any way responsible for Furuta's predicament, he knew that saying so would not help the situation any right now. Kohaku had somehow persuaded himself that he had been the one to bring Furuta down, and despite his best physical efforts, the pulsing waves of frightened, guilty _reiryoku_ were too much for Kayashima to overcome. Kohaku was like a feral animal, fighting and clawing to get free, and there was an explosion of energy, sending Kayashima flying back across the cobbles with a thud.

 _This is not good._

Kayashima struggled into a sitting position, wincing at the fresh bruises and scratches that he had now added to those from his earlier fall. From where he now was, he could see the hazy line of energy engulfing Kohaku's body, as the rogue spirit power took more and more hold of his friend, and he knew that no matter how good his intentions, he would not be able to get close to the other shinigami again. He moved uncomfortably towards Furuta, putting a hand on the fourteenth seat's bloody body. To his relief, he could feel the pulsing of a heartbeat, and the rise and fall of Furuta's chest confirmed that although he was hurt and unconscious, their friend was alive.

"Koku, he's not dead!" he exclaimed, hoping that somehow this truth would penetrate Kohaku's panic, but it was to no avail, as Kohaku sank down onto his knees, tears coursing his cheeks. He was frightened and although he was beyond forming coherent words by this point, Kayashima saw Kohaku's lips move silently, as though uttering a desperate plea for help.  
 _  
I want to help you, you idiot, but I can't. I can't do anything unless you calm down. You're going to hurt yourself. You're going to hurt us, too._

He cast Furuta a troubled glance, realising that although the injured officer was alive, he had no defence against Kohaku's wild spirit power. In fact, he reflected grimly, it was more than possible that Kohaku's leaky _reiryoku_ had caused Furuta to lose consciousness, for in his current, weakened state, he would have stood little chance against a surprise onslaught of hallucinogenic spirit power. If that was the case, Kayashima knew that he might be the last line of defence protecting them both from Kohaku's overload, but although he knew this, Kayashima himself was beginning to feel hazy at the edges. The dream he had already seen had shaken his senses, making him more unsettled than he normally was, but in all his time as Kohaku's friend, this level of nightmare had never occurred. Kohaku had not killed Furuta yet, he realised grimly, but if this hysterical fit continued, there was no guarantee that either of them would be either alive or sane by the end of the evening. And yet, even knowing this, Kayashima did not know how to stop it.  
 _  
You've never made someone pass out from your reiatsu since I've known you, but right now, I admit, I don't feel so brilliant._

Kayashima swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep a grip on his composure.  
 _  
I have to find a way to stop this. A spell? Is there a Bakudou spell I could use? Something you won't be able to burn through with raw reiatsu power? I don't know, Koku. I can't remember. I can't think straight...I don't know how..._

Kohaku could not read minds, but, as though he had detected a change or a spike in Kayashima's own defensive reiatsu, he raised his gaze, for a moment staring straight at his friend. There was nothing in the other's brown eyes, just an empty glaze where Kohaku's personality and emotions usually lurked, and Kayashima found himself pinned to the spot, for the first time in their short acquaintance feeling a flicker of fear at the hollow expression on Kohaku's face. Panic began to curl up in Kayashima's heart as he gauged whether or not he had enough control to take Furuta and shunpo out of Kohaku's range, but, just as he was reaching the conclusion that it was useless, Kohaku let out a little gasp, and then crumpled to the ground before him, the waves of dangerous _reiryoku_ dissipating into nothing in an instant.

 _What the...?_

Kayashima swung around, staring back towards the barracks in disbelief. Standing directly behind him, in the doorway that he had left open, was a figure, partially silhouetted by the eerie blue glow of a kidou flame. Silver eyes glittered in the strange light, making their owner appear almost ethereal, but the illusion was broken a moment later as Izumi hurried across the cobbles towards them, extinguishing the flame in a curl of sapphire smoke. She paused at Kohaku's side, touching her finger briefly to his throat. Apparently happy that he was stable, she turned towards Kayashima, flickering her fingers questioningly, and Kayashima stared at her dully, struggling to understand why she was there or what she wanted to know. At his lack of response, Izumi let out a snort of frustration, rolling her eyes and shuffling down beside Furuta instead. She repeated the same action on him, placing slender fingers against his jugular and ignoring the blood that stained the other officer's clothing.

"Is he all right?" Kayashima found words at last, and Izumi turned, nodding her head. Kayashima let out his breath in a rush, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder.

"You used your hypnosis on Koku, didn't you?"

Izumi shrugged, indicating that he was correct. She twitched her fingers together again, and this time, even in the dim light, Kayashima could make out the words for 'useless males' and 'common sense'. He offered her a rueful smile, suddenly feeling exhausted now that the crisis was averted.

"I guess he woke you up, too?"

Izumi nodded, and her expression became grave. She sent Kohaku a concerned look, and then her fingers moved again. This time Kayashima made out the words "Furuta" and "sword", but more he could not follow, and he grimaced, scratching his head awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, Izumi-chan. It's dark, I'm zonked, and I can't follow what you want to know. Koku took his spiritual leaks to new levels tonight, and I took a full frontal attack of it. My brain isn't working on full power. I think maybe he knocked out Furuta as well, although I don't know why he's so bloody or what happened. Koku saw Furuta and lost the plot completely. He thought he'd killed his friend, I think, and I couldn't reach him after that. I'm glad you were there, because I didn't have any answers. We need to get help, though if Koku woke you, he probably woke other people. And..."

"What on earth is going on out here?"

Before Kayashima could finish his explanation, the entire courtyard was bathed in the light of the emergency kidou lamps, and Kayashima felt like he might faint with relief as the familiar tones of the Captain echoed out across the yard. He raised his gaze, meeting Juushirou's concerned look with a dazed one of his own and, at the sight of the unconscious pair of officers on the cobbles, Juushirou faltered, then hastened to join them, casting first Izumi and then Kayashima a dismayed glance.

"What happened?" he asked softly, and Kayashima could see that the white haired man was torn, half wanting to hurry down at Kohaku's side and ensure the safety of his protege, but equally as worried about Furuta and the injuries that, in the kidou light, had clearly been serious enough to cause considerable bleeding. No wonder Kohaku had been so stained from touching him, Kayashima realised. Furuta had been badly injured by some unknown entity, but in his dazed, hypersensitive state, the sight of his friend unconscious on the cobbles had been enough to send Kohaku over the edge into a full-blown panic.

"Koku had a bad dream, sir," somehow Kayashima found words. "I followed him out here. We found Furuta. It made Koku upset. He was convinced it was his fault, and I couldn't calm him. Izumi came and knocked him out with her hypnosis. That seemed to do the trick, sir. And then you came."

"Where's Enishi? He should be on duty tonight," Juushirou glanced around in vain, looking for any sign of his Vice Captain, and Kayashima realised that Kohaku's delusion had shaken his Captain too, for he had slipped into using informal first names before a lower seated officer. "Naoko's still on night patrol, and I've made Kirio keep everyone else inside, but I felt Koku's reiatsu. I think we all did. He woke a lot of people. I haven't felt a flare like that from him for...for a very long time."

"Koku was looking for Fukutaichou. He said he had to tell him. Something about a _shihakushou_ and a badge," Kayashima moved across to where Kohaku lay unconscious on the ground. "He was pretty insistent. He came out here, so I thought Fukutaichou was taking the night patrol, but if Shikibu-san is, I don't know where he is. I wonder if Koku did. He seemed to be trying to get somewhere, then he found Furuta and that was the end of that. I woke him from the dream, but he wasn't really with me, sir. I haven't seen him quite like that before. He's had weird dreams and stuff, but I never saw him really lose control like he did tonight."

"Did you see his dream?" Juushirou asked, and Kayashima nodded.

"There were skeletons. Skeletons coming out of the Dangai, dressed in _shihakushou_ ," he remembered. "Then I was on the ground, and I couldn't move. There was this old guy. He was smiling. He had a sword. I don't know who he was, and he wasn't dressed like anything I've seen before. The floor was cold marble, and there was a ceiling...sort of...like an arc overhead. He did something, and everything went dark. Then I woke myself."

He looked rueful.

"I fell out of bed and it woke me. So then I realised it was Koku, having a dream, and I went to try and wake him."

"I see," Juushirou's expression became serious, and he turned his attention to Izumi.

"Izumi, is Furuta stable?"

Izumi nodded her head, twitching her fingers together, and at the sight of her gestures, Juushirou let out a heavy sigh.

"Did you say a sword? A sword attacked him?"

Izumi nodded again, and Kayashima struggled to follow his friend's quick, deft signals. Unlike Kohaku, he had a sketchy grasp of some of Izumi's broad sign vocabulary, but he thought that he could make out the words for 'stable', and 'healer'.

"All right," clearly Juushirou had understood. "Then Izumi, I want you to go get Atsudane and Ketsui. They're both helping to keep the others inside barracks, but we'll need help, getting these two inside. I think then someone should go for a healer, as you suggest. Can you do that? Will you be able to make yourself understood?"

Izumi responded with a brisk nod, getting immediately to her feet. She gestured to Kayashima that she was leaving Furuta and Kohaku to him, then bowed her head to Juushirou, disappearing into a smooth flashstep that would make even an upper seated officer green with envy. Left alone with the Captain, Kayashima realised that he was shaking, shivering from the shock and adrenaline of that moment when he had thought Kohaku's spirit power was going to swallow them all up. He wrapped his arms more tightly around his body, and at his movement, Juushirou cast him a concerned glance.

"Are you all right? You must have taken a beating, by the looks of you. You're bruised and scraped...did Koku do that?"

"He didn't know he was fighting me, sir," Kayashima said ruefully. "He was trying to get away from me. He wanted to find Fukutaichou, but I really don't know...what he was thinking when Izumi took him down. He said he'd killed Furuta - but that's impossible. Isn't it? I mean, he didn't have time, and..."

"Izumi said Furuta took a sword injury, and I can see she's right," Juushirou said evenly. "He was on duty at the Senkaimon this evening, not here. Koku was with you, and he doesn't have a weapon. No, Kayashima. Koku didn't do this. But I agree, his panic was probably because he thought he had. Maybe Furuta came back here injured, and Koku found him when he was looking for Enishi. I imagine he saw Furuta collapse, and in his confusion, thought he was to blame - but he isn't. Right now, I'm more concerned about where my Vice Captain is, and not only that, where Tsunemori and Kira are, because both should have been marking the entrance tonight, and neither one of them are here at their posts."

"Taichou, Izumi said that Furuta and Koku were hurt," Ketsui appeared at that moment, Atsudane coming up behind him. "She's gone to Fourth, as you instructed, but Atsudane-san and I have come to help take them inside. Where do you want them to go? Furuta looks like someone's gored him - is he all right to move?"

"Izumi seemed to think so. She didn't seem to think he was badly hurt, just bloody," Juushirou stated. "Atsudane, take him to the side room, along the hall from Ugendou. A healer can attend him there without a lot of fuss and I know that there are too many souls around and awake, looking for something to whisper about. Try to not let any recruits see what's going on, either. They are abroad, tonight. I saw some of them on my way out here, and I told them to go back to their room, but I doubt very much that, given the chaos and the unsettled atmosphere, they obeyed that order. Koku's leaking _reiryoku_ has a track record of making perfectly sane and respectful individuals disobedient, impulsive and prone to reckless actions. Please make sure they do as I've instructed. If need be, lock their door. This isn't any concern of theirs, and I think it's better that we don't try and explain it to them while the atmosphere is so charged with unstable reiryoku."

"Yes, sir. I'll do that. I'll threaten any of them that linger or lurk around with extra cleaning chores," Atsudane said frankly. "Leave Furuta to me, too. I'll handle him safely."

"Good. Thank you. And Ketsui, Koku should go to his room. He'll need clean robes, because these are bloody," he added, glancing at Kayashima, who nodded. "Kayashima can help with cleaning him up, as he probably knows where Koku keeps his towels and such things. When I've finished with debriefing him, I'll send him up to join you."

"I can do that, sir," Ketsui agreed. "He's not that heavy, and I can manage."

"Thank you. I think he'll sleep a while, now," Juushirou reflected. "Izumi's hypnosis is quite potent, but Kayashima, I will want you to stay with him if you are all right to do that. If he wakes, I want to know - but more importantly, I don't think he should be alone until he does. His _reiryoku_ has settled and he seems calm, now - but I don't want him worrying about Furuta when he wakes up."

"I'll stay, sir. It's my room, anyway, and I might be bruised, but he took it worse than me," Kayashima was fast recovering his usual composure now that someone else had taken control of the situation, and he smiled, nodding his head. "I'll tell him he's an idiot, when he wakes, but then I'll make sure he knows Furuta is going to be fine, and everything was just his imagination going into overdrive."

"I wonder if it was," as Ketsui and Atsudane began to move the unconscious officers, Juushirou stood, glancing back towards the Division entrance with a look of consternation on his thin features. "Kayashima, did Koku mention to you today anything about what happened, on the return from his patrol?"

"He said he saw something come out of the Gate, sir. Something I assume was also the dream we had," Kayashima nodded. "I thought he was quite calm, when we went to bed, but I guess that was just for my benefit. I think it was bothering him more than I thought. But he reported it to Fukutaichou, sir. He said that, and that Fukutaichou had brought it to you, and so I told him there wasn't anything else he could do."

"No. Not him, not now," Juushirou pursed his lips. "But Enishi isn't here, and nor are Kira or Tsunemori. Just then, Kayashima, I sensed the release of a _zanpakutou_ , from the direction of the Eleventh Division. It's a _zanpakutou_ I know well, so I'm sure I'm not mistaken. Koku told Enishi that the apparitions he saw in his premonition were heading to Eleventh. If Furuta was hurt, it probably happened at the Senkaimon. If Koku's vision was correct, something's happening out there as well. Did he say anything else? Anything at all?"

"Just that they had _shihakushou_ and something about a badge," Kayashima replied. "I don't know why that was so important, but Koku thought it was. He wasn't very coherent, sir, but he said that he needed to tell Fukutaichou that."

" _Shihakushou_ and a badge," Juushirou echoed, his expression becoming troubled. "My first duty is to get everyone and everything here settled and under control with the minimum of fuss, or I'd go and investigate for myself, but I'm sure that I'm not wrong in my assumption. Enishi's not here because he went to deal with an incident at Eleventh. And, by the looks, he took Kira and Tsunemori with him."

"But Furuta was hurt, sir. Why would he..."

"Furuta might have been hurt, but he must have been conscious when Enishi left, because Enishi would assume Furuta was well enough to report to me," Juushirou rubbed his temples wearily. "If not, he would've left Kira or Tsunemori to see to him and make that report. If Furuta's injuries are not that bad, probably, he told Enishi he was capable of doing that. Then Koku had his dream, and, well, as you know, Koku's reiatsu is potent, even if you're expecting it. Furuta was hurt. If Koku knocked him out with his hallucination, Enishi wouldn't know. And whatever it was Koku wanted to tell Enishi, Furuta probably did himself. That's why Enishi decided that he had to go there, and at once. Even if it meant leaving his duty here. Enishi's combat judgement is usually sound, which makes me worry about what's going on over there."

"Taichou! Taichou!" Before Kayashima could respond, a breathless Kira tumbled into the courtyard, falling to his knees at Juushirou's feet in his relief at the sight of his Captain. "Taichou, I've come from Eleventh. Fukutaichou sent me. He sent me to..."

He paused, registering for the first time the mess in the courtyard, and his eyes became big with dismay.

"Did something happen?"

"You tell me," Juushirou said quietly. "Everything here is under control. Kohaku just had a sleepwalking episode, that's all. Right now, I'm more interested in knowing about your Vice Captain's message. I am right, aren't I, that he released Kyoshingeki just a short while ago?"

Kayashima stared at his Captain in alarm.  
 _  
The zanpakutou that Taichou sensed in release...is Fukutaichou's sword?  
_  
"Yes, sir," Kira nodded, his expression one of consternation. "I didn't see him do it, but I sensed it, as I arrived back here. He sent me to apologise to you for his absence and because he'd gone to fight at a foreign division without waiting for your order or a summons from the Eleventh for help. He said I was to report to you, but not to come back to the Eleventh under any circumstances once I'd done so."

He sighed, looking troubled.

"Please, sir, I'm sorry we left without warning, but Furuta came and reported to us that the Eleventh was under attack. Ikata-san and the others came back through the Gate. The one at Twelfth, using the key Sekime-taichou gave them. But they're all wrong, sir. I don't know how, and I don't understand why, but Ikata-san killed the Eleventh officer on duty at the Gate. He tried to kill Furuta, too, but Furuta managed to get away and he was coming here to report to you. He told Fukutaichou he'd come to you at once. I guess he didn't, but Fukutaichou told me to come here and make sure everyone here stayed put. Especially Kohaku. He thought Kohaku might..."

"Try to leave the Division if the Gate opened tonight?" Juushirou murmured, and Kayashima cast him a glance, noticing the tension that rippled through his senior officer's body. "Kira, are you saying that Ikata and his men assaulted the Eleventh themselves?"

"Yes, sir. They ambushed it. Tsunemori-san is still there, with Fukutaichou, but the officers at the entrance of Eleventh were also killed, sir, and there's an active scene of conflict going on in the courtyard."

"What of Minaichi-taichou?"

"I didn't see him, sir, so I don't know," Kira admitted. "Fukutaichou wanted me to come tell you what had happened. He said that he was all right, he doesn't need any backup, but that he wanted someone to know what was going on and to make sure nobody else went to Eleventh right now, because it isn't safe." Juushirou's eyes became grave.

" _Shihakushou_ and a badge. I see," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, and Kira looked troubled.

"I asked Fukutaichou if it was all right, to go there without your instruction, but he said that, if it came to it, he'd give his badge and resign his rank," he said softly. "He said that he was willing to take the risk of being demoted for insubordination, because otherwise..."

He faltered, then,

"Otherwise, he didn't think there'd be anyone left at Eleventh alive," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly. "From the way he reacted, sir, I think...he thinks...that Minaichi-taichou might be hurt or...or worse. Either way, I think...when we got there, I realised why he chose not to wait for permission. All the officers that went to the Dangai mission are among the Division's stronger officers and most of the ones left are loyal to Ikata-san. They were taken totally off guard and...well...Fukutaichou said that he can't just stand back and..."

"It's all right. I understand," Juushirou reassured the fair haired officer with a grim smile. "I trust my Vice Captain. If he made that call, then I'll stand by him and wait for his return. Unless there's anything else you think I should know, Kira, I'd like you to return to your duty at the front of the Division. If and when Enishi returns, I want to know at once."

"Yes, sir," Kira bowed his head, then, "there's just one other thing, sir. Ikata-san and the others, they aren't right," he said honestly. "It's not some kind of mutiny and Fukutaichou said it wasn't preplanned or anything like that. He seemed to know, the moment we got there, that it was wrong. I don't know how this is possible, but Fukutaichou told me to report it to you exactly as he said."

"Very well," Juushirou nodded, and Kira chewed on his lip.

"I don't know what it means," he said slowly, "but Fukutaichou told me to tell you Kohaku was right, sir. They were all dead. They came back from the Dangai, and attacked their division, but when they did so, sir, Ikata-san and the others...they were all already dead."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 _Yes, I'm back. Briefly! Between writing thesis stuff and preparing notes for my class on Wednesday (I'm teaching O.O), I thought I'd add another chapter._

 _I don't know if it makes the previous cliffhanger any better, though. But most of you know me by now. I'm not nice with cliffhangers._

 _Kayashima has a tough life as Kohaku's friend, that's for sure._

 _I wonder if anyone has a sense of the familiar about this set of events. Hrm. :)_


	30. Soul of the Giant

**Chapter Twenty Nine: Soul of the Giant**

The moon was high in the sky over Sixth District as Tsuneyoshi and Kunimori forced open the damaged Zaimon Gate, stepping out for the first time in several thousand years into Seireitei land. The night was quiet and cool, with only the occasional hoot of an owl to break the silence, and the air was thick with the scent of the blooming sakura.

"It would seem that we're in Kuchiki land," Kunimori raised a hand to indicate the pink-flecked branches of the surrounding trees, and Tsuneyoshi nodded, raising his gaze pensively to the clouds of sakura that gathered overhead.

"It would seem so," he murmured, pausing to brush stray petals from the sleeves of his robes. "To think that the air would be so fresh and pure after so long in that place. I think I'd forgotten what a place of colour Seireitei is, Kunimori-dono. Even now, lit only by the moon, it seems so much more vivid than I remember."

"I'm surprised you remember it at all, given your various lapses in memory," Kunimori said dryly. "Still, being in Kuchiki territory is helpful. I was fairly sure that would be our destination, if we followed the shinigami's path back to their entrance, but I couldn't be certain. Now we're here, though, I'm sure there's no mistake. I can't imagine those proud autocrats rescinding control of any inch of land on which grew their precious cherry trees."

"I remember once receiving one as a gift," Tsuneyoshi's eyes became dreamy, and he moved to run his finger over the bark of one of the nearer trees. "It was a wedding gift, from the Kuchiki lord of the time. I wish I recalled his name, but it was so long ago now. That tree was very beautiful, each spring, in the centre of our manor grounds. I was so very sad when it died."

"Is this nauseating monologue going to continue all the way to the main manor house?" Kunimori sent his companion a dark look. "I don't want to have to maim you before we've achieved anything of purpose, but I'd rather not hear your touching memoirs about pink flowers and wedding sentiment. We're not here for that, remember? We're here to take our revenge."

"Yes, but not on the Kuchiki," Tsuneyoshi pointed out. "We're here because it's where the shinigami entered, and so it was the easiest path to trace. Not because we're here to wage war on them."

"No...true," Kunimori turned back to glance at the place where the Gate opening was hidden, eyeing it critically. "I wish we hadn't had to force that quite so much. It's clearly been heavily damaged by our efforts to open it, and the shinigami have made it yet more unstable. I don't suppose we can consider that a useful pathway any longer - but that's all right. We probably don't need it. I'm not planning to go back to the Void World...and I assume you aren't, either."

"I have no interest in seeing that place ever again," Tsuneyoshi said darkly. "The question is, where do we go from here? We don't know the layout of Seireitei. We don't know if much has changed, or nothing has at all. You seek the Yamamoto, and I want Harumizu. How will we find Yamamoto Province? If I recall correctly, the Kuchiki's land was far from the Yamamoto territory. My own family land lay in-between."

"But that is why arriving here is such a boon," Kunimori's lips twitched into a smile of smug triumph. "The Kuchiki are famous for a lot of things, my friend, remember? We spoke of it before. Their stiff-backed, stub-nosed arrogance is only one of their charming features. They are the keepers of records...records that can give us the knowledge we need to find our targets and enact our revenge."

"So that's truly why we're going to the Kuchiki manor?" Tsuneyoshi looked doubtful, and Kunimori nodded.

"We are, but first we must find out how to get there, and that means mingling with the common folk at market," he reflected pensively.

"And what about when we get there? You don't think they might have a defence in place against unwanted visitors?"

"I'm not concerned about that," Kunimori snorted, and Tsuneyoshi's eyes darkened.

"You are going to kill people here, aren't you?" he accused, and Kunimori shrugged.

"I am intending to find out what I need to know," he said pragmatically. "I don't seek to battle with the Kuchiki, no. It's true that their Regents were responsible for my exile and, undoubtedly, yours as well. But, even if that is true, creating unnecessary drama is not on my agenda. My true grievance is with the family that betrayed me, not the bureaucrats who snivelled their orders under Heaven's thumb. I wish simply to read their archives. If they allow me access, then I will spare them. If not, then I can't be blamed for being more persuasive with them."

"The Kuchiki would have to have fallen greatly in reputation and skill to allow a stranger to walk in unchallenged," Tsuneyoshi muttered, and Kunimori laughed.

"True," he acknowledged. "But with any luck, they will have more pressing concerns to deal with."

"You mean your shinigami decoy?" Tsuneyoshi's lip curled in distaste at the memory, and Kunimori shrugged his shoulders.

"They were Yamamoto. It's my business, not yours," he said dismissively. "I told you, didn't I? I have a score to settle with that family. Ikata-dono was very obliging. He told me a lot of interesting information, and that made it easy to take advantage. But, I have to acknowledge," he added, casting his companion an amused grin, "that your help was invaluable in setting everything up so beautifully. I had to kill them, of course, but thanks to your sword, their being dead was a minor inconvenience. And, you seem to be getting more accustomed to resurrecting corpses, so all our training in that area is paying off. You didn't lose your wits at all this time, even though they were right in front of you. And you said you can't control them, but I'm not sure. I think maybe you can, if you try...at the very least, they seem willing to fight for you. You really are the General of the Army of the Dead, aren't you? I admit, I'm impressed...although frustrated that I am having to train your spirit power to do what you should've learned to do centuries ago on your own."

"God only knows what's left of my soul," Tsuneyoshi gazed at his gloved hands with a sigh, and Kunimori's wizened features twisted into a look of derision.

"Heaven's War should have taught you that there are no Gods except those of us which bear divine blades," he said frankly. "Even the Soul King is a fallen idol in the face of warrior might and noble power. Why should we not dictate life and death, and why should we not use those elements to our advantage? According to Ikata-dono, the core of the shinigami's military force these days is centred in one location, a place they call Inner Seireitei. The most spiritually gifted retainers and subordinates of the Clans make their base there, rather than in their native Districts. By sending him and his men back there like homing pigeons to wreak chaos, the immediate attention of the big men with blades will naturally be occupied with the trail of death and destruction they leave in their wake. Their military operation doesn't interest me; in truth, I'd rather not deal with them. But the fact they're all there is to our advantage. They consider that the heartland of their power and so they will expect attacks there...where we are not. While they're busy getting to the bottom of our mischief, we can slip around unnoticed, discover what we need to know, and take our enemies unawares. By the time they even realise we're here, it will be too late for them to stop us. Their ignorance is their ultimate enemy. I've said it before, many times, but Knowledge truly is power."

"Now who's monologuing?" Tsuneyoshi muttered under his breath, and Kunimori shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm speaking sense," he retorted.

"And you'll be still speaking it when the sun rises, at this rate," Tsuneyoshi shot back. "You said we needed to ascertain our location within Kuchiki land. Since the shinigami did send a search party into the Dangai to find the source of the corpses, maybe we shouldn't linger here and wait for them to try a second time."

"I'm coming," Kunimori assured his companion, "although I'm fairly sure that they won't come back here. The trouble is far from this place. This location will be forgotten. It's a tiny little cherry grove in the middle of the Kuchiki's vast land holdings. I doubt it has any particular significance, and they don't even know to look for us. Even if they do search, it will be into the Dangai, not here. This Gate is far too broken to be of further use to them, not when they have so many others. We're quite safe, my friend. Judging by Ikata-dono and his companions, the modern day shinigami is not an intelligent breed. Obedient, obliging, and perhaps trained in the military arts - but not intelligent."

"And what of the others?" as Tsuneyoshi fell into step with his companion, he cast the other man a quizzical glance. "You killed the Yamamoto and sated your rage on them, but what of the others? Are you just going to leave them there?"

"You were the one who didn't want me to slit their throats," Kunimori seemed unconcerned. "Why not leave them there? They're stranded, just as we were. There's no way back without the knowledge we possess. They'll either learn to cope and survive, like we did, or they'll turn Hollow, like the failures. I don't really care either way. The Endou are born beneath our level and were always your family's business. I had nothing to do with them and, frankly, no interest in sullying my blade by slaying your Clan's lower-born retainers. Even more so that they seem to have sunk to the level of being led by a mere chit of a girl, rather than a proper warrior of experience and good, hard training. The Endou of old would have committed ritual suicide from shame at the mere thought of letting their womenfolk lead a military operation. They can't stop us, so they interest me not at all now we are here. Only a madman slays indiscriminately."

Tsuneyoshi pressed his lips together, his own thoughts flitting back to the image of a young woman, blade in hand and long dark hair flowing loose around her shoulders as she commanded her troops into battle. Kunimori's comment about military women had been designed to needle him and the Unohana's egalitarian approach to leadership across both genders, and because of that, he was determined not to rise to the bait. He made no further objection, and the two men walked in silence for a little while.

Despite the macabre nature of their arrival, and the forced necessity of Kunimori's unwelcome company, there was a certain pleasure in being back in Seireitei, and Tsuneyoshi found himself wondering how much time had passed since they had been exiled into the Void World. Did his son still live? Did he rule the Unohana? What kind of world was this, that they had walked out into with such ease? The land seemed tranquil and quiet, so different from their world of frequent squalls and ongoing feuds, but then, he reminded himself, this was Kuchiki land, and the season of the cherry blossoms. Even in the midst of Heaven's War, those Kuchiki who had been killed had mostly died outside of their native lands, fighting for their ideals on the battlefields of their neighbours. It had been this stability which, in times more ancient than even he could remember, had led to the Kuchiki being awarded the duty of Seireitei Archivist, but even taking that into account, there was little in the atmosphere to suggest that this region ever saw conflict. The trees were lush and flourishing, and there were no signs of scorching or fort construction in these parts. The local villages had no boundary walls against external invasion, and Tsuneyoshi felt something settle inside of him, remembering the old days at his own manor, where things had been quiet and where there had not been any need for a resident military guard.  
 _  
And then Heaven's War happened, and we all went to Hell._

His brow creased at this, his thoughts darkening as he remembered the burning of the rebel corpses and the screams of the dead and dying that the birdsong had not been able to drown out.

 _I need to focus. This is not my land and this is not that time. I am here for one purpose, and one purpose only. To take my revenge against Harumizu. That's the last thing left that I need to do. Kunimori can fight against who he pleases, but I mustn't be distracted from my cause. I've already gone to unforgivable lengths to be here. At the very least, if I'm going to be the Soldier, then this blade needs to slit the throat of the man who hexed me. If I do that, maybe then it will all be over. Maybe then I can finally move on, remember the whole of that past and then bury it...once and for all._

* * *

In the courtyard of the Eleventh Division, the whole world seemed to have been enveloped in a cloud of darkness.

When Enishi had first heard Furuta's report, his reaction had been immediate and he had commanded Kira and Tsunemori in a way that neither one of them had been able to refuse. As they had passed the Gate that had marked Furuta's night duty, they had had the first indication that their Vice Captain was not simply being melodramatic. Kira had almost tripped over the bloody corpse of an Eleventh Division officer, a man whose name Tsunemori did not know. Enishi had paid it no mind, however, telling them in brusque tones that they were acting to save the living, not waste time on the dead. As they had reached the entrance of the other Division barracks, Tsunemori had understood his Vice Captain's sense of urgency.

The front courtyard of the Eleventh Division was a scene of bloody chaos.

Two officers - probably the night guard - lay dead on the ground, one of them savaged so badly that his throat had been nearly cut through. A slick pool of blood was growing across the cobbles and out onto the main street, making the moonlit shadow of the Division insignia appear a ghoulish crimson against the stone. Kira had blanched at the gruesome nature of the killing, but he had not hesitated in following his companions over the grisly threshold, his thin fingers reaching for his _zanpakutou_ almost by instinct rather than anything else. The dead officers were soon forgotten, however, as an attacker lunged out of the darkness, moonlight glinting off his blade as he let out a roar of intent. He had swung his weapon down towards Tsunemori, but it had been Enishi who had met the swing and thrust it back, sending the black-robed attacker stumbling backwards with the force of the effort. In the past, Kira had been a nervous officer, quick to panic in dangerous situations, but time and hard work had made him more resilient, and he had kept his head, immediately heading for the emergency Kidou lamps to illuminate Eleventh's front training yard.

What they had seen then had chilled Tsunemori to the bone.

Two or three other fallen officers had been sprawled across the cobbles, and others, blood-stained and too exhausted to call for help were pressed into a corner, fighting tooth and nail just to protect their lives. From that distance, it was impossible for Tsunemori to tell whether or not the unconscious ones were alive, but Enishi wasted no time on finding out, darting forward with a decisive sweep of his sealed weapon to put physical space between the embattled defenders and their opponents. His first swing cut into the sword arm of the nearest attacker, but no blood spurted from the deep wound, and Enishi's expression darkened, as though this had confirmed something that he had been hoping was not the case. This grim acceptance struck Tsunemori as strange, but the next moment that thought had gone from his head, for he had caught sight of the tallest, most burly member of the group of antagonists, and his eyes had widened with dismay.

"Ikata-dono?" he had whispered, and at the sound of the name, Kira had swung around, his own expression one of consternation.

"Ikata-san?" he'd echoed, disbelief in his blue eyes. "Fukutaichou, what...how..."

Enishi had not bothered to answer Kira's half-formed questions, instead barking out a series of firm instructions for him to obey. At the brusqueness of the Vice Captain's tones, and the bluntness of his words, Kira's eyes had become huge, but he had bowed his head, disappearing immediately into shunpo without a word of protest to convey the message to Juushirou and the rest of the Thirteenth.

"Tsukabishi, go find Minaichi-taichou," Now Kira was gone, Enishi gave Tsunemori his orders, not even turning to see if they were obeyed. What had appeared to be only two or three attacking officers had begun to grow in number, for a couple of the stunned shinigami that Tsunemori had assumed were victims on their arrival had begun to stagger to their feet, readying their blades to launch a fresh assault. "Find him and find out why he's not here. It might not be good. If he's alive, make sure he stays that way. If he's unhurt, tell him I want him. Tell him as rudely as you like. I'll take the beating later."

"Yes, sir!" Tsunemori knew this was not the right time for negotiation, and he disappeared inside the Eleventh Division barracks, raising his spiritual senses and searching for any trace of the Captain's reiatsu. He was not familiar with Eleventh, having never had to come here on any errand in the past, but the eerie quietness of the inner building set his nerves on edge. With a fight to the death going on in the courtyard - a fight in which the Division's Vice Captain himself was apparently involved, and on the wrong side, he would have expected the whole Division to be in uproar, but there was nothing but silence, and, as he picked his way cautiously through the utilitarian hallways, he felt his unease grow. Several of the doors he passed through looked as though they had been forced, and the window of the training gymnasium had been splintered into an uneven, ragged hole, as though something had tried to use it as an escape route into the main yard beyond. A quick check of the gymnasium revealed bloodstains and the huddled figure of a shivering, pale-faced officer, clutching at his abdomen. At the sight of Tsunemori he flinched back in fear, clearly expecting a second assault, but at his movement, Tsunemori hurried to his side.

"I'm from Thirteenth. We've come to help. Houjou-fukutaichou sent me inside. Tell me what's happened," he said briskly, and the youngster - for with a jolt, Tsunemori realised that it was just a youngster, maybe even a new recruit - cast him a scared look, faint flickers of hope in his eyes at the older officer's words.

"Fukutaichou," he whispered, and Tsunemori realised that his injuries were making it difficult and painful for him to speak. He gestured to the youngster to release his hold on his _shihakushou_ , and reluctantly, the youth did so, revealing a jagged cut in the fabric and a significant, long gash that spread from his ribcage to his hip. It was bleeding profusely, and had probably severed important vessels, but although he had not been trained as a proper healer, Tsunemori could see that no significant organs had been breached. A specialist in Kidou, he thanked his lucky stars that he knew spells to stop blood flow, and he cast his fingers carefully over the wound, muttering the words to an incantation to cauterise the injury. The young officer flinched, but allowed Tsunemori to continue, and after a minute or two, the wound was no longer pouring blood.

"I can't do more, I'm not a healer, but I suggest you stay here," Tsunemori got to his feet. "It's safer here than outside."

"Thank you," the recruit murmured, then, "Fukutaichou...he's gone mad. I don't know...why. But he wants to kill us. He wants to kill...all of us."

"Do you know where your Captain is?" Tsunemori asked, and the recruit shook his head.

"Then stay here and rest. Here, take this," Tsunemori gave the youth his gourd of water, setting it down beside him on the floor. "It will help with the shock. Don't try and move. I'll make sure healers come."

With that he left the youngster behind, not without misgivings, for he knew that if there was another assault on the gym, the young man would be dead.  
 _  
But I have orders, and those orders are to find Minaichi-taichou. Fukutaichou needs help in the yard, and my sword skills are not up to taking on the Eleventh Vice Captain._

The next set of corridors showed even more sign of action, for there were several blood stains and a forlorn piece of torn _shihakushou_. A group of other lower seats and recruits were huddled together in a storeroom, clearly terrified by the fact the door of the room had been splintered almost to shreds by the blow of a determined blade. Tsunemori sent them to the training gym to join their comrade, promising that, once they were there, he would put a spell over the whole chamber to prevent a further attack. The young members of the Eleventh had escaped mostly unscathed, but, as he drew closer to the Captain's quarters, he realised that this was probably because upper ranked officers had sent them out of the way. Three badly gored individuals were collapsed across the hallway, and Tsunemori stepped over them carefully, reaching down to check the pulses of each. To his relief, all three were alive, though from their injuries, it seemed as though they had fought hard and not withdrawn from the conflict even in the face of probable death. A scorch mark up the wall of the corridor told Tsunemori that someone had probably fired some kind of repellent Kidou, perhaps to drive the attacker away, and, as he went a little further down the hall, he found a severed hand, cold, clammy and abandoned by its owner. A check of the wounded officers told Tsunemori it did not belong to any of these individuals, and he quickly cast the blood-clotting spell over their wounds, gently moving them aside so that he could get past. The Captain's Chamber lay ahead, the door splintered open with a blade that had been covered in blood, and Tsunemori steeled himself for what he was going to find inside.  
 _  
Those officers were protecting their Captain. So if they ended up like that, what state is Minaichi in?  
_  
There was no time for hesitation, or polite manners. Knowing he was about to intrude in the private quarters of a Gotei Captain, Tsunemori nonetheless set his teeth, pushing back the remains of the splintered sliding door and stepping into the chamber. The room was dark, but Tsunemori quickly activated the Kidou lamps, pausing in consternation to take in the complete chaos of the room that met his gaze.

Minaichi Atsushi, the proud Captain of the Eleventh Division lay sprawled on his front across the floor of his room in an undignified position, his body bloody and the end of a broken blade protruding from his side. From the state of the room and the state of his clothing, he had fought hard himself, but, as Tsunemori picked over the scene to reach the man's side, he realised that Minaichi had been taken off guard and had perhaps been attacked in his sleep. He wore night-robes, and there were clear defensive wounds on his skin. Nonetheless, he was not dead, and Tsunemori realised that the officers he had encountered in the hallway beyond had probably run to his aid when the attack had begun, somehow forcing attention away from their leader.  
 _  
It's well known in Seireitei that Ikata is better favoured by the Eleventh's rank and file officers than Minaichi, but when the chips are down, I suppose you still defend your Captain. The Eleventh are a proud Division. They wouldn't have it any other way._

Tsunemori turned the wounded Captain over, carefully examining the wound in which the blade was still present. It looked like the broken blade of a _zanpakutou_ , he reflected, but there was no sign of the rest of the weapon, and, tellingly, Minaichi's own precious sword was still lying on its shelf by the wall, untouched and unused in the struggle. Minaichi had been forced to fight back barehanded, and the scorchmarks and damage across the wall told Tsunemori that he had resorted to spell-casting in order to try and repel the advance.

Minaichi was too heavy for Tsunemori to lift onto the bed by himself, so he pulled the bedding onto the floor, making the Captain as comfortable as he could. He decided against removing the blade in case of violent blood loss, and a quick check of the man's airways proved that he was breathing properly, despite the battered state of his body. A purplish bruise across the man's brow probably accounted for his unconsciousness, and on further inspection, Tsunemori realised that the back of Minaichi's head was also bloody. Remembering that, when he had found the man, Minaichi had been lying on his front, Tsunemori decided that something had struck him hard on the back of the head, causing him to fall forwards with enough force to bruise his brow. Such an injury was probably more dangerous than that inflicted by the broken blade, and meant that at the very least, a concussion was likely. Tsunemori did not know how to treat a brain injury, but he told himself that at the very least the Eleventh Captain was not dead and, if they all survived the night assault, the damage would be something for the Fourth to look at. For the time being, Tsunemori's brief was to keep the Eleventh Captain and his officers alive, and that was what he intended to do. There were no bedclothes left to support Minaichi's injured head from further damage, but, after a moment of hesitation, Tsunemori grabbed Minaichi's haori down from its hook, folding it into a makeshift pillow to keep the worst of the injury from contact with the tatami mat floor. Blood spattered onto the white cloth, tainting this symbol of leadership with red, but at that moment, Tsunemori knew that preserving Minaichi's life was more important than protecting the symbol of his division rank and pride. He was pragmatic enough to know that, whatever the reasoning, Minaichi had been the victim of an assassination attempt, and that without urgent medical care, that attempt might yet prove successful. But, until the violence outside had abated, there would be no thought of summoning a healer. What Tsunemori could do now for the wounded Captain was therefore a matter of potential life and death, in what appeared at first glance to be an internal, divisional civil war.  
 _  
Ikata's sword wasn't broken, but that doesn't mean he didn't do this. One person stabbed Minaichi-taichou, but someone else probably hit him, and it would take a shinigami with Ikata's physical strength to lay out a man like Minaichi with such brutal efficiency. I'm not a healer, but I think...that wound is probably worse._

Tsunemori sat back on his heels, suddenly tired.  
 _  
Eleventh probably have a patrol out tonight. Fukutaichou's right. Nobody must come back here. It's too dangerous to send for healers, too, not while there are still enemies abroad. There may be ones inside this place still. I need to check. Minaichi isn't going to be any help, so I have to be. I have to make sure that I make this place safe, and ensure the officers who are alive here remain alive...even if all I can do is basic first aid Kidou._

Getting to his feet, he cast a barrier spell around the Captain's chamber, testing it for strength and nodding to himself. He stepped back out into the corridor, securing the other injured men within their own barrier bubble, and then making his way cautiously back towards the training gymnasium, where the gaggle of scared recruits were now flustering around their injured companion. After assuring them that he had placed a protective barrier around the gymnasium as well, he withdrew, closing the door and continuing his sweep of the Eleventh Division barracks.

There were no more officers within the building, although a list of rotas on the main noticeboard told him that two patrols were out in Seireitei that night and would be due to return in an hour or two's time. Ikata's attack had come at a moment when the Division was least well defended, and the handful of officers fighting in the yard represented the remainder of the on-site offensive.  
 _  
But they fought, and they are still fighting. That's the spirit of the Eleventh. Maybe its the spirit of the Yamamoto. It's hard to know, but I saw it in Fukutaichou's eyes, too, tonight. And now I need to go report to him and, if I can, help him. Though God knows how I'll do that.  
_  
He hurried back down the hallway and out into the yard, stopping to survey the scene that greeted him. Three or four of the individuals who had been mounting an assault on the Eleventh now lay motionless on the ground, their chests clawed open by something sharp and brutal and Tsunemori's eyes widened as he registered that the weapon his Vice Captain now held in his hands was not the sealed form of Kyoshingeki, but the released _zanpakutou_. Tsunemori had been so focused on his hunt through the division for survivors that he had not felt the flare of spirit power that had marked the release of Kyoshingeki into shikai, but there was no mistaking the weapon that Enishi now clasped in his broad hands. Longer and more resilient than a normal blade, Kyoshingeki was not a sword of magic spells or special tricks, but its sharpness and extreme density played to Enishi's own strengths, allowing him to slice through anything, even the densest stone. The tip of the blade tapered into a hook which Enishi had clearly put to good use in deterring the attack. The sharp tip had cleaved through the ribcage of the attackers, piercing the organs beneath and ripping them to the surface, causing massive internal damage from which survival would be impossible. In spite of the graphic nature of such fatal wounds, though, Tsunemori could see that the fallen attackers had lost very little blood, and he remembered what the Vice Captain had said to Kira, before the other officer had left the Division to report.  
 **  
"Kohaku was right. They're all dead. They came out of the Dangai dead. This isn't a mutiny. This is something worse."**

"Tsukabishi, is the building secure?" Enishi had not even turned to look at him, but although Tsunemori knew the Vice Captain's spiritual senses were not always precise, his battle instincts had told him that his ally had returned to the courtyard.

"Yes, sir, but Minaichi-taichou is hurt. He's alive, sir, but unconscious and not capable of battling. I've taken care of everything inside. There was some fierce fighting, and several officers down, but no corpses. There's no enemy inside, and I've placed a barrier around the wounded," he reported quickly, pushing out of his mind the fact that his Vice Captain had just sliced apart active, ranked members of the Eleventh without a flicker of hesitation, and was clearly gearing up to take down more. "According to their board, there are two patrols out, but they may be due back soon."

"Then put a barrier around the yard. Keep everyone out, and do so till I tell you otherwise," Enishi ordered. "You lot," he glanced briefly at the surviving defenders of the Eleventh. "Go inside the building. It's secure. I'll deal with this. Tsukabishi, I'm relying on you to make sure that, no matter what happens, nobody uninvited gets inside that building until all the danger here is taken care of."

"Yes, sir," Tsunemori saluted, casting the spell around the Division and ushering the injured, battle-weary Division survivors into the safety of the front foyer. Once sure they were all inside, he settled himself down at the open door, casting a fresh spell between him and the battle scene and at the sight of it, Enishi nodded his approval.

"We're breaking rules all over the place, but we'll deal with that later," he said gruffly. "Keep the spells firm, no matter what."

"I will, sir. No matter what." Tsunemori said firmly, although his heart skipped a beat in his chest at the seriousness of Enishi's words. The Vice Captain's brow was beaded with sweat and blood, some of which was undoubtedly his own, as he had traded blows with one officer after another. Their relentless onslaught and their lack of weariness told Tsunemori that something unnatural was behind this attack, but even though Tsunemori had faith in Enishi's strength, the attackers had had the numerical advantage. Four officers lay dead on the deck, and a fifth, Tsunemori realised, was missing his left hand, the blade of his sealed _zanpakutou_ shattered at the midpoint. This was clearly the officer who had attacked and hurt Minaichi, subsequently losing his hand in a struggle with the other officers, but in spite of the severity of such a wound, it was a clean, sliced cut and there was no blood from the injury at all. In fact, it was as though the shinigami had not even noticed, pressing forward again and again with the same glazed, empty expression on his face.  
 _  
They really are all dead. I don't know how, or why, but something happened to them in the Dangai. Something bad. Something that made them do this. Fukutaichou anticipated it. Because he did, we're here...but I hope he hasn't miscalculated. I can't fight well with a sword, and especially not keep all of the kidou spells going at the same time. I'm already probably at my limit for maintaining barriers, even though they're all in such a close location. He's not hesitating, because he knows that the officers he's cutting down are already past all help, and so he's working to save the rest of them. I hope he can really handle this on his own, because I'll obey his orders, but I don't want to see him killed in front of me._

Tsunemori's expression became grave. He had known and admired Enishi since their school-days, when the big, bluff Vice Captain had been a Senior and had rescued Tsunemori as a lost and scared first year from a group of bullies. If the need arose, Tsunemori had no qualms about risking or giving his life at his Vice Captain's command, but the orders he had received were much harder.

 _Sit here, protect the Eleventh, and not help you fight them. Sit here, and maybe see you killed...so that the people of the Eleventh have a chance not to be. No wonder you sent Kira back to Taichou to tell him not to send anyone and not to come himself. Taichou would overrule you. He would never sanction that kind of risk or sacrifice...but I know why you did it, sir. You know that releasing your sword in a foreign Division in a time of formal peace is a bad thing to do. Attacking ranked members of another Division just makes that more serious, since it will be harder to prove they were dead before you cut them down. Coming here and releasing the sword alone is a sacking offence. Cutting apart fellow shinigami is at least a crime warranting imprisonment, if not worse. It's serious, and if Taichou came here, now, and supported you, he'd be caught up in it, too. If our Captain and Vice Captain were implicated in a violent, unprecedented scandal, it would affect all of us. That's why you sent Kira back and sent me inside to check there. It's also why you're only letting me use Kidou to protect the survivors. It's not about my fighting skills at all. It's because you don't want anyone else to be implicated in what happened here tonight. You're doing this because it's the right thing to do - but you're doing it alone because if you don't, Thirteenth will fall as well, and you won't let that happen. But if it comes to the crunch, Fukutaichou, nor will I. I'm part of this, too, and if that means consequences, then I'm not going to run from them either._

He glanced around him for any sign of Ikata, frowning as he caught sight of the brusque, loud-mouthed officer by the Division gate. Tsunemori's spell was keeping him inside, preventing him from going to cause further chaos within Inner Seireitei, but although he could not penetrate the spell barrier, it had not stopped him from trying. The violent swings of his sword against the kidou wall caused Tsunemori to wince and redouble his efforts to keep the spells stable. Ikata was not a skilful spell-caster, but he was noted for his physical strength, and, judging by the state of the Eleventh, if he was allowed to walk the streets, he would doubtless do significantly more damage to other, unsuspecting squad members.

A glint of metal made Tsunemori turn his gaze back towards his fighting Vice Captain, seeing the hook of Kyoshingeki sear through the upper torso of the one-handed, broken bladed shinigami. The force of the swing sent the corpse flying across the yard, and it fell with a sickening crack less than a metre from where Tsunemori was sitting. Despite himself, Tsunemori flinched, almost relaxing his focus on the kidou spells, but he gathered his composure, forcing himself to stay calm. The corpse was close enough to see that Enishi had shattered the ribcage and the contents of the chest cavity were now exposed, but though Tsunemori could see the severed heart, again, there was no blood. In fact, as he processed this realisation, the heart tissue itself was strange and puckered in appearance, its colour more of a decaying brownish-black, as though the blood it had been pumping had clotted and dried within the organ instantly at the moment of death. Whatever had killed this individual, it had stilled the heart long before Kyoshingeki had dissected its connective vessels.

This officer had been relatively young, and Tsunemori felt a pang of pity for him for the fate he had received.

 _Fukutaichou isn't holding back, because he knows they're already past help. But to die this way...I would not wish it on my worst enemy, to be hexed to attack your own Division as a living corpse._

A grunt from Enishi's direction saw Tsunemori's attention caught back once more to the central battle. One of the officers had managed to nick through Enishi's sleeve, causing blood to seep through and drip down his arm onto the ground. Although the injury was clearly a painful one, Enishi ignored it, using his weapon to deftly part the attacker's head from his body and then, with a ruthless reverse swing, he caught a second officer unaware, slicing through his torso and sending him crashing against the Eleventh Division's building. Now there was only Ikata himself left, but the Eleventh Vice Captain seemed more interested in trying to destroy Tsunemori's barrier than he did in fighting Enishi.

"Ikata!" Enishi yelled the other officer's name, but Ikata showed no sign of having heard. Enishi cursed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He tore a strip from his obi, wrapping it around his injured upper arm as a makeshift tourniquet, knotting it and pulling it tight with his teeth, then, "Ikata, you idiot! You're not getting out that way. Did you think there was nobody left to fight? Or are you scared to fight me?"

"I don't think he can hear you, sir," Tsunemori exclaimed, and Enishi's eyes darkened, a look of determination glittering in his normally genial gaze.

"Then I'll make him," he said flatly. "Tsukabishi, that barrier is secure, correct? It's not going to be broken easily?"

"No, sir," Tsunemori was startled. "It's secure, sir. Nobody's getting in, and nobody's getting out. Just as you ordered."

"And the building? That's safe too? You have it covered?"

"Yes, sir. There's no danger. My barriers are all secure."

"Good," Enishi finished tending to his damaged limb, taking Kyoshingeki in his left hand and unceremoniously shoving it under his arm. "Then I suggest you put your head down and, if I were you, cover your ears. I don't guarantee what effect this will have, but I'm going to get his attention. And it seems the only way to do that is to be violent...so this might be violent. It's difficult to say."

He rubbed his hands together, closing his eyes briefly and, as sparks flickered from his thick fingers, Tsunemori's eyes opened wide with alarm.

"Fukutaichou, you're not going to...Kidou...?"

" _Kunrinsha yo!"_ Enishi took no notice of his subordinate's consternation, reciting the words to an all-too familiar incantation through gritted teeth. _"Chinriku no kamen, banshō, habataki, hito no na o kansu mono yo! Shōnetsu to sōran, umihedate sakamaki minami e to ho o susume yo!_ "

He raised his hands, the sparks flickering dangerously from his skin, then,

" _Hadou no Sanjuu Ichi_!" he roared, as his hands became engulfed in crimson light. " _Shakkahou!_ "

The entire courtyard lit up with a blinding red glow as Enishi's spell burst forth from his skin, exploding into a cascade of sparks and flames as it collided with the pillar of the Eleventh Division entrance. The Division insignia wobbled and then tumbled to the ground, shattering and splintering against the stone, and as a huge judder of energy collided with Tsunemori's barrier spell, it was all the younger officer could do not to cry out at the sudden pressure. He had never seen Enishi fire a Kidou spell before, for the Vice Captain's hatred of the art was legendary, but what Tsunemori had not realised was that the reason Enishi's Kidou was so deadly was the huge nature of the spirit power emission that a shinigami of Enishi's great strength was capable of putting forth. Not for him the careful, artistic control of a flame to light a camp-fire, or send a warning signal. Enishi's spells were destructive and dangerous entities, and it had taken all of Tsunemori's focus to maintain his protection over the Division grounds. In front of him, the corpse of the young, dead shinigami had taken some of the blast, his skin charred across his legs and amputated left arm, but, as Tsunemori glanced across towards where Ikata had been standing, he realised that the cannon had entirely missed the Eleventh's Vice Captain.

Enishi had not fired his spell to a particular target, and he had not intended to incinerate Ikata. Instead, he had hoped to attract the attention of the Vice Captain through a show of spiritual aggression and, from the change in Ikata's demeanour, the tactic had worked. Enishi was not known for his theoretical brilliance, and the intricacies of other Division intrigue often passed him by. But, in a combat situation, faced with an enemy, he had ruthlessly precise tactical perception, and a complete fearlessness of danger that allowed him to take the risks and chances necessary for him to win a fight. Although there was no information available to them as to how or why the Eleventh officers had chosen to attack with such vehemence, Enishi had drawn on his experience fighting the others, judging that the quickest way to engage Ikata in battle was to make it obvious that he was there and still very much alive. And, as Ikata lumbered back across the yard towards where Enishi stood, Tsunemori knew his senior officer had assumed right. He swallowed hard against the lump that rose in his throat. Whereas the other officers had posed a challenge due to their numbers, Ikata was different. He and Enishi shared a rank level, and, although Enishi had released his sword, Ikata's current aggressive state meant that he was unlikely to hold back in his attack. Enishi was injured, the blood seeping through the cut arm wound to create an ugly red stain against the white fabric, while Ikata's grey complexion and empty eyes indicated that, although he was probably as dead as his companions, it wouldn't prevent him entering the fight. Enishi was younger than Ikata, who had struggled up through the ranks of his family the hard way and earned his spurs on location in Rukongai and the Real World. In Tsunemori's mind, this was a battle of equals, and Enishi's tiredness after continuous battles, followed by the firing of his explosive kidou spell could be a deciding factor in the confrontation ahead. Enishi would have to kill Ikata in a decisive way to end the bout, and that would probably mean using Kyoshingeki's hook to ruthless effect once more. But, to do that, Enishi would have to get in close to his opponent, and in this equation, it was Enishi's own life that was far more at stake.

Tsunemori glanced back towards the Division entrance, his eyes becoming troubled as he noticed the moonlight glinting off his barrier.

 _Fukutaichou might lose this fight, but I made him a promise and I have to keep it. No matter what happens...no matter whether he wins or loses, I have to protect the Eleventh. I have to. No matter what._

* * *

 _He's here._

In the darkness of his frozen mind, the shadows began to weave together into a ghostly shape, slipping and writhing through his thoughts as it grew more and more vivid. Silvery eyes bored into his, and something slick and scaly brushed against his inner consciousness, nudging and urging it back into life. Out of the corner of his mind's eye, he saw the flexing of claws, glittering with an ethereal kind of light, and as he struggled to turn his head, the beast wheeled around, driving its slender, elegant body towards his until it seemed certain they would collide. A narrow tail swished from side to side, showing its impatience, but just as it seemed certain they would crash into each other, the Dragon's ghostly form disintegrated into nothing but shadow dust once more, and in the darkness, there was only the faint whispers of a voice, penetrating deep beneath the layers of ice and snow to stimulate his sluggish heart into a stronger beat of life.

 _You can't sleep now. It's only just beginning. You came here for a reason. You can't sleep forever. Wake up. Wake up. He's here. He's not alone._

The voice was persistent, and with each passing moment, other sensations began to filter into the still, sleeping body. Something soft was covering him, he realised, and something else was supporting his head. The world outside was no longer frozen, and, as he felt his heavy body begin to rise to the surface of the imaginary frozen lake in which he had entombed himself, he realised that there was light, streaming in to caress his skin with its warmth. He was no longer in the cave, no longer trapped in the darkness. The dragon had brought him here, he remembered dully. There had been a spiritual presence, something vivid enough to shatter the ice and break him from his long slumber. The Dragon had led him forward, opening the darkness and plunging him inside. Where they had been going, or why, he did not know. Though he felt sure that he should know, he could not draw the thoughts clearly into his mind. The Dragon's frustration clawed at the edges of his thoughts, but it was no use. He could not remember even his own name, let alone that belonging to the scaly apparition that lurked in the depths of his soul.

All he remembered was that he had been sleeping. Waiting. Waiting for something that had never come.

 _Until now._

The Dragon's ghostly tail curled itself around his heart, squeezing it speculatively and causing him to flinch and struggle to get free. This was the last impetus he needed to break through the final layer of sleep, and his eyes snapped open, confronted by a confusing blur of colours and shapes that made him feel disorienated and dizzy. The Dragon swirled back into the recesses of his mind, apparently satisfied with its work to wake him, but where he was and even, _who_ he was was still unknown.

"Hiyama-dono?"

Someone was speaking, and he turned, trying to focus on her features. She had called him something, he realised, but the syllables were heavy and didn't resonate within him at all. Someone took his hand in theirs, a warm touch against his cool skin, and he blinked, finally managing to pull the girl's features into view. She was youngish, he thought, and pretty, with dark hair pulled back from her face in a long, workmanlike braid, and soft grey eyes set against a delicate complexion. Something in her appearance reminded him of something he had once known, but her clothing, black and utilitarian with a white obi at the waist, told him nothing about who she was or where she had come from. The chamber he was in was likewise, he realised, shifting his heavy gaze to take in his surrounds. It was small and clean, and moonlight was coming in through a open window. There was nothing remarkable about it, except that he had never seen it before, and did not know how he had come to be here.

He opened his lips, trying to form words, but his throat was dry and the sounds would not come out. As though sensing his discomfort, the young woman released her hold on his hand, moving to lift a vessel of clear liquid from the shelf beside the bed.

"Can you drink?" she asked softly, and although he was unable to respond to her words, she put the vessel to his lips, allowing him to consume the cool liquid. It slipped over his tongue and down his throat, each drop gradually making him feel more and more alive. It was as though he had never drunk anything before, for although it was little more than water, it somehow tasted like the finest and most expensive sake that money could buy.

"You've been asleep," the young woman set the empty vessel down. "Some people found you, collapsed in the forest. This is a hospital. We've been trying to treat you, here. I'm glad you've woken up. We need to find your family, and get you back home."

The sudden flow of words made him blink, his slow brain trying to piece them all together and pull them into some kind of sense. At his confusion, the young woman smiled, tapping him lightly on the arm.

"My name is Mitsuki," she said softly. "Edogawa Mitsuki. I'm a healer with the Fourth Division. I'm here to take care of you. You needn't worry about anything. This place is safe. You are safe."  
 _  
It won't be safe for long. Not now he's here._

The Dragon's sharp, impatient words jarred against Mitsuki's kindness.

 _You can't stay here, being mollycoddled by some strange girl. That's not why we waited so long, now is it? It's not what we agreed, when we first made this plan. You made a promise, and we are going to keep it.  
_  
The man longed to ask what promise, but words were still tangled in his thoughts and his throat, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not bring them to the surface.

As he lay there, moving his lips silently in frustration, the door of the small chamber opened, and a second figure entered. This was a taller woman, dressed in the same black and white robes, but with a white haori over her shoulders. Mitsuki immediately got to her feet, bowing her head towards this newcomer.

"Thank you for coming, Taichou. He's been showing signs of stirring for a little while, but he's literally just opened his eyes. He's not quite with us yet - I think he's having trouble speaking - but he took some water, and I think he's stable."

"I see," the newcomer crossed the floor to join them, pausing and standing at the bedside, gazing down on the hapless individual that lay before her. As she came fully into his view, a sudden bolt of memory surged through his fuddled senses, and his eyes widened, lips parting as he struggled to pull the recollection into something tangible.

"Hiyama-dono?" the woman reached across to touch the man's brow, as if testing for a temperature, but he could only stare at her, as, little by little, he felt the word take form within his throat.

He stared up at her, reaching out suddenly to grasp her fingers in his, and making both women jump.

"Ya..." he croaked, then tried again, swallowing hard and willing all his strength to allow the thought to take shape in the air between them. For a while he battled, but at length, he won.

"Yachiru-hime," he murmured. "Kenpachi...Yachiru."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Enishi's Zanpakutou**

For anyone who doesn't remember, Kyoshingeki 巨心撃 made its story debut in _Meifu: Fourth Maki_ , in the chapter, " _Bond_ ". The name means "Giant Soul Attack", and gives us the name of this chapter. Also, some time for Tsunemori, who rarely gets any chance to be a hero. It's funny, but going back and reading through the scene where Enishi rescues Tsunemori from the bullies back in Fourth Maki, I think this chapter now really shows how both Tsunemori has grown as a shinigami, and the bond of trust he and Enishi has. Enishi took him specifically because Tsunemori has kidou skills Enishi himself lacks. Enishi is never the kind to begrudge anyone who has skills he lacks, and Tsunemori is now a lot stronger than he used to be. I think it makes for a good partnership here - but something of a contrast to their interaction in Fourth Maki.

Also, who doesn't want to see Enishi blow up stuff with dangerous Kidou?


	31. Burden of Guilt

**Chapter Thirty: Burden of Guilt**

"And that's everything that they said?"

Juushirou cast Tsunemori a resigned look, taking in the dishevelled nature of his Sixth Seat's uniform and the tired, drawn look on the young man's face. It was the morning after the night before and there was now no shinigami of rank in Inner Seireitei who was not aware that something sinister had occurred at Eleventh Division. Enishi had fought on with his injured arm, and it had been a close battle, but he had managed to bring Ikata down just as the Division had been surrounded by officers of the Onmitsukidou. Enishi had not been surprised by their appearance, nor had he panicked at their demands for explanation, merely telling them in his usual honest, brusque way that he had intercepted an attack on the Eleventh and had taken steps to ensure that it did not continue. He had been arrested at the scene, and had submitted without objection or complaint, but for Tsunemori, who had seen how close his Vice Captain had come to losing his life, it had been an unfair conclusion to a traumatic night. He had tried to intervene, protesting Enishi's innocence with the Onmitsukidou officers, but it had been Enishi himself who had interceded, stating clearly that Tsunemori had not had any part to play in the conflict, and had only been there in a healing and protective capacity. Enishi's cooperation and his adamant insistance that he alone had carried out the assault had allowed Tsunemori to return to his home division, but he had felt little satisfaction at the outcome, and had made his way immediately to Ugendou, determined to consult his Captain and find a way to help his Vice Captain at the same time.

Juushirou had been expecting such a meeting, and had been awaiting him, readily listening to his account of events and the subsequent comments of the Onmitsukidou officers. Once Kai's men had been dismissed, Tsunemori had recounted everything in great detail, his usual calm and retiring demeanour nowhere in evidence as he expressed his indignation about Enishi's fate. Juushirou had known better than to try and curb those emotions. Tsunemori was quiet by nature, but extremely loyal, and had a long standing bond of respect with both Enishi and Juushirou that dated from their schooldays. Looking at him now, Juushirou felt relieved that Tsunemori had not insisted on being arraigned himself for his part in proceedings, but had had the sense to submit and come back to report.

 _At least he's not a hothead. Thank goodness for small mercies in a situation as horrible as this one._

"Yes, sir," Tsunemori sighed now, inclining his head in confirmation. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't feel it's right. I was at Eleventh, too. They should arrest me as well, surely? Not just Fukutaichou...but he insisted on taking all the responsibility, and that was that."

"No, you should be back here," Juushirou got to his feet, moving across to the window to gaze out at the scene outside. From Ugendou, it was hard to see the Division courtyard clearly, but the buzzing presence of Onmitsukidou around the Gates told him that Thirteenth Division was far from left alone. "Kai was here, too, early this morning. I've spoken to him, and I've made it clear that you aren't an insubordinate officer. If Enishi gave you that order, then of course you would obey it. He has no evidence you fought anyone, and as far as I can tell, that's because you didn't. Given that, it's ludicrous to think that anyone could arrest you on the grounds of protecting wounded officers from a hostile attack. You were there because Enishi ordered you to be, but once there, you did no harm. Kai knows he has no right to hold you, which is why he hasn't."

"It just seems so wrong, sir. That's all," Tsunemori grimaced. "Fukutaichou risked his life last night, and sir, I saw it for myself. He wasn't wrong. They were dead. All of them. Before he fought them. I can't explain it, but I know. The officers who I found inside, they were injured, but they all had a pulse. And they were bleeding. There was quite a lot of blood, and I had to use the cauterising kidou spell that Edogawa-san taught Hikifune-san and I several times. One of the attackers, though, I saw his body first hand, after Fukutaichou had downed him. His heart was a funny colour. Like it had started to decay before Fukutaichou touched him. Kyoshingeki should make a lot of mess and blood...but it didn't. It was like...like..."

He grimaced.

"I guess, like someone doing a post mortem on a dead body, to find out the cause of death," he said grimly. "It sounds horrible, that way, but it was so clean and easy to see the organs because there wasn't any blood. It wasn't nice, sir, but if I'd had any doubts before that, that would've settled me on the matter."

"Did you tell the Onmitsukidou that?" Juushirou turned back to face his subordinate officer, and Tsunemori nodded.

"I told Karaki-san everything I remembered," he agreed. "Who I spoke to, what I saw, everything. But I was inside of the building for the first part of the battle. I didn't see Fukutaichou release his sword."

He sighed.

"One of the attacking shinigami outside had a broken sword, and was missing a hand," he added. "I saw the severed hand inside, in the hallway by the Captain's chamber, and Minaichi-taichou had a piece of blade in his side. I told Karaki-san that, too, because I thought it was important. It proved that that officer had attacked Minaichi-taichou, though I think there were more than just one there. Minaichi-taichou had been hit over the head from behind, but the stab was from the side. I'm not a healer, but from a fight perspective, that seems awkward."

"I suspect you are right, but as members of Thirteenth, we're not best placed to be objective witnesses, and as such, our evidence is going to be under scrutiny," Juushirou groaned. "It's not what we need, but it's what's happened, and I can't blame Enishi for his choice, because I probably would've done the same in his place. As it is, I'm annoyed that I can't go there myself, but I daren't risk it. Until the clear facts of this matter are proven for everyone to see, I have to let Enishi deal with it and focus on here."

"Fukutaichou said that to me. To tell you it was all right, and not to worry," Tsunemori remembered. "I think he expected you to hold back, sir. I think he wanted it that way."

"Well, for now, there's nothing you can do, so I suggest you go change, take a bath, and try and unwind," Juushirou told him at length. "You did good work last night, and I am proud of you. I'm sure Enishi is, as well. Don't fret about his arrest. He's a strong officer and he'll handle it. And I believe both of you were in the right, so I am sure that it will all be straightened out in time."

"Yes, sir. Thank you," Tsunemori was clearly not happy, but he bowed his head, withdrawing from the office and sliding the door shut behind him. Alone, Juushirou let out his breath in a heavy sigh.  
 _  
I'm sorry, Enishi. If we'd realised the severity of what Kohaku saw sooner, I'm sure that we could've done better. As it is, for the sake of Thirteenth, I can't interfere. I know you know that, but it doesn't make me feel any better as your Captain, knowing I have to just leave you in Shihouin custody while all of this is dug over._

He sank back down behind his desk, resting his chin in his hands as he contemplated the previous night. He had not slept, for, once he had seen to calming the Division, he had checked up on Furuta's condition and then had looked in on Kohaku, who had still been fast asleep. As the sun had begun to rise, Kai had arrived, bringing with him the explicit news that he had both expected and dreaded - that Enishi had been arrested for his actions at Eleventh, and that Ikata and his companions were now confirmed dead. Juushirou believed in Enishi, and in Kohaku, so for him the more terrifying possibility was something they had overlooked completely.  
 _  
We saw dead souls coming from the Dangai, but we assumed they were the already dead. Their condition and age suggested it. None of us thought that live officers could go in and come out again as killer zombies, ready to wreak havoc on their home Divisions. Ikata wasn't a pleasant individual all of the time, but he wasn't stupid enough to kill his Captain. I don't believe for a minute he could have been prevailed upon to do that, even if he did dislike Minaichi and insult him in public at every opportunity. No, this was something else. Something inside the Dangai. And that makes me worry...because Kikyue's still in there, and we don't know where the Seventh officers are. Nor if they are even all right. Hirata's been through too much already, with Souja. If he lost Kikyue too..._

He buried his head in his hands.  
 _  
But that's not what I should be thinking about right now. I'm tired, and the day is still so young. There'll probably be a Captain's meeting, and I have to have my thoughts together to tackle that. I haven't been able to speak to my Vice Captain, but I'll try to defend him all the same. At least Tsunemori was released and allowed to come back here. Thanks to him, I know the details...such as they are. Knowledge is power. Cliche it might be, but right now it's also probably true._

He glanced back in the direction of the window, judging the position of the sun in the sky.  
 _  
I also need to talk to Koku about what he saw, and last night. He hasn't been like that for a long time. When I spoke to Sensei about him at the start of the spring, I was speaking hypothetically...theoretically. Now, maybe, I'm not...but if Kohaku's losing control of his reiryoku again, I need to take that in hand and prevent it from getting worse. I don't know how to do that, but there is only me, so I'll have to try.  
_  
"Taichou?"

A light, tentative knock at the door alerted Juushirou to the fact he had company, and he sighed, pushing aside his thoughts.

"Come in, Kirio," he said wearily, and the door slid back, revealing the Fourth Seated officer. Her expression was grave, and Juushirou could tell that she already knew, at least in outline, the true scale of the previous night's events, but she made no mention of them, instead approaching the desk.

"A message has come for you, sir. From Sixth District," she said, pulling an ornately ribboned message from her obi and setting it down on the desk. "It came via overnight express, so perhaps it's urgent. I think it's from Kinnya-sama, sir. It looked like his crest."

"From Grandfather?" Juushirou frowned, picking up the document and glancing at the ribbons. "It does look that way. What could he be writing about? I'm not expecting any communication."

"There's something else, sir," Kirio added. "Shikibu-san wanted me to tell you that she's had a hell butterfly. There's to be a Captain's meeting this morning. Well, shortly, I believe, sir. About...last night."

"I see. I've been expecting that," Juushirou offered her a fleeting smile. "Thank you, Kirio. Do your best to help Naoko out this morning, please? We're down one senior officer and I'm not going to be able to do much of use if I'm with the Captains, so I'll be relying on the two of you in my absence. Naoko will be left in charge...until further notice, if I am out of barracks, all enquiries will go through her."

"Yes, sir." Kirio's eyes clouded, but she inclined her head, then withdrew. Juushirou watched her go pensively.

 _I'm glad that you don't ask awkward questions at awkward times. You've grown as an officer in the last five years. At least I know that, if I leave Thirteenth to the two of you, it will be in one piece when I return, no matter what the Onmitsukidou want to do. Meantime, I suppose I should get ready to head across to the meeting - though I can't pretend I'd not like to skip this one, I think it's the one meeting where that wouldn't be sensible._

He eyed Kinnya's letter once more, frowning.  
 _  
I'll look at that later. I dare say it can wait till I return. Captain duties come before family ones. He'd understand that._

He chewed on his lip.  
 _  
He sent it via express, which is unusual, and probably means its important. But it will just have to wait. I have to go and try and defend my adjutant...and hope that, somehow, I can get him restored to office sooner rather than later._

* * *

This was not the way he had anticipated spending the morning.

Kai slid his key into the lock of the main door of the Maggot's Nest holding facility, pushing it open with a heavy sigh and stepping into the narrow hallway that lay beyond. The Second Division had been in charge of penitentiary and punishment proceedings affecting the Gotei ever since Inner Seireitei had been established, and so it had been here that Enishi had been brought the night before. The Maggots' Nest was not a pleasant place of confinement, with the upper levels used as temporary holding cells for those awaiting trial, and the lower ones a place of shinigami incarceration for those who had committed the ultimate crimes against Seireitei. Those with a conviction for treason would be held in the rat-infested lower depths until their date of execution was set, while others, whose cases were solid but less clear-cut would spend years together in this bleak dungeon, waiting for a parole reprieve that never came. Tenichi, when he had been convicted in the Shihouin court, had narrowly escaped this fate. Had he been convicted on the charge of treason, this would have been his last home, and, although as head of the Onmitsukidou, Kai was nominally in charge of the facility, he knew only too well that it was an unpleasant location to spend much time.

Enishi had not resisted arrest, and had given his sword and badge without a murmur of complaint. He had answered the brief identification questions that had been necessary to process his arrival and had rescinded his uniform, changing into the pale blue outfit given to all arrestees upon arrival at the Maggots' Nest. Because of his rank, and the fact his case was still in the early stages, he had been assigned one of the upper level cells, simple and barely furnished, but preferable to those in the damp depths that lay beneath. He had been spirit-cuffed, and Kyoshingeki had been firmly secured, awaiting further instructions. All of this had occurred with a minimum of fuss, but Kai knew that Enishi's uniform had already been taken to the Fourth for forensic examination, and Kyoshingeki's blade had also been screened for foreign reishi evidence before its own confinement. If Enishi was found guilty of sedition and mutiny, it would be the deep cells and a sentence of death, but, although Kai still considered the Yamamoto one of his closest friends, he knew that he had a job to do, and, however unpleasant, he had to do it himself.

He reached the end of the long corridor, pausing to glance through the slats of the final cell. Enishi was lounging on the narrow pallet bed, his hands behind his head as though he had not just been arraigned on suspicion of a violent crime, and something in the older shinigami's casual demeanour made Kai all the more frustrated. He unfastened the cell door, pushing it back and stepping inside and, at the sound, Enishi glanced up, pulling himself into a sitting position and sending his friend a rueful smile.

"Morning. You're early. I guess you don't waste much time."

"It's not where I'd choose to be, but I did think that, given the situation, I should handle it myself," Kai re-fastened the door behind him, grabbing the battered wooden chair from the corner of the cell and swinging it around. He straddled it, resting his arms on the top of its back. "Houjou, what the hell were you thinking? To go into a foreign division, carve it up...it's not like you. It's about as far from you as I can imagine."

"Well, I thought it was too long since the last time I'd visited the Second," Enishi rubbed his chin pensively. "It gives us a chance to catch up, if nothing else."

"It isn't a joke, you know!" Kai was riled by this, and Enishi smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

"I know it isn't," he agreed evenly, and the Shihouin officer saw that, behind the light-hearted approach, there was gravity in the other officer's eyes. "Shihouin, tell me something. Ukitake and the Thirteenth aren't implicated in any of this, are they? I mean, I didn't follow my Captain's orders last night. I didn't tell him I was going before I did. I want to make sure you know that. This is something I did...nobody else is to blame."

"I have to look at Tsukabishi," Kai let out a sigh. "He was there. I've had Karaki speak to him already, and he's adamant that he was there by his own will."

"He damn well wasn't. He was there under my orders," Enishi objected firmly, and Kai shrugged.

"He's a loyal officer backing up his Vice Captain," he replied. "There are no charges against him at present, though. He was there, but from what I can gather, he wasn't involved in any of the fighting. He seems to have spent his time sealing the building and stopping the bleeding of injured officers. I can't charge him for that, and Ukitake is protecting him on those grounds. I don't have a warrant for him at the moment, and Ukitake has made it clear that if I try to issue one, he'll actively move to block it, based on the fact that Tsukabishi was obeying orders given by a superior officer and to not do so would make him guilty of insubordination. Because of that, I haven't tried. Ukitake may bend Seireitei law on occasion, but he also knows it inside-out. Unless I can prove Tsukabishi was involved in combat last night - which I can't - all I can do is say he was at a foreign Division on the orders of his Vice Captain, which basically means nothing. At best it's an internal misdemeanour and that makes it Ukitake's jurisdiction. Not mine."

"Damn right," Enishi's expression became one of relief. "Good."

"Apparently you also know Seireitei law inside-out," Kai added acidly. "You kept him out of the fight knowing that, didn't you?"

"I needed him because I needed his Kidou barriers, not because I wanted him to fight anyone," Enishi said lightly. "I'm glad Ukitake's taken that line. I want to make sure you know that it was entirely my decision to go. I took Kira and Tsukabishi, I gave them orders, and the buck stops with me. I sent Kira back to report, and Tsukabishi didn't fight anyone, as you said."

"I've been told that this is something to do with Kohaku, too?" Kai asked. Enishi frowned.

"The boy had a vision," he said slowly. "Yesterday morning, coming back from patrol. But he didn't do anything at Eleventh, either, Shihouin. He wasn't even there. He reported the vision to me, and I took it to Ukitake. We agreed to send Furuta out to guard the Gate, and I sent a message to Atsushi-dono at Eleventh about the possibility of a threat. He sent an officer, too. That was the extent of Kohaku's involvement - and Ukitake's, as well. Furuta came back to Thirteenth injured. He reported that Ikata had come out of the Gate, killed the Eleventh's man and given Furuta himself his wounds. I decided then to go investigate. I was on night duty, and I deserted that post to follow this up. I took Kira and Tsukabishi with me, and sent Furuta to report to the Captain. Nobody else from Thirteenth has any part in this. Just me."

Kai was silent for a moment, assessing his friend's demeanour thoughtfully. Enishi was not given to wild flights of imagination, and where some individuals would be frightened by the austere surroundings of the Maggots' Nest or the weight of the charges hanging over them, the tall Yamamoto seemed calm. His preoccupation with making sure Kai knew that the Division as a whole had not been involved told the Onmitsukidou officer that it wasn't that Enishi did not understand the severity of the situation. On the contrary, Kai suspected that he had known before he had even left the Thirteenth, and had planned mentally for the possibility of being either killed or arrested after the fact. In spite of his broad frame and reputation as a warrior, Kai also knew that Enishi was not the kind of man to hurt anyone unless there was a good reason behind it, and he sighed, rubbing his temples as he felt the start of a dull headache.

"Right now, the Thirteenth are not implicated in anything," he said at length. "I'm not interested in them at present. I've been there and I still have officers there, interviewing people. I sent Saku to speak to the members of Eleventh who were able to give a statement about what happened last night. Retsu-sama has the corpses of those who died, but she was rushed back from Fourth District because of this and so it's too early for her to give any firm evidence or opinion on what happened. Right now, Houjou, I'm scrambling together the evidence to try and at least drop the charge from sedition to vigilante behaviour, but it could still cost you your badge. We've had statements from the Eleventh members that indicate Ikata was attacking the Division, and one young recruit gave a very helpful signed statement that Tsukabishi had been there, had stopped his bleeding, had made sure they were safe and had clearly said he was doing so on your command. That makes your situation look better, providing the statements I've submitted are verified as substantiated evidence, but here's the thing. Your claim that they were all dead before they attacked...I don't have any proof of that right now. Nobody at Eleventh said they were attacked by corpses. That's only coming from the Thirteenth, and it could easily be challenged as a fabricated defence provided by your officers."

"I see," Enishi sat back against the wall of the cell, digesting this thoughtfully.

"You don't seem concerned," Kai's eyes narrowed, and Enishi shrugged.

"What happened last night wasn't right," he said simply. "Whatever the circumstances, I took down eight officers and I don't expect that to just be ignored. I gave my weapon and submitted myself to your authority. I can't tell you how to judge it. They weren't right. Ikata was a loud-mouthed yob at times, but he wasn't the kind to kill his own men. No, I'm sure that they were dead, and under the control of something, but it's not good enough for me to just say it. You have to be able to prove that I was right. If I wasn't, then I deserve to be arraigned for killing them. That's how Seireitei works. I do know the rules, and I'm not above those rules. I'm happy to wait for the final verdict. I didn't have time to think much about consequences last night, but I do understand the laws of Inner Seireitei and the regulations I'm meant to adhere to. I wilfully broke several last night and I'm not really sorry that I did. So if that means I lose my badge, then I do. If I stay here, then I do. Ultimately, I don't mind. If Ikata was or wasn't dead, he would've killed everyone on site. He and his companions were definitely in that frame of mind. So if I lose my badge because I prevented people from being killed, then that's fine. So long as Thirteenth doesn't take the rap for it, I will."

"Sometimes you really frustrate me," Kai groaned, tugging absently on his thick tail of hair. "You're my friend, and I want to help you. I know you, Houjou. I know you acted because you believed you had to, but this is a big deal. Even if I get the charges dropped from sedition to vigilante action, it's still going to be beyond me to handle it all myself. Oneesama has already indicated that it will have to go before the Council of Elders. It's too big an incident not to. Minaichi-taichou is still unconscious. Most of his wounds are not serious, but he took a nasty stab to the gut and they don't know, yet, whether he sustained a brain injury. From how Retsu-sama was talking, I think she's afraid that he has - though she refused to give me any details on that score. If we could prove that he was taken out before you arrived on the scene, then that would be in your favour, but the officers found nearest his quarters also all remain unconscious and seriously ill. None of the people we've managed to interview saw Minaichi last night, injured or otherwise. The fact remains that, as far as we know right now, Minaichi didn't try to send for help or issue any kind of SOS to his neighbours that would've justified your presence. He has close ties to the Twelfth, but they knew nothing about this until my officers arrived there this morning asking questions. You took it on yourself to act and you're a Vice Captain. It's a Gotei case but one the military alone can't handle. Plus, if you are right, and Ikata and the others were dead, it launches another set of questions...and a bigger investigation. You'll understand why there are some in authority that are twitching about that possibility."

"Hirata's daughter is still in the Dangai, isn't she," Enishi said quietly, and Kai nodded.

"Yes, but he's not one of those pushing to have this settled in a more even way," he said grimly. "Yuuichi-sama is not best pleased that a Yamamoto invaded a Yamamoto-based Division and a lot of people died. He wants answers. I think...well, because of the nature of this, I think he's torn between whether to accept the idea of Ikata mutinying or you murdering Eleventh's officers. He wants it solved and shut down before it becomes a Clan scandal...and the idea of Yamamoto shinigami being corpse puppets probably won't appeal to his PR machine."

"He'd rather have an active mutiny that I got involved in recklessly?" Enishi asked, and, as Kai shrugged, he sighed. "I do hate Clan intrigue."

"Well, I might be wrong. He's not trying to suppress the evidence or stop the investigation," Kai assured his friend. "He just wants it dealt with as fast as possible. There's a Captain's Meeting going on as we speak. I imagine you're the top subject of discussion, and so is all of this. Ukitake made it clear to my officers that he intended to stand by you and would fight any attempts to have you branded a traitor or a murderer...but thankfully he's been sensible enough to keep to the proper processes in doing so. He's angry that you're here in my cells, but he hasn't tried to get you out. I'm grateful for small mercies - it wouldn't make the business any easier, if he did."

"Ukitake's not stupid," Enishi said categorically. "Whether he wanted to be involved or not last night, he didn't come. He knows as much as I do that it would be the Thirteenth that paid, if he did. I'm not afraid," he added, settling himself more comfortably on the pallet. "I believe in the justice system and I haven't told any lies. If it takes some time to work out, then that's all right. Even if I lose my badge, well, the Division has Shikibu and Hikifune and it will be all right. In the meantime, this cell isn't too bad," he glanced around him. "I'd heard much worse things about the Maggots' Nest accommodation, but perhaps it was exaggerated."

"No, if you are convicted of something serious, it's a lot less pleasant," Kai assured him grimly. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. As I said, I'm relying on the statement of a scared Eleventh Division recruit with significant blood-loss to spearhead your defence against the charges of sedition and murder. It all depends on whether the Council accepts that he was in a fit state to give that evidence. Eriko-dono was very obliging, letting me speak to him, but he is under medical supervision. It might be thrown out, yet - and although I have other statements from there, his is the most compelling so far."

"I imagine that nobody at Eleventh really wants to admit their Vice Captain went on a rampage," Enishi said grimly. Kai smiled resignedly.

"Got it in one," he agreed, "but you're a Yamamoto, too. If you weren't, I think they might sell you down the river to protect the squad's reputation - but given that you are their kinsman, and you came to their rescue, I've been able to take statements that I hope will be to your benefit. Seems you have some level of respect from the Eleventh, which may turn out to be your salvation in all of this."

"It's funny," Enishi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I've spent so long in a District Division, Shihouin, and not really thought about Clan connections in a long while. But last night, I think I did. I think I was angry, to be honest...angry that my kinsfolk were being used in that way, and angry they were being killed. Maybe my judgement wasn't objective...but I can't take it back and I don't think I would, even if I could. Kohaku said that corpses would come from the Dangai. He said they were wearing _shihakushou_. I should've made more of a link there, and expected more danger."

"I haven't got a statement from him, yet," Kai admitted. "Apparently he was taken ill last night, when all of this was going on. Ukitake referred to it as 'sleepwalking', but I get the feeling it was something more."

"Did he try to leave the Division?" Enishi asked sharply, and Kai shrugged.

"Not clear, because he was stopped, but he was looking for you, apparently," he replied. Enishi cursed.

"I knew it," he muttered. "I knew that, if the Gate opened, he'd try to come after me. I don't understand how it works, but I know that when he's in one of those states, he doesn't think straight. He just acts...I'm glad they could stop him."

"Likewise, but apparently he was sedated following the incident and hasn't awoken yet," Kai grimaced. "When he does, I hope Ukitake will let me take a statement from him about this. Ukitake did say to me that Kohaku's spirit power flared last night, and that although that was out of his control, it woke a lot of people. He thinks that the opening Gate caused that to happen, as though Kohaku picked up something in the reishi that made him react."

He cast Enishi a sidelong glance.

"Ukitake also said that, when Kohaku's power flares, sometimes it makes people act more impulsively and recklessly than they otherwise would," he added. "He made it very clear that this isn't something that Kohaku consciously has control over, and it's not something I can take him to task on, as he was probably not even aware of the fact he was sleepwalking last night - but I think Ukitake told me in case it was something that I could use in your defence. That maybe because the Gate opened, Kohaku's spirit power flared up. And if that happened, maybe it made you dash off to Eleventh recklessly, without a thought to the consequences."

"Ukitake really has been pulling out the stops on this, hasn't he?" Enishi reflected, and Kai smiled faintly.

"He's your Captain. He might not have broken you out, but he's not sitting back and letting you take all the hits," he replied. "Do you think that's possible? I mean, that Kohaku's spirit power affected you?"

"Not for me to say," Enishi replied categorically. "I don't understand his _reiryoku_ , Shihouin, and I'm not trying to make excuses about what I did. I had a report of violence and I responded to it. I'm not the type to start trying to split hairs about my reasons or motives in that moment."

"Ah, yes, that report...from your Fourteenth Seat...Furuta, right?" Kai nodded. "I did manage to get a statement from him. He was more than happy to speak to me - pretty much demanded that he was allowed to, apparently, when he heard what was going on. He corroborated the claim Ikata murdered the other officer at the Gate and that it was Ikata's blade that cut his back. He's from your squad, so to make sure that his account is believed, I've asked to have his blood reishi pattern tested against Ikata's sword blade. If that matches, it backs up the idea he came to you for help and thus explains your reason for leaving Thirteenth, so it's important...I just wish I had all the scraps of the puzzle so I could undo this cell and let you out."

"I appreciate it," Enishi said frankly. "I'm fine, though. Like I said before, I'm sure of what I saw and what I did, but it was done in the heat of the moment. If forensic evidence proves me wrong then I'll take the consequences. I believe in Seireitei's rules and laws. If you break them, no matter why, you have to be investigated and, maybe, punished. Sometimes that's the judgement you make. I'm not planning to hide anything; I'll tell you anything you want to know. The sooner this is cleared up one way or the other, the better for everyone, I see that."

"Then, probably, I want to go over things again. You said you went over there with the assumption that the officers were dead," Kai recounted slowly. "You managed to take care of all of them, on your own. Even with Tsukabishi's barriers, Houjou, I'd like to know how you managed it. And why the attacking group were so focused on attacking you? What bothers me most is, how is it that there were officers inside of Eleventh who weren't killed? The night duty at the entrance were slashed to bits, but the officers within the barracks were spared while you sparred with Ikata and his group in the courtyard?"

"It's just my assumption," Enishi said honestly, "because I didn't go inside the building at all. Tsukabishi did that. He came out and told me that there had been fighting inside, but that none of the injured had been killed."

"So you assumed...?"

"They were fighting corpses," Enishi said frankly. "Corpses don't have mental faculties. From what I heard about the incidents in Sixth and Third, they just attacked indiscriminately. They basically attacked whatever moved."

"Meaning?"

"I moved," Enishi smiled grimly. "The corpses were primed to kill anything that moved. Once the officers inside the barracks were down, they weren't moving any more. Ikata and the others, if they had really planned this as a mutiny, they wouldn't be that stupid. They'd have made sure. But Tsukabishi said there were no dead inside. Just unconscious officers. Atsushi-dono was among them. If you're trying to overthrow your Captain, Shihouin, you start by killing him, but they didn't. So I figured, if I made a big ruckus in the front yard, they'd try and kill me instead. And if I was the only one crossing swords with them, they'd stay in my range."

"And the Kidou spell?" Kai raised an eyebrow, and Enishi looked sheepish.

"Ah. Well. That," he acknowledged. "It's not my gift, but it did get Ikata's attention. I was running out of options, since I tried yelling and he was more interested in breaking the barrier. I think he wanted to go looking for more moving objects to kill, and I wanted him to come try and kill me. Yelling didn't work, so I decided to see if exploding stuff would. It did."

"If I wasn't your friend, I'd add a charge for reckless use of Kidou in a confined area," Kai said acidly. "You smashed the Division sign and left scorch-marks all over the entrance. Your spells never have a functional purpose, Houjou. I'm serious. What if you'd blown up the Eleventh barracks? You'd have killed all the unconscious injured inside that you sent your officer to save."

"Tsukabishi's barrier prevented any major damage," Enishi shrugged. "He's good at spells, and I trusted him to hold them good and firm. He did."

He paused, then,

"I'm pretty sure I didn't kill anyone, last night," he said seriously. "I de-stringed some corpse puppets, but I wasn't the one who ended their lives. I killed Onoe, all those years back, and I'd know the difference. These were puppets, sure enough, but they weren't the same kind. Onoe was still alive when I gutted him. There was blood...a lot of it. I'm sure you remember. But these...there wasn't any. Kyoshingeki is probably covered with evidence, but it's not soaked in blood, and nor was I. In fact, I think I had more of my own blood," he added, touching his upper arm which, beneath the pale blue prison uniform, was now swathed in white bandages. "None of theirs."

"That's a forensic matter and I'm leaving all of that to the Fourth," Kai said evenly. "I can't comment on their special area of expertise, and I won't. I can't, Houjou. Much as I want to, I can't get more involved than I am already."

"But you'll take what I said on board, won't you?" Enishi asked. "I mean, you're interviewing me as a suspect, aren't you? So you'll take my statement, just as you're taking the others."

"You really do know Seireitei law inside-out. I'm starting to wonder what you and Ukitake talk about, in Ugendou," Kai sighed, but nodded his head. "Maybe I should be watching Thirteenth more closely. Perhaps it's a hotbed of rule-breaking and sedition and I just never noticed."

"Bending, not breaking, as you said before. That's the way to go," Enishi said comfortably, and Kai groaned.

"Fine. I get it," he said, resigned. "Yes, I'm taking your statement. And I will pass on everything that's of import to the forensic people, too. They have your uniform and they examined your sword. They'll get to the bottom of it all, I've no doubt, and then there'll be a hearing. For the time being, though, it means you sit tight here, at my pleasure."

"So long as you feed me, I won't complain," Enishi's lips twitched into a wry smile. "I'm willing to cooperate fully. Whenever you need me, I'm ready to go."


	32. Enishi's Justice

**Chapter Thirty One: Enishi's Justice**

There was a full scale thunderstorm roaring through his head.

Kohaku turned over, opening his eyes and immediately regretting it as the morning light streamed in through the window, making his head pound even more. He groaned, struggling to get beneath the covers, but at his movement, there was the sound of an exclamation, and then someone stepped across his line of vision, blocking the worst of the glare. The other person paused, gazing down at him, and Kohaku shifted his gaze, blinking to bring the features of his companion into clear focus.

 _Kayashima._

He sighed, closing his eyes once more and willing his body to sink back into sleep. He didn't care how early it was, or what drill he was due to attend, for at that moment he felt that even to try and sit up was beyond his capabilities, and he just wanted to be left alone to snooze.

"You're not going back to sleep, if that's what you think," as though he had heard his friend's thoughts, Kayashima clicked his tongue against his teeth, and a rough hand suddenly clamped down on Kohaku's upper body, giving him a firm shake. Kohaku let out a sleepy murmur, trying to get free, but it was to no avail.

"I brought you some water, for your headache," the other shinigami said matter-of-factly. "I have some herbs to put in it, if you need them...but if you don't open your eyes and pay attention, I'll tip the whole lot over you and see if that does the trick."

"Why are you picking on me?" Kohaku protested, nonetheless opening his eyes, for he knew from past experience that Kayashima was not just making idle threats. In the early days of his time with the Division, Kayashima had resorted to varied methods to get Kohaku out of bed in time for morning inspection and recruit drill, and so he groaned, struggling to drag his heavy body into a more upright position. "I've got a headache, and if you know that, then you could be nicer. I'm not a recruit now, you know."

"Nope, but I am still your superior officer," Kayashima was unmoved. "That's better. I knew you could do it, if you put a bit of effort in."

"At least close the shutter," Kohaku begged, shielding his eyes. "It's making me dizzy, and I'm not kidding. I don't feel well and the last thing I need is sunlight in my face."

"Fine," Kayashima agreed, and to Kohaku's relief the other shinigami crossed the floor of the small bedroom, obediently pushing closed the near shutter so that the sun was no longer in Kohaku's eyes. "There, is that better? Because we're going to talk, and you're not allowed to go back to sleep. I know you're feeling rough, but I need your full attention. This is more important...understand?"

"You are being mean," Kohaku pouted, and Kayashima offered him a dry smile, coming to sit on the end of his friend's bed.

"Yes, well, consider it owed," he said matter-of-factly. "Do you want me to mix the herbs for you? Taichou left them with me first thing this morning, in case you needed them. They're powders mixed up by Edogawa-san, from the Captain's private supply stash, so they probably work, but it's up to you. I guess you feel pretty hungover this morning."

"I'd rather not," Kohaku eyed the herbs warily. "Edogawa-san's remedies do work, but they're very bitter. I'd rather just be left to sleep."

He frowned.

"Hungover? I wasn't drinking last night..? I don't drink, so..."

"No, you don't, which is a pity, because I think it might be entertaining," Kayashima said regretfully. "And no, you weren't. This is more of a spiritual hangover. You were completely out of it, but you weren't drunk. Worse luck for everyone, as we all got to play along with your little freak out moment."

There was a slightly reproachful edge to the Eleventh Seat's words, and for the first time, Kohaku noticed the bruises that patterned his friend's lower arms, and the scratches that covered Kayashima's wrists and knuckles. At the sight of them he paled, his eyes widening with dismay, and he reached out a finger to touch the nearest one gingerly. Kayashima winced, pulling his arm back, and Kohaku sent him a stricken look.

"Did I...do that to you?" he whispered, and Kayashima sighed, eyeing his friend in resignation.

"You did, but when you look like that, I can't be mad. Not even though I was determined to give you a good telling off this morning," he said regretfully. "You didn't mean to. You weren't with the rest of us, but I was trying to stop you taking your delusions on the road, and you weren't at all convinced."

Kohaku swallowed hard, lowering his hand.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I don't...remember."

"Well, let me refresh you," Kayashima shuffled back against the wall with a grimace of pain. "Ouch, and that's my spine, because if falling out of bed last night wasn't enough, you decided to throw me across the cobbles in the courtyard, too. That hurts, by the way. I don't recommend it."

He smiled ruefully at Kohaku's consternation.

"You had a nightmare. A big one," he said frankly. "I saw it too, most of it. Skeletons, Senkaimon and such like. Do you remember now?"

At his friend's words, Kohaku felt a chill run down his spine. In the recesses of his mind, he could visualise the spectral entities that had haunted his subconscious since he had walked past the Senkaimon outside of the Twelfth Division the previous morning, but now, as he watched them take form within his thoughts, he no longer saw skeletons. Now, he could see their features, gaunt and pale but clearly recognisable and, at the top of the lead figure's left arm, he recognised the silver shield that indicated particular Gotei rank. He swallowed hard, feeling suddenly sick.

"Ikata...san," he whispered, and Kayashima eyed him keenly.

"You do remember," he observed, and Kohaku shrugged helplessly.

"What am I remembering?" he demanded, his voice shaking. "I don't even know any more. I saw...the Gate opened again. I mean, it only opened once, but...I saw it again. And I...I remember going to find the Vice Captain...and then...then..." he furrowed his brow, resting his head in his hands as he struggled to draw fragments of shredded memory into some kind of coherence. "I don't remember you being there, Kayashima. I didn't mean to hurt you. I swear, I didn't know...but I had to...to get to Fukutaichou. The Eleventh..."

"Was attacked last night," Kayashima interrupted, "by Ikata-fukutaichou and his companions, after they came out of the Dangai. Just as you said."

"I didn't, though. That's the thing," Kohaku swallowed hard, his throat becoming dry as the last recesses of sleep slipped away. "I said they were skeletons. I didn't...until last night, I didn't see who they were. I wanted to tell Fukutaichou, but...but he wasn't there. And...and then..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Someone was dead on the ground. Covered in blood. My hands were...I killed them," he whispered, and his voice trembled once more as tears pricked at the back of his eyes. "Kayashima, what did I do? What did I do last night?"

"Aside from wrestle me and throw me across the cobbles?" Kayashima arched an eyebrow. "Let me see." He began counting the events off on his fingers. "You had a bad dream, woke the Division, shunpo'ed into a table, broke a jug, demanded to see the Vice Captain. Flared your _reiryoku_ , made me feel like I wanted to throw up and probably knocked Furuta out cold, too. Then you started hysterics and went on about how you killed him - which is stupid, because you didn't."

"Furuta was there?" Kohaku's eyes widened in alarm, and Kayashima nodded, lowering his hands.

"You kept saying you'd killed him, but that's rubbish," he said categorically. "One, because Furuta was injured by Ikata's sword, and not by you. And two, because he isn't dead. But you weren't open to listening to reason last night. Hence these," he indicated his bruises. "Fortunately, Izumi-chan came to our rescue. Her hypnosis is pretty potent, and you're really susceptible to it. I didn't know that, but I will remember it. Apparently she'd used it on you before. I don't know when, but I'm glad she knew to do it, because my way really didn't work."

"Izumi-chan," Kohaku felt the tension drain from his body, and he sank back against the wall with a groan, running his hands through his messy brown hair. "Okay. So let me...let me get this straight. I had a full scale delusive episode last night? I made a total nuisance of myself, and everyone saw it. And I hurt you into the bargain."

"Actually, you might have saved some lives," Kayashima admitted, and Kohaku raised his gaze, looking sceptical.

"I beg your pardon?"

Kayashima frowned, and Kohaku saw his friend's expression become grave.

"Fukutaichou went to Eleventh last night," he said softly. "Because he knew what you'd seen, he went. Originally, he sent Furuta to watch the Gate, but when Furuta came back injured, he took Kira-san and Tsunemori-san and went to Eleventh. And...well, I've been here, because Taichou ordered me to stay with you till you woke. But last night, Taichou said he sensed Fukutaichou's _zanpakutou_. I don't know what happened at Eleventh last night, but I think...well...I get the feeling from the tension around this place that whatever it was, it was a big deal. I've seen Onmitsukidou officers from the window, and I am pretty sure I saw Shihouin-fukutaichou here first thing."

"Something happened at Eleventh," Kohaku echoed, and as he did so, he saw flashes of images. He saw the Division's night guard, under an unexpected assault and the fright of the Eleventh officers; the desperate attempt of Minaichi to fight off his attackers. He saw the dark shadow of Ikata behind his Captain, wielding the hilt of a substantial sword, and then, outside in the yard, the eerie blaze of Enishi's destructive Kidou blast. He swallowed again, screwing up his eyes as he fought to push the images back, and Kayashima sent him a concerned look.

"You really look like you might be sick. Are you going to be? Because if so, I'm getting off your bed."

"I'm all right," Kohaku regained his composure, raising a grey, pale face to his companion. "Just...when you said it, I saw..."

He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Why am I seeing it?" he whispered. "I don't understand. I've had such good control...and lately, I'm all over the place."

"I've been thinking about that," Kayashima admitted. "I didn't do much sleeping, after we came back up here. I had to help Ketsui-san clean you up, because you'd pretty much gone wallowing in Furuta's blood, and your nightrobes were not pretty. Bluntly put, you looked like something out of a lurid ghost story, and nobody wanted you scaring the recruits, looking like you'd gored someone. After everything that had happened outside...I didn't really want to sleep, anyway. I don't have the same spiritual sensitivity you do, but there was a lot of...well, stuff in the air last night. I don't know how else to put it, but while you were sleeping, I got to thinking about what you said, about your vision. About the Gate, and it happening when you got near it."

"What about it?"

"Kyouka Raigen said the Gate was leaking stuff, right?"

"Yes," Kohaku's gaze flitted to the sheathed sword, that lay on the shelf at the end of his bed. "Kyouka said it had the stench of death."

"Well, last night the Gate opened. Like, properly," Kayashima explained. "If a little leak made you have a premonition, what happens when the Gate is full-scale open?"

"A tidal wave of dead reishi," Kohaku sighed. "I guess that figures. I'm probably still picking up reishi fragments from the fallout of what happened last night, as it was obviously a big deal, and maybe that's why the images of the dead officers are so much more vivid now than they were when I walked past that Gate yesterday. I can't ever see nice future pictures, can I? Nope. Not me. That's not how it works."

He laughed bitterly.

"You're probably right, though," he added. "I react to death, and death came out of that Gate last night. Not just the reishi leaking out, but _who_ came out of the Gate. They were dead too, Kayashima. I know they were. And I don't really remember clearly, all of last night, because all I have are pictures. I think...I was there. Somehow. I can't explain it, but when you mention Eleventh, I can see it. And when I told you I killed Furuta...I think...I think I did. I mean, I didn't, but in my vision...I had the sword. I swung it, I cut through the other officer, and then Furuta. He's injured on his shoulder and back, isn't he?" he asked, and Kayashima nodded.

"Yes, but you didn't do it," he said frankly. "We know that, so it was just a delusion."

"A delusion that was probably real, though it wasn't through my eyes. It never is, but I see it all the same," Kohaku muttered. "Last night, it swallowed me up. I felt it, I saw it, I even became it at one point. I don't want to be like that, Kayashima. I thought this kind of vision had stopped. I _want_ it to stop!"

Now there was no keeping his frustrated tears from falling, and Kayashima sighed, stretching over towards his own bunk to grab a handkerchief.

"Here. Crying isn't going to help, and you're only doing it because you're still zonked and hungover from last night," he said evenly, tossing the scrap of cloth in his friend's direction. "Imagine if the recruits saw you. What do you think they'd say, if they saw you leaking everywhere? You need to calm down and stop thinking that way. If your vision was true, then Fukutaichou and the others probably saved people at Eleventh. If you hadn't seen it, what then? Eleventh might have been killed to a man. You might see death, but sometimes your doing so prevents it. Right? Don't get depressed on me. It's been a rough enough night. And true, I've never seen you like that before, and I admit, I'd rather not see it again, but it doesn't mean you did anything wrong or should take it so much to heart."

"Mmhm," Kohaku nodded, scrubbing away the tears and fighting tooth and nail to bring his raw emotions under control. "Are you afraid of me now? I mean, I've never..." he paused, gesturing to the bruises, and Kayashima snorted.

"If I was, would I be here like this?" he demanded. "Nobody's here to protect me from you. Don't be stupid. Last night, yeah. You were pretty damn scary. But I think you scared yourself most of all. It's just part of being your room-mate. I'm not a fairweather friend, you know. I'm tougher than that."

"I guess you are," Relief flooded Kohaku's soul and he offered his companion a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. Maybe it was a silly question. But I'm used...in the past...to that happening. People being afraid, I mean. That's why Father shut me away. Because I can be...like that. I can hurt people. Not on purpose, but it doesn't matter what I intend if it happens anyway. Someone in Rukongai went mad and died because of my _reiryoku_. But I had hoped that _that_ Kohaku was gone, now I'm a shinigami. I thought, being here, raising Kyouka, that it wouldn't happen again. I thought I was controlling it, but I guess not. I guess that it's just been calm because of Seireitei being at peace. We've barely seen any Hollows, let alone any acts of violence or war. But...I suppose this is my real test. Whether I can maintain control and stay sane when other crazy stuff is going on around me."

"Keitarou's sword, the corpse at the border camp, Katsura, and now this," Kayashima counted them off on his fingers. "You're allowing too many things that you _can't_ control to get under your skin, if you ask me. It's a bad habit of yours, over-thinking. I keep having to tell you that, and it isn't any less true today than it was yesterday. You're sensitive to reishi change. We know that. When violent things happen, reishi changes more quickly and unexpectedly. That's just basic spirit science. You just have to get to grips with how to deal with that. It's not like you're on your own. Kyouka Raigen's on your team, isn't it? Doesn't it have any ideas?"

"Right now, Kyouka's silent," Kohaku admitted. "I'm not sure it really understands what we saw last night, or maybe it's just cross that I'm not able to be rational about the things I see. If I'd focused and been calmer, yesterday morning, maybe I would have seen the Vice Captain badge and realised that it would be Ikata-dono and his companions, not just random corpses. Maybe everyone would've prepared differently. Maybe..."

"And maybe, if you hadn't seen anything, they would all be dead now," Kayashima cut across him. "And since I'm apparently your pep talk coach and your instructor in positive thinking, you can take that as your first lesson. Don't think of what you could have done. Think of what you did do, and whether that made a difference to people. Because, as I see it, when you see stuff, it means there's a chance to prevent something bad from happening. And maybe you can't stop it all, or know it all, or keep everyone safe. But you can make a difference. And you do."

"You don't think that it's just proof I inherited something twisted from Father, always seeing death and destruction in my dreams?" Kohaku asked apprehensively, and Kayashima pulled a face.

"If you didn't have a headache, I'd swipe you for that," he retorted. "You're not his son. Blood is nothing. You're not his son, not in what matters. I've told you to stop defining yourself by that and I mean it. What you inherited from Keitarou was an inferiority complex he hammered into you by locking you up and trying to make you his tool and his puppet. You're neither thing now, though. You're the Twelfth Seat of the Thirteenth Division and you have the power to save lives nobody else can save. Don't you think that's even a bit cool?"

"You're being overly optimistic, now," Kohaku scolded. "I know you're trying to cheer me up, but be realistic. I know Father doesn't define me, but in other people's eyes, sometimes I think he does. And when I have a night when I'm not...quite myself...I remember that he locked me away for a reason. People called me a demon and a monster and when I act like that, I wonder...if I am. Even with Kyouka Raigen and with the support I have here, I'm still going to be associated with Aizen Keitarou. I'm still his son, and sometimes I wonder what I'm capable of. I mean, even if I don't want to be like him, I wonder whether, deep down, any part of me is."

"If you carry on, I will pound sense into you, headache or not. And then I'll tip this over you for good measure," Kayashima picked up the mug of water, wielding it in his friend's face warningly. "I'm serious. This is the spirit power hangover talking, but I'm not going to listen to it."

"Last night I hurt you, and you've always stuck up for me, even if other people give you hassle for being my friend," Kohaku pointed out, and Kayashima grunted disdainfully.

"Morons do that," he said dismissively. "And nobody in this Division would act that way, else Taichou would clout them, so I don't care what people outside think. The only ones that matter are the sane ones, like Shikiki-san and Magaki-san. They know you, so they know what really happened."

"Really?" Kohaku looked doubtful. "I know you had a lot of friends from the Academy when you recruited here. Some of the ones in other divisions don't speak to you now, because of me."

"They don't speak to me because I punched them," Kayashima shrugged his shoulders philosophically. "They were clearly soft. If they can't take a few punches..."

"You punched them because they called me names." Kohaku objected. Kayashima nodded.

"Damn right I did," he said frankly. "What do you expect? We're friends. Would you let someone badmouth me, either to my face or behind my back?"

"Well, no, though I probably wouldn't punch them," Despite himself, a faint smile touched Kohaku's lips, and Kayashima grinned.

"Who needs to punch when you have kidou-level delusions in your armoury?" he teased, and Kohaku grimaced.

"Don't. It's not a joke, you know. It's not funny."

"No, but if you don't laugh, you end up moping," Kayashima pointed out. "Besides, weird things aside, Koku, I'm damn proud to be your friend. If people don't get it, they're not important. People here get it. And besides, they weren't people who were close friends. Not close enough for me to mind. They were friends, but they also gave me grief sometimes about the things my Pa got up to when I was a kid. They weren't the calibre of friend you give bruises for. Or even, take bruises from, I guess." He glanced at the marks on his arms, then back at his sheepish friend with a shrug. "You saved Seireitei five years ago. I don't care what anyone says. You did. We're all still here because of you. And whatever you saw last night, you didn't create it. You saw it, you didn't make it. Your father, if we must talk about him, made that kind of chaos. He singled people out and he hurt them. On purpose. Including you."

He sighed, kicking his legs idly against the overhang of the bed.

"And your brother, much as I hate to admit it," he added reluctantly. "I've always been iffy about him, because of what he did and how much I know you still trust him - but the other night, I realised that he was another victim of Keitarou's delusions, not the monster the Gotei sees him as. In any case, my point is that you don't go out of your way to ruin people's lives. You hurt me, yes, but you didn't do it on purpose. And you were reacting like that because you thought you'd hurt Furuta, your friend, and you couldn't bear how that made you feel. You couldn't be more different from Keitarou, and Taichou knows it too. So does Fukutaichou. That's why they trust you, and why you came here. If you don't know that yet, I'm seriously worried about your intellect, not your sanity. Seems to me that needs more work than your spirit power does. True, I don't like being flung across hard surfaces, so I'd appreciate not having that experience again - but otherwise, you're fine as you are. And if you see death, so what? If seeing it helps to save life, then it's fine, isn't it? And it's not like you're still locked in that hut, shut away and trapped in your delusions. You might have episodes, but either side of those is real life. And, now you're here, you have one of those. With real friends," he punched Kohaku's arm lightly, "who are so awesome they sit here and look after you even after you try to beat them up."

"I guess I do." In spite of himself, Kohaku smiled, comforted by his friend's brusque loyalty. "All right. I'm sorry. I know you're right. It just sent me for six, after so long, to be feeling like this again."

"Well, I know one thing that might make you feel better," Kayashima set down the water, clambering off the bed and grabbing Kohaku to haul up with him. "You get up, and we go see Furuta. The Captain wants to see you, anyway, and it's on the way. I know Furuta's here, not at Fourth, and nobody seemed to think he was badly hurt. When you see him, you'll feel better, and then you can go settle up with Taichou. You worried him, last night, and so the least you can do is go apologise for the fuss."

"Taichou isn't here," Kohaku objected, nonetheless reaching for his uniform and preparing to get changed. "His reiatsu isn't on the premises. Kai-dono isn't here now, either. There are people here I don't know..." he paused, then frowned. "Kayashima, I can't sense Fukutaichou. Did he come back last night?"

"No idea, being that I've been babysitting you," Kayashima shrugged. "But that's not our business. Like as not there's stuff to settle up, if what happened at Eleventh was bad. You'd know, if Fukutaichou was hurt, right? I mean, you said you saw things, and when Taichou looked in on you at dawn, he didn't tell me anything."

"He's not dead," Kohaku shook his head. "I'm sure about that. Just not here."

"Then he's probably busy over there. Maybe Taichou is too," Kayashima said simply. "Get dressed and stop worrying. We'll soon find out, if we go to the office. Someone will be there, since Taichou said he wanted to speak to you especially. I'm sure there'll be a message."

"I suppose so," Kohaku acknowledged. "All right. Let me get changed and I'll come. And maybe, I should drink that," he gestured to the water and the sachet of herbs that lay beside it, "so that when I meet people outside, they don't think _I'm_ walking dead and try to lock me up."

There was a faint note of humour in his words, and Kayashima chuckled, nodding.

"Good call," he said approvingly. "I'll mix it, and you dress. Then we'll go down to Furuta together. I want to see him too, and if he wasn't taken to Fourth, it means he's not an emergency. There shouldn't be a reason we can't see him."

"Well, being grounded for waking the whole Division with a delusive nightmare might be a reason," Kohaku sighed, removing his upper nightrobe and pulling the black uniform over his skinny body instead. "I have to face the world sometime, though. And I should probably eat something. I'm not hungry, but that's probably because I used too much spirit power and it's taking it's toll."

"Come to think of it, you skipped dinner last night, too," Kayashima realised, opening the sachet of herbs and tipping it into the water. He gave it a little shake, handing it to his friend, who downed it in one gulp, grimacing at the bitterness of the taste.

"As expected, it tastes horrible, and now I feel even more nauseous," he said resignedly, setting the glass down. "But I suppose I deserve that, for making everyone worry."

"Skipping dinner probably made you more unstable last night," Kayashima reflected, and Kohaku nodded.

"It's possible," he agreed. "When I first came here, my reiryoku was a lot more difficult to control, and my diet in Rukongai limited and insufficient to fuel it. Probably I didn't help myself last night, but I didn't even think about it."

"Right, then feeding you is also on the to do list," Kayashima decided. "I'm officially your babysitter until Taichou says otherwise, so I'll think of something."

The Division was quiet that morning, although, as the two shinigami crossed the open courtyard towards the place where Kayashima knew Furuta had been moved, it was clear that things were far from normal. Two black-clad Onmitsukidou officers stood at the Gate, clearly checking anyone who came in and went out. They cast the two Thirteenth members suspicious glances but, as neither Kohaku nor Kayashima seemed inclined to try and leave the Division grounds, they made no attempt to stop them in their errand, and although the look had made Kohaku deeply uneasy, he tried to shake it off, allowing his friend to lead him around the back of the Division towards Ugendou. Here, a small chamber had been converted to host the injured Furuta overnight. There was nobody on duty at the door, and Kayashima did not hesitate, striding up to it and sliding it back.

"Morning, Furuta," he said cheerfully, stepping into the room and dragging Kohaku over the threshold with him. "We're coming to see how many pieces you're in this morning!"

"Just about one, I think, thanks for asking," Furuta's droll response filled Kohaku with relief, and he hurried forward, taking in his friend's condition for the first time. Furuta's upper body was bare, except for the thick swathe of bandages that covered his shoulder and his upper back, and he was propped around carefully by pillows designed not to aggravate the wound. Although a little pale, he seemed much as normal and, as he looked at his room-mate, Kohaku felt the fear and apprehension slip away. Kayashima had been right, he told himself. He had seen Furuta attacked with a sword, and he had thought his friend had been killed - but whether his vision had been true or not, Furuta was alive, and, by the looks of it, not badly hurt.

"I didn't expect to see you this morning," Furuta added now, his gaze flitting between the two officers. "Especially you, Koku. From what I gather, you didn't have the best of nights."

"He convinced himself he killed you, and then had a hysterical fit over it," Kayashima said frankly, causing Kohaku to redden in embarrassment. "We're not treating him with any sympathy, Furuta. He has to learn not to make a complete idiot of himself in public, and especially not in the middle of the night. But I brought him here so he can see for himself that you aren't dead - and you can tell him that he wasn't the one who attacked you."

"Leave the kid alone, Kayashima. He looks worse than I feel," Furuta's blunt assessment brought Kohaku firmly back to reality with a bump. "It's true, though, Koku. I'm a bit slashed about, but definitely not dead. Though from what I hear, moving isn't necessarily proof of being alive these days, I assure you, I've been seen by healers, all of whom confirm I have a pulse. And, as for what happened..."

He frowned, gesturing for his friends to come sit beside the bed.

"Onmitsukidou were here," he said softly, lowering his voice. "They were asking a lot of questions. Shikibu-san let them come speak to me, because I wanted to tell them what happened last night. Apparently there's a big investigation over it, so they wanted to know how I got hurt and who hurt me."

"The Onmitsukidou are still here, marking our gate," Kayashima pulled a face. "They looked at us funny, as we came here, but they didn't stop us. I guess that means they're finished with you for now?"

"Shihouin-fukutaichou spoke to me himself," Furuta agreed. "I don't think Shikibu-san wanted him to, but when I heard the situation, I thought it was important. The person who injured me was Ikata-fukutaichou. I saw him clearly and there's no doubt. But I also saw him kill one of his own men, without even a moment's hesitation. I won't ever forget it. Poor guy. He was a decent sort, as well. But he was totally off guard. Of course he was. It was his Vice Captain. Makes me think that I'm lucky...because he was attacked first, I had the chance to escape."

He grimaced.

"If you can call this luck," he added, gesturing to his bandages. "Anyway, I told Shihouin-fukutaichou all of that and he had me sign a statement about it. Then he left."

"Shikibu-san was on night patrol," Kayashima remembered. "Are you telling me that she got back at who knows what time, after our little party in the courtyard, and yet she's still up and about giving orders this morning?"

"She has to," Furuta looked serious. "Guys, Fukutaichou isn't here. I mean, he's all right - but Shihouin-fukutaichou's questions put me on edge, and I asked Shikibu-san, when she came to make sure I was all right, what exactly was going on. She didn't want to tell me, not really, but given the fact that I knew Ikata-fukutaichou attacked me, I think she realised I wasn't going to be fobbed off."

"What's happened to Fukutaichou?" Kohaku was concerned.

"He's currently with the Onmitsukidou, at Second Division," before Kohaku could respond, Naoko's voice came from the doorway, causing all three officers to start and turn, casting her anxious glances. "I heard you were up and about, Kohaku, and that you'd both come down here."

"It's not a bad thing, is it? Us coming to see him?" Kayashima asked, and Naoko sighed, shaking her head.

"No, I'm not here to tell you off," she said wearily, and Kohaku was aware that the Third Seat had probably not slept much the night before, either. "Nor am I the best placed person to tell you about last night, being that I didn't come back until the whole drama had ended. But I can't avoid the subject, seeing as the Onmitsukidou are very interested in talking to you, Kohaku."

"To me?" Kohaku felt his unease returning. "What about?"

"Your vision, at the Gate, yesterday morning. Also your dream, last night, which Kayashima says was on the same subject," Naoko came into the room properly, sliding the door shut behind her. "Taichou said you're not to speak to them until he gets back, because he wants to make sure you're recovered from last night, so I've kept them at bay and sent Shihouin-fukutaichou back to the Onmitsukidou for the time being. Fortunately Taichou's word outranks an Onmitsukidou Vice Captain, so he went without much fuss. But sooner or later they will want to know your story. And, unfortunately, you're going to have to give it, so I hope you can talk about it rationally and calmly. From what I understand, last night, neither of those words were in your vocabulary."

"He didn't do it on purpose, Shikibu-san," Kayashima came to his friend's defence, as Kohaku's cheeks flushed an uncomfortable scarlet once more. "The Gate opened. We think the dead reishi it put out got to him. He's sensitive to that stuff."

"Probably, though right now the reason why is a bit less important than the result," Naoko ran her fingers through her thick red hair. "There's no easy way to tell you, but I will tell you myself, because if I don't, they will, and I'd rather you were abreast of the situation. Last night, Fukutaichou went to Eleventh. They were under attack, and Fukutaichou stayed and defended them. But you both know that, I think?"

"I saw it," Kohaku said softly. "Bits and pieces, but I saw it. Fukutaichou fired Kidou, and released his sword. And Minaichi-taichou...someone stabbed him, and Ikata-fukutaichou then hit him on the head, really hard, with the hilt of his sword."

"You saw that, too?" Naoko frowned. "I think that's information the Onmitsukidou don't have, so you might want to tell them that, as well."

She leaned up against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.

"Taichou had an early summons for an emergency Captain's meeting, which means he left me in charge for now," she added tiredly. "I may be deputising a bit for the forseeable future. It all depends on how things pan out. The truth is, Fukutaichou broke a lot of rules last night. He entered a foreign division without being summoned, released his sword, fired Kidou and, to all intents and purposes, took down the Vice Captain and seven other officers. In light of that, nobody's just going to ignore it."

"Wait, he's in trouble because he went and saved them?" Kayashima looked floored, and Naoko shrugged her shoulders.

"Until they know for sure it happened the way he said it did, then yes," she admitted. "He's been suspended from duty pending a full investigation. He was arrested at the scene without incident, and he submitted his badge and his sword to Shihouin-fukutaichou. At present, his rank and authority over us is null and void, and Thirteenth have no choice but to cooperate with the inquiry ...such as it is. For that reason, Koku," she added, as Kohaku's eyes widened in dismay, "the Onmitsukidou will need a statement from you. And you will need to give them whatever information you can about what you saw."

"If Koku tells them about his vision, will he be arrested, too?" Kayashima demanded, and Naoko shook her head.

"The Onmitsukidou know that Kohaku had his vision during the patrol, and that he reported it when it happened. They also know that, although he was taken ill last night, he didn't leave the Division or speak to Fukutaichou," she said gravely. "You won't be in any trouble, Koku, but even if it's unpleasant, I'm afraid you'll have to relive the things you saw, probably in some detail. Even if you do, I don't know what effect it will have on the case. Thirteenth have made it clear that they will do everything they can to assist enquiries, but it's also well known that Fukutaichou is extremely popular here. Because he is, our evidence will probably not be considered objective and who knows how much it will count. Even if we're right, I suspect that, if it goes to the Council as I think it shall, they will want corroboration and your vision," she smiled sadly at Kohaku, "is something very difficult for anyone outside of the Division to confirm, even if all of us here know you are telling the truth."

"When I spoke to them, I made sure I told Shihouin-fukutaichou that Ikata-fukutaichou wasn't normal. I saw him kill Karachi, and he swung for me, and yet he looked calm as anything when he did it," Furuta added grimly. "I wanted them to know that, because it made me cross, them thinking that Fukutaichou would go on a mad rampage and kill people at another Division without a good reason to be there. Even though I told them all that, though, Shihouin-fukutaichou said he'd have my uniform impounded to do tests. I guess Shikibu-san is right. We can all tell the truth till we're blue in the face, but that doesn't mean they'll believe us."

"Taichou is doing all he can to protect the people here, especially Tsunemori, as he was also at Eleventh last night.," Naoko reflected. "He's also already looking into options for Fukutaichou's defence, and even if they aren't willing to take it at face value, he said that we all have to do our bit and tell the investigators everything we can. I know it's not the news you probably wanted to hear this morning, but you needed to be aware of it. They may want to talk to you as well, Kayashima," she added. "You were there last night and you apparently saw Kohaku's dream, too."

"I'll talk to whoever I need to, if it helps Fukutaichou," Kayashima said firmly. "Koku? You will talk to them as well, won't you?"

"I'll try," Kohaku nodded soberly. "Kayashima, you said that my visions helped to save people, but what if that's wrong? What if, this time, I told Fukutaichou something and that made him take decisions that ultimately ruin him? I'll tell them everything, Shikibu-san, I promise. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause all this fuss."

"Well, Thirteenth's official position is that the officers from the Dangai were already dead when they attacked the Eleventh," Naoko said matter-of-factly. "That's what you saw, that's what Fukutaichou and Tsunemori both have said, and Furuta said that Ikata-fukutaichou wasn't normal when he left the Gate. Whether they can prove that or not forensically, I don't know - but as far as I can ascertain, Fukutaichou and Tsunemori saved a lot of people last night. Minaichi-taichou is also injured, but he isn't killed. Hopefully, when the dust settles, that's what everyone else will realise, too. Till then, we manage as best we can. And cooperate, because it's in Fukutaichou's interests to tell the truth."

"Yes, ma'am," Kohaku inclined his head gravely. "If things are that way, then I'll talk to the Onmitsukidou. I want to help Fukutaichou, so I'll do whatever I can to help."

* * *

"I have to be honest, this is not really the kind of Captain's Meeting that I look forward to chairing."

Shunsui took his position at the head of the chamber, casting a troubled glance down the lines of his peers and taking in their mixed expressions and demeanours. They had all attended, all except the wounded Minaichi, and although Shunsui did not like his counterpart at Eleventh, he found himself regretting the open space beside Juushirou in the hall. It made his friend seem somewhat isolated, and, as he reflected on the urgent report Shindou had brought to him at dawn that morning, he felt that probably, such an impression was not far from the truth. Juushirou's expression was calm and gave nothing away, but Shunsui had known the District Captain too long to think that he wasn't at all concerned about the events of the previous night.  
 _  
Well, Enishi is my friend too. But this is how it is.  
_  
He let out a heavy sigh.

"Obviously, everyone knows why we're here. Thank you for all coming with such promptness. It's not a pleasant subject for discussion, but discuss it we must, and with some urgency."

"May I ask, what is Atsushi-kun's condition?" Mareiko raised a hand, casting Retsu an anxious glance, and the tall leader of the Unohana frowned, shaking her head slowly.

"He is alive," she said briefly. "I don't really think that I can answer precisely about his prospects at present. I was not in Inner Seireitei until a short time ago, as I was attending to a matter in Fourth, so there is much I still need to ascertain. From the report I received from my adjutant, he is stable, but we haven't been able to safely wake him up yet. On arrival at the Fourth, he suffered a seizure, and we are monitoring him carefully as a result. The implication is that he has an injury to the brain, and these can be complex to treat, even with the vast range of healing skills available among my colleagues. He took a severe blow to the back of the head which was hard enough to fracture the skull. From the bruise on his brow, it seems that blow knocked him out and he fell forward to the ground, hitting his head again and creating further trauma. I visited him briefly before the meeting, and he was resting and stable at that time, but I don't want to make too many assumptions at this point. I don't even know, yet, what struck him or, indeed, who or why and have yet to receive full incident data from the investigating Onmitsukidou. For now all I can say is that Minaichi-taichou is alive, and doing his best to remain so, as I believe all who know him would expect of his character. It's too soon for me to know more, and when I do, I will be sure to report."

"I won't pretend he's my best friend, but I don't like hearing that my neighbour's been knocked about like that," Hakubei grimaced, sending Marieko a sympathetic glance. "I seem to get it, though. This morning, when the message came, I was reminded of Anabomi's death...except this isn't wartime, and it shouldn't happen."

"It shouldn't happen at any time, war or peace," Sora said categorically, and Shunsui nodded.

"I have to agree," he interjected with a grimace. "I'm not a fan of seeing my colleagues hurt, whether they're people I like or otherwise. Atsushi-dono is a good Captain in his own domain, whatever can be said of his people skills in meetings like this one, and an attack on a Captain is an attack on the authority of us all. It's a very serious situation."

"But at least, at present, he lives," Guren said softly. "He is a strong-minded individual, as Retsu-dono has stated. If he can, he will come through this. It's less than twenty-four hours since he was injured, and early days in his recovery."

"Sekime-taichou, when he is able to have visitors, I will ensure you are notified as a priority," Retsu added. "I know you are friends, and patients with head injuries often benefit greatly from having someone they are close to in attendance."

"I will be glad to come," Mareiko nodded her head. "Thank you, Retsu-sama. I would appreciate that."

"It's as Shunsui says," Kyouki observed. "It's a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but especially to a Captain. To be challenged in full combat is one thing, especially for a man like Minaichi, but to be struck down from behind...that's a coward's blow, and something I thought was beneath our military officers."

"Mutiny itself should be beneath our officers," Guren muttered. "When you begin with that as a possible explanation, Kyouki-dono, I am afraid I can believe anything else that occurred."

"I don't think we're all that clear on what did happen, exactly," Yuuichi sounded troubled. "I don't like it. A Yamamoto Captain struck down in his own quarters. And now, all this talk of mutiny or treason...my Clan aren't that kind of family. It doesn't happen. I don't like it."

"Well, it's happened, so you'll have to get used to it," Midori spoke bluntly, and Shunsui winced at the no-nonsense tone in her voice. "Kai's been investigating and even before I came here this morning, he'd gathered a fair bit of evidence. Thank you, Retsu-sama," she added, glancing at the Fourth Captain to her side, who inclined her head in acknowledgement. "I appreciate you letting him speak to your patients, and please, thank Eriko-dono, also. I understand you came back especially on an urgent summons, and your support in all of this has, as ever, been impeccable."

"It is my duty to heal the injured, but your job is to find out the truth. I think that may be harder," Retsu reflected. "I would rather not delay important investigations if they are able to take place and resolve unpleasant matters more simply."

"What can you report to us, Midori-sama?" Shunsui asked, and the Shihouin Captain frowned.

"Firstly, we're holding Houjou Enishi in the Maggot's Nest," she said categorically, and Shunsui saw Juushirou flinch slightly, but to his surprise, his old friend remained silent. "He's given his badge and sword and Kai is intending to speak to him while I am here. He's cooperated with us completely and provided no obstruction. The other officer from the Thirteenth has been interviewed and returned to his barracks. I understand from Kai there is no indication he took part in any fighting," she paused, glancing across at Juushirou quizzically, and Juushirou sighed.

"Tsunemori has reported to me in full," he said softly. "He used Kidou to stabilise the bleeding of several officers within the Eleventh Division barracks. He also used Kidou barriers to protect them from any further attack. Unless it is now a crime to administer first aid treatment in an emergency situation, my officer has done nothing wrong. I told Kai and I will reiterate for this meeting - I will fight all attempts to issue an arrest warrant for Tsukabishi Tsunemori, as there is no evidence that he did anything that merits the jurisdiction of the Onmitsukidou."

"You don't say the same about your Vice Captain, I notice," Kyouki's eyes narrowed. "Are you not supporting him too, Juushirou? I'm surprised at you. That doesn't seem your usual way."

"Enishi has my full support," Juushirou turned opaque eyes on the Shiba leader, offering her a faint smile. "I don't believe he did anything wrong last night, either. But, in his case, there is a due process that must be followed. I am confident that, at the end of that process, Enishi will be cleared of all suspicion of wrong-doing and will receive the proper credit for his actions. In the meantime, he and I both know that the investigation must be carried out. Thirteenth have made themselves at the disposal of the Second in this matter."

"I see," Kyouki looked thoughtful. "I suppose your hands are tied, aren't they? The whole of the Thirteenth rests with you. I'm sorry. I suppose it's more tricky than I first considered."

"Thirteenth Division is not a Clan Division, and has no great Council power behind it in times such as these," Juushirou agreed evenly. "Given that, we are entirely reliant on Seireitei justice. Enishi knows it. I know it. Thirteenth is important to both of us. Neither one of us would sacrifice it, or the well-being of its members, in order to preserve our own interests."

"Well, I can say one thing that might alleviate that concern, if not remove it entirely," Midori reflected. "Kai has been very busy. Houjou was arrested on grounds of potentially invading and doing harm to another Division, but the statements from the few Eleventh officers well enough to testify seem to indicate that Ikata did launch some kind of unprovoked attack on the Division. Why Houjou was there, we still need to fully ascertain, as there's no evidence that Minaichi sent any kind of distress call. But, given what I've seen so far from the investigation statements, Ikata was at the centre of all of this. He was the antagonist, and he had companions. These are the officers killed by Houjou Enishi last night. Vigilante it may be, but it probably did save lives. Kai wants me to consider reducing the charge to one of vigilante action, but to do that, Yuuichi-dono, I need your agreement. In short, I need the Yamamoto to acknowledge that one of theirs committed mutiny on his own Captain and died as a result of that action."

"You have statements that indicate Ikata was to blame?" Yuuichi asked, and Midori nodded.

"Thus far, two or three from the Eleventh and one from the Thirteenth, from the officer who had been stationed at the Gate near Twelfth last night," she agreed. "An officer died there too, I believe."

"Yes," Retsu looked grave. "I haven't had time to conduct a formal identification on that officer, but Kai said that the witness from the Thirteenth identified him as the Fifteenth Seat, Karachi."

"Then it looks as though I have no choice but to accept it," Yuuichi groaned. "Either way I'm trapped. Houjou Enishi is also my kinsman. I don't like it, but if Ikata's own subordinates say he attacked them..."

"We don't believe Enishi killed anyone last night, Yuuichi-sama," Juushirou interjected now, his expression serious. "I know that this is something that the Fourth need to prove, but my officer acted last night on the information of my Twelfth Seated officer. We had a report of a corpse attack at this Gate. None of us realised how grave it was, else we'd have taken more precautions, but Furuta, my Fourteenth Seated officer, and the lad from Eleventh, Karachi, were sent there by myself and Minaichi to keep watch. Ikata and his companions came from the Gate and attacked the Eleventh. It seems clear to me that they were the corpses, and that Enishi took down dead officers, not a mutiny."

"Juushirou, you realise how crazy that sounds, right?" Sora looked sceptical. "I like Houjou too. he's my friend and this sucks, because it sounds like he did what had to be done and is being blamed for it. But to say that they were all dead before they attacked..."

"We have seen corpse attacks in Seireitei," Guren pointed out. "Ikata was also deployed to investigate that incident, via the Gate in my own land."

"Are you saying you agree with Ukitake?" Yuuichi looked surprised, and Guren shrugged.

"I want to hear all the evidence," he replied. "That's all."

"My daughter was also part of that mission, Guren-sama, and as yet, has not returned," Hirata spoke up softly now, and Shunsui could read the tension in the other man's slim frame. "If Ikata came back dead, and more, a homicidal killer, then that has unfortunate implications for my family which I would rather not consider."

"Nobody from Seventh came back through the Gate?" Nagesu asked, and Retsu shook her head.

"The eight officers that attacked the Eleventh are all accounted for and all from that Division," she said sadly. "They are, however, the eight individuals from Eleventh Division whose names appear on the authorisation notice for the Dangai mission. To be at Eleventh Division last night, they must have come from the Dangai. I understand that they had a Key...?" she trailed off, and Mareiko nodded, twisting her hands together absently.

"I gave one to Ikata and one to Kikyue-hime," she admitted unwillingly. "It was designed to be a safe way to return here, after their mission, since the Gate in Sixth was unstable and I thought it better they returned via an authorised Gate. This one has been very stable. It seemed the right thing to do."

"And Ikata and his companions arrived back here using that Key?" Nagesu asked. Mareiko shrugged.

"I assume so," she agreed. "I don't know, but it makes sense. I didn't detect any unnatural forcing of the Gate last night, and if you didn't either, Nagesu-sama..."

"No," Nagesu said sombrely. "No, I didn't."

"Could a corpse activate such a Key?" Hakubei wondered. "From all accounts, the ones we've seen haven't been very, well, compus mentis."

"They've also been a lot more decayed," Juushirou pointed out. "Besides, we assume that one of them did. If they went into the Dangai alive, and came back dead, who's to say that someone or something didn't activate the Key for them, and then let them pass?"

"Katsura?" Hirata demanded, but Mareiko shook her head.

"The Keys are tuned to shinigami with _zanpakutou_ ," she replied. "Katsura doesn't have one of those. I was very specific about that, because he's been identified as a threat. He couldn't have activated the Key."

"Could he have controlled someone else to do it?" Sora asked. Mareiko shrugged.

"We've no evidence he is capable of manipulating shinigami like his father did," she said categorically. "No, Sora-dono. I don't think that he could. Shinigami require at least a shikai level of _zanpakutou_ control to open most Senkaimon on the network. The Key was designed to do a similar job, but to resonate to this Gate automatically from anywhere within the Dangai. We know that Katsura probably has access to the Dangai, but an illicit opening of a registered network Gate would have shown up either with my own monitor or with Nagesu-sama's. There's been no sign of that. I can only conclude he wasn't involved in this."

"But someone with a _zanpakutou_ could have done it?"

"They must have done it," Mareiko said simply. "The Key won't work for anyone else."

"Then Ikata and company couldn't have come out of the Gate dead, could they?" Yuuichi looked troubled. "A dead person doesn't have a _zanpakutou_ presence, so wouldn't be able to release shikai. I admit, I like Ukitake's theory only because it exonerates my kinsman from a horrible crime, but even so, if it's not possible..."

"I'm not interested in disputes over Keys, Gates and who controlled what," Juushirou's tones had a faint edge to them, and Shunsui hoped that his friend was going to keep a hold on his temper. "They got here, and that's what is more important. Moreover, my Vice Captain is not the kind of man who invades other Divisions and kills their officers. Besides, as I said, we received intelligence..."

"From your Twelfth Seat," Yuuichi nodded. "Yes, you said so before."

"Forgive me, Ukitake, but I'm a little confused on that point," Guren admitted. "Why are you, a Captain, and your Vice Captain relying on the word of a junior officer in a matter of such severity?"

"Ukitake's Twelfth Seated officer is Aizen Kohaku," Nagesu said gravely. "I imagine that's the reason why."

"The Aizen boy," Yuuichi's eyes narrowed, and Shunsui sighed.

"We all know only too well that Koku does have the power to see the future," he said frankly. "Five years ago, because of it, I was able to catch and kill his father. I can understand why both Juushirou and Enishi would've believed it, if it came from Koku."

"So is he involved in all of this, too?" Kyouki asked. "I like that boy, and I won't pretend otherwise. I haven't forgotten that he's the reason that these two," she indicated Hakubei and Sora, "didn't end up killing one another, and I don't think he's caused much trouble since he's been with Juushirou."

"I'd second that, being that I don't ever want to be manipulated by anything, ever again," Hakubei shivered. "If that is how Ikata was, and if he was at all aware of it, then I swear, Houjou did him a favour."

"We haven't been able to get a statement from Kohaku, yet," Midori observed. "I trust, Juushirou, you do intend to let us take one?"

"I do, but Kohaku was ill last night," Juushirou looked troubled. "We had to sedate him and he was still under when I left this morning. The Gate opened, and I can only assume what came out of it upset him enough to give him one of his full scale delusionary attacks. He was sleepwalking, and he apparently wanted to go and find Enishi, but we stopped him. He didn't leave the Division, and didn't make contact with Enishi last night. But he did report seeing corpses coming out of the Gate earlier on, during a patrol. And Enishi and I did agree to send Furuta to the Gate based on his report. Minaichi also had a report and, as I mentioned, deployed the young officer killed there. Eleventh and Thirteenth were cooperating on this mission. Enishi just took that further and followed it through. I am convinced that Ikata and his companions were dead before they left the Dangai, and that, ultimately, the evidence will show that. If that is the case," he paused, glancing first at Midori, then at Yuuichi, "there will be no criminal case to answer, as Enishi will have been taking action on a matter jointly under Eleventh and Thirteenth jurisdiction and his presence at Eleventh would simply be evidence of him following up the attack _on his officer_ by corpses _from_ the Gate _at_ the Gate, which is neutral space. That alone should show that this was not an act of vigilante justice or pre-planned mutiny."

"Woah, Juushirou, take a breath," Shunsui held up his hands. "I believe in Enishi as much as you do, but this isn't his hearing. None of us can release him right now. There's a lot of evidence still to process, and the implications of the whole thing, well, I don't like them at all. It will have to be settled by the Council, not least because I am entirely not objective in passing judgement on a good friend and that applies to Sora and Hirata as well as yourself. Kai is also potentially compromised, although he is generally thorough and Midori-sama is fair. They'll get to the bottom of it, with Retsu-sama's help."

"I know," Juushirou sighed. "It just frustrates me. He's my adjutant, and there's literally nothing I can do. I know he did nothing wrong, but unless people believe that..."

"I haven't yet had a chance to examine the dead from last night, nor make comparisons between weapons and reishi patterns," Retsu said apologetically. "I arrived back late and my priority has been to save the lives of the wounded. Minaichi-taichou's serious condition has meant that I have had to focus on treating him, but I will be conducting proper post mortem investigations on all eight officers that Houjou-kun says he took down, as well as the three officers - the one at the Gate and the two on night duty - that were killed prior to his arrival. I have a lot to do and my officers are busy. We will produce a full report when we have one. Right now, I cannot speculate on anything except that I have eleven corpses identified as being from the Eleventh Division, and a number of wounded officers also from that Division."

"And one from Thirteenth," Juushirou added.

"And one from Thirteenth, who is currently in your care, not mine," Retsu agreed. "Furuta-san's injuries are not serious. He is in no danger, and will soon be able to resume active service."

"If there isn't anything we can do to further that investigation, maybe I can put forth some other evidence that might put Hirata-dono's concerns somewhat at rest," Mareiko suggested, and Hirata sent her a startled look.

"Me?"

"About your daughter," Mareiko nodded. "I didn't know that Eleventh was attacked last night at the time that it was going on. I am angry I didn't, because Atsushi-kun is a friend to whom I am extremely indebted. Moreover, it may have been my Key that allowed the attack to take place. Because of that, I spent some time this morning tracing the signal of the other Key, which I gave to Kikyue-hime. It was hard, but I was able to get a faint signal."

"So the Key is still inside the Dangai?"

"It is still in the possession of Endou Kikyue," Mareiko replied. "I tuned each key to operate on shinigami frequencies. That means that the Key detects the frequency of the _zanpakutou_ of the person who holds it. When I tested the signal of the key I gave to Kikyue-hime, I picked up the spiritual fingerprint of Kaisoushu. I believe that is Kikyue-hime's _zanpakutou_?" she asked, and Hirata nodded his head.

"It is," he confirmed. "And so from that, you can tell ...what? Where she is? If she is okay?"

"As Yuuichi-sama already stated, a dead body doesn't have a connection with its sword," Mareiko said honestly. "Unless it is a Royal Blade, the sword dies the moment the wielder does, and its spiritual identity breaks down far more quickly than the body of the wielder in most cases. That is why we occasionally see a phenomenon whereby a sword entirely disintegrates on the death of its owner, even if the owner's corpse takes longer to decay. If Ikata was or wasn't dead, I don't know. The Keys were designed to break up on re-entry, so that they could not be used again. There was no need for them to, as their mission would be complete on return to Seireitei. It will take some considerable time to piece together data to try and ascertain if it was activated, and by whom, because of that."

She sighed.

"I thought it was safer this way, and I didn't know that this would happen, so I'm afraid that no trace of it will remain in Ikata's possession, and that makes analysis more cumbersome," she added. "We know the Gate opened, and I tend to agree with Ukitake-taichou that how that occurred is less important at present than many of the other issues of the case. The other Key, however, is still definitely active. And it is still in the possession of Endou Kikyue. I admit, I can't track an exact location for her at present. But she has her Key and she is alive. Of that I am certain."

Hirata let out his breath in a rush, closing his eyes briefly to compose his emotions. Then, he opened them, glancing at the Twelfth Division Captain hopefully.

"You can't trace her yet, but you could, maybe, with time?" he asked. Mareiko shrugged.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I can try."

"I think you should try, Mareiko. I think that it would be best if Kikyue-dono and her forces, if they are able, were returned to Seireitei as soon as possible," Nagesu said grimly. "If Ikata was alive or dead when he came out of the Dangai, the same applies. We don't know what motives or dangers may lurk there."

"More danger if Ikata was dead than if he was alive and just plotting to off Minaichi," Hakubei pointed out. "If he just wanted to launch a surprise night attack, then it has nothing to do with Kikyue-dono and therefore she'd be in no danger now he and his men were no longer inside."

"To judge Kikyue-hime to be potentially in danger suggests you think they were dead, too, don't you?" Guren glanced at Nagesu in surprise, and the Third Division Captain shrugged his shoulders.

"I never rule in or rule out possibilities until I have all the evidence," he said evenly. "I would prefer that we looked at all the options here, however crazy they may seem. Aizen Kohaku is a proven prophet, and while he says things at times that are hard to rationalise, he is generally proven correct. As a scientist, I consider his spirit power is often intangible, and we need to understand our limits when considering this case. It seems to me that, on this occasion, his trigger is only too clear. The Dangai was being investigated for anomalies. The Gate at Twelfth opened. If something untoward is inside that Gate, then of all the shinigami in Seireitei, it is probably Kohaku who would pick it up. The boy's reiatsu precision is remarkable. It is far beyond his rank and more than likely the reason he saw an image of death. We need to find out whether our understanding of what he saw is correct or otherwise. This we don't know yet, but in order to settle what happened at Eleventh last night, we must discover all the facts relating to the matter. Good or bad. Only then will we know whether this was Ikata's mutiny, or something more sinister at work."

* * *

"There are all kinds of weird rumours going around the Division,"

Hiroshi settled himself back down on the floor between the two great vats of Division laundry, casting his companion a quizzical glance.

"Something happened last night, Taichou told us to go back to our room and then we're locked in, as though to protect us from some kind of danger. This morning, officers are here from the Onmitsukidou, and they're asking questions of all kinds of people. There are so many stories buzzing in the air - I almost think we're safer here, tied up in the laundry room."

"I wonder about that," Shinobu grimaced, digging around in the nearest vat and pulling out a soiled white garment, tossing it at his friend. "What does that look like to you? It's not mud."

"Blood?" Hiroshi took the garment, his eyes opening wide with dismay. "But it isn't torn. And wait, this is a nightshirt? Not shihakushou. What do you think..."

"Don't know," Shinobu said frankly, taking the garment back and tossing it into the tub of hot, soapy water over which he had been working for the last few hours. "Ketsui-san brought it here while you were taking that last lot to hang to dry. He didn't tell me anything about it, told me to do my best with it, and that was that. Nothing more. We're just recruits, Hiroshi. We don't get to be in the loop - isn't that what Takahashi said last night?"

"Are you still sore about that?" Hiroshi sighed, shuffling over beside his friend with a grimace. "Let it go, all right? We are recruits. If it's not something we need to know, then maybe we don't."

"Maybe we don't," Shinobu echoed, then frowned, shrugging his shoulders. "Yes. But we were there last night. We felt...whatever that was. And we heard...whatever those noises were. And this is blood. This morning, the Division's been invaded by foreign squad members. That doesn't just happen."

"If we don't know anything, we can't report it," Hiroshi pointed out, turning back towards the other vat with a shrug. "I'd rather not know, I think. I didn't like how it felt, last night. It did feel like we were under attack."

"It did, and that is definitely blood," Shinobu slipped his pounding tool beneath the soiled garment, holding it up once more. "I don't know whose, or why, but I doubt the stains are coming out. Apparently blood doesn't wash out easily. Unfortunately for us."

"The useful things we learn when recruiting to the Division," Hiroshi grinned, despite himself. "Who'd have thought we'd become experts on how to wash clothing?"

"And weed ponds," Shinobu added, a faint flicker of humour sparking in his dark eyes. "And mop floors. And dust ceilings. And polish swords. And check bokutou for splinters..."

"We're true professionals, now," Hiroshi laughed. "I'm quite proud of my floor-mopping skills."

"And apparently in the Gotei, it doesn't matter how big a crisis is going on, recruit chores are never cancelled," Shinobu agreed. "I do wish we knew what all this was about, though. I know it's not our right to know everything, Hiroshi, but it puts me on edge, when we're excluded like this. It makes me think it's something big and serious, and I don't like that. Whatever it was last night gave me the chills. I'm sure I'm not the only one. And I don't mind that we're here, doing chores as normal today...but if something dangerous is out there, I'd like to know what it is."

"If Taichou thinks we should be told then we will be," Hiroshi said sensibly.

"Taichou isn't here. He left early this morning, I saw him," Shinobu shook his head. "I haven't seen Fukutaichou, either, and Shikibu-san is running around giving everyone orders. Not that that's unusual, but she seems...on edge. More than usual. I don't know, Hiroshi, but I have this horrible feeling someone died last night. And they don't want to tell us in case it scares us and we desert our posts."

"After all that training? Not likely," Hiroshi snorted. "Where would we go? You don't run away from being a shinigami once you're squad enrolled."

"I've heard stories of it happening," Shinobu admitted. "Not from Thirteenth, admittedly, but there have been cases."

"Well, right now I'm going to focus on the fact our shift here is done," Hiroshi stood, drying his hands on the nearby rag cloth and unfastening the ties he had used to keep his sleeves out of the water. "Laundry duty is now someone else's problem, so you can hand over the bloody robe to whoever's duty it is next."

"Thank goodness," Shinobu grimaced, getting to his feet and following his friend's example. "I think, of all the chores, I hate this one the most."

The main courtyard was a hive of activity, and a group of three Onmitsukidou officers were standing in the vicinity of the Thirteenth Division entrance, apparently preventing people from entering or leaving without authorisation. Another two were examining something on the ground in the centre of the courtyard and, as Shinobu and Hiroshi approached, they glanced up, one of them immediately getting to his feet and moving to bar their way.

"No interference in the investigation, thank you," he said briskly, and the two recruits stopped, exchanging glances.

"We weren't going to interfere in anything," Hiroshi said at length. "We're recruits and we've just been doing morning chores."

"Recruits, huh? How cute," the Onmitsukidou officer smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "Well? Get going with you. I've no time to nursemaid babies when we've got a crime scene to examine."

"A...crime scene?" Shinobu's eyes widened. "Did...was someone killed here last night?"

"None of your business," the Onmitsukidou said categorically, but the other officer, a young woman sighed, getting to her feet and coming to join them.

"Don't scare Ukitake-taichou's juniors, or it'll be Kai-dono who'll be on your case," she told her comrade reproachfully. "You know what he said. Handle Thirteenth with kid gloves, else we'll be thrown out."

"Ukitake-taichou meddles far too much," the other Onmitsukidou muttered, and Shinobu scowled.

"Don't insult our Captain, or I'll report you," he said hotly. "I might only be a recruit, but I have ears and a tongue and I'm not going to listen to another Division's officers disrespect our leader!"

"Shinobu, calm down," Hiroshi put a hand on his friend's arm. "The last thing we want to do is get into a fight."

"Fighting recruits? You must be joking," the male Onmitsukidou seemed to find this amusing. "You don't want to pick battles with us, kid. We're the secret forces. We're taught skills that would give you nightmares. And as for your Captain? He does meddle. He's known for it. I bet he didn't want us here this morning, either...except he had no choice, what with his Vice Captain being a mass-murderer and all that."

"What did you say?" Now Shinobu was truly incensed, and the young woman groaned, rubbing her brow in frustration.

"Look, kids, this is how it is," she said frankly. "We're here on official business, and it has nothing to do with you. You can ask your own officers what happened and why your Vice Captain is currently in our custody. It's not for us to do that. If you saw anything last night, or heard anything, we want to know about it. Otherwise, scram."

"Fukutaichou is...where?" Hiroshi asked softly, and the male officer smirked.

"Enjoying the hospitality of the Maggot's Nest, after slicing through the Eleventh Vice Captain and his comrades," he said mockingly. "Hardly surprising, though. Probably driven mad, being here. There are plenty of stories, you know...about what goes on in this place."

"Morokawa, shut up," the woman was irritated. "I already said, didn't I? No baiting the brats. We'll get thrown out. Shikibu-san's in charge right now and she hates all of us. Don't give her a reason to evict us, else Kai-dono will go up the wall again."

"Well, the kids have the right to know what kind of Division they've joined," Morokawa shrugged, apparently not at all put off by the reprimand. "It's legendary. And this?" he gestured back at the cobbles which now, Hiroshi realised, were stained a funny colour. "This is proof that mad things go on here. Rumour has it that your resident nutcase went postal last night and started attacking people in the halls. Only a rumour, like...your Captain would squash any attempt to expose it as truth, but we all know. Everyone knows."

He pushed his face into Shinobu's, and then Hiroshi's, leering at them in an unpleasant, mocking kind of way.

"The Aizen is here," he whispered. "Everyone knows that creature spent years locked up because he drives people insane. Well, last night, I reckon he sent your Vice Captain round the twist. Sent him off to murder people, and this is the result."

"Kohaku-san isn't a creature, and there's no way he'd do something like that!" Even Hiroshi was annoyed by this, and Morokawa laughed.

"They don't tell you kids anything," he said patronisingly. "Your memories are too short, but we remember what happened five years ago. Ask your precious Taichou about that. About the hallucinations that _thing_ made people see. We all know that brat is touched. Strange in the head. Just as warped as his old man, only cleverer, since he wormed his way into the Gotei. Do we think it's coincidence that, five years ago, he tried to ruin the Eleventh Division Captain by pumping that nonsense out into the ether, and now, there's a night attack and Minaichi-taichou is downed? If you ask me, that's why old Ukitake doesn't like letting us in. He's afraid we'll find some reason to arrest that _creature_...and you know, this time, maybe we will."

"Morokawa!" the female officer snapped, but, before either of the recruits could respond to this provocative set of allegations, Morokawa stumbled, blinking a couple of times in surprise before falling in a heap onto the cobblestones. Hiroshi let out an exclamation, taking a hop away from the fallen Onmitsukidou, and the woman muttered a curse, bending to check that her companion was all right.

"What the..." Shinobu glanced around, looking for anything that could have taken the unpleasant Onmitsukidou out, but he could see nothing.

"What's going on here?" One of the Onmitsukidou from the Gate, a burly, plump officer with a self-satisfied swagger strode across the cobbles towards them, glancing at the fallen Morokawa, and then at the female officer.

"Oomaeda-dono," the female officer scrambled to her feet. "I don't know, sir. He just..."

A soft snore came from the fallen Morokawa at this juncture, startling all of them, and the man named Oomaeda sighed, extending his foot to give the unconscious Onmitsukidou a little kick.

"Stupid oaf," he muttered. "No endurance. He's not the only one who's been working this scene all night. Useless bunch of bones. Leave him there, Uemura. We have work to do. If he's sleeping on the job, then Kai-dono can handle him. I've done with him."

"Yes sir," the woman saluted, and Oomaeda glanced at the recruits, both of whom were still looking bewildered at the unexpected turn of events.

"You kids should clear off," he advised. "We're not interested in hearing any more rumours."

We're going," Hiroshi assured him. "We were just looking for the Vice Captain, but your colleague told us he isn't here, so we'll go find Shikibu-san instead. Come on, Shinobu," he gave his friend's arm a little tug. "We're getting in the way, here, and Taichou would be cross if he thought we were causing trouble."

"Mmhm," Shinobu nodded absently, allowing himself to be dragged away towards the main building. As they reached the door, they saw Izumi, sitting by the entrance calmly polishing her asauchi sword. Something about the unusual combination of Izumi and sword seemed somewhat out of place, and, suddenly struck by the memory of one of the Division's many rumours, Hiroshi glanced at the petite young woman, then back at the unconscious Morokawa.

"Ichimaru-san," he murmured, and, at the sound of her name, Izumi raised innocent silver eyes to meet his quizzical ones.

"Ichimaru-san, did you just..." Hiroshi faltered, glancing back towards Morokawa. Izumi shrugged, setting her sword aside and offering the recruit an unrepentant shrug. There was mischief in her gaze now, Hiroshi realised, and he chewed on his lip, processing this.

"You kids shouldn't be loitering around out here," Ketsui descended on them at that juncture, and Izumi flinched, her expression changing from one of amusement to one of furtiveness and guilt. At this change in her demeanour, Hiroshi felt even more certain that, somehow, the Thirteenth Seated officer had been behind Morokawa's sudden collapse, and he eyed the young woman warily, realising that, even without a _zanpakutou_ , there were reasons for her current rank.

Ketsui took in Izumi's expression, glancing across the yard to where the unfortunate Morokawa was still sprawled out in an ungainly position on the cobbles, entirely abandoned by his fellow officers. There was a moment of silence, in which Hiroshi thought he would have been able to hear a pin drop, then Ketsui's gaze shifted back to Izumi. She lowered her eyes at this sudden scrutiny, and Ketsui sighed.

"I suppose that was you," he said frankly, flicking a hand casually in the direction where Morokawa still lay. "It's not professional, Izumi. Especially in front of recruits. You know you're not meant to use it...and particularly not on visiting officers from other Divisions."

"Wait a minute," Shinobu's eyes became huge. "You mean...Ichimaru-san...that Morokawa...?"

Izumi's expression became one of defiance, and her hands twitched together, the staccato movements indicating her displeasure.

"I don't care if they did badmouth Kohaku," Ketsui retorted firmly. "He's my friend too, but that doesn't excuse rule-breaking, in particular with things the way they are. You know that you don't use it. Last night, that was one thing. Then, it was needed, but today, not so much. We're not to interfere with the Onmitsukidou. Captain's orders. You know that."

Izumi shrugged, tossing her head, and Ketsui sighed.

"Please," he said softly. "It's not easy on any of us. Whatever they do or say, we have to bear with it. For Fukutaichou's sake, as much as anything else."

"Ketsui-san, is it true?" Shinobu asked soberly. "Did Fukutaichou...really kill people last night?"

"I don't know if I can answer that," Ketsui grimaced. "The details are unclear. I shouldn't really be discussing it, because of that."

"That Onmitsukidou said it," Hiroshi explained. "He said some bad things about the Taichou and Fukutaichou, and also, Kohaku-san."

Izumi nodded emphatically, her fingers dancing together in support of Hiroshi's account, and Ketsui let out his breath in a rush once more.

"All I can say right now is that it's under investigation," he said heavily. "Eleventh was attacked last night. Fukutaichou went there to help. What happened is still being looked into."

"That Onmitsukidou said it was Kohaku-san that made Fukutaichou go," Shinobu murmured, and Hiroshi sent his friend a sidelong glance.

"How could Kohaku-san order a Vice Captain anywhere?" he asked. "That guy was just winding us up, Shinobu."

"He said something about five years ago," Shinobu rubbed his temples. "I don't like it, Ketsui-san. I don't like people badmouthing my Division leaders like that. And I don't like not being able to answer back, because I don't know what to say."

"Taichou wants to keep you out of it, because there is nothing you can do," Ketsui said evenly. "Us either, really. But listen. Listen very carefully. Kohaku's coming to Thirteenth means that sometimes, people in other squads, they have the wrong idea. You both have met him and worked with him, and you should know different by now...but people will still say bad things, because that's what they do. Taichou, too. He's not Clan, so sometimes people still say things. Taichou ignores them and gets on with what he needs to do. So must you. The important people - the ones who matter - they know the truth. Don't let yourself be blindsided by ignorance at lower levels in other squads. And you," he glared at Izumi, "don't try and look all innocent. You put that guy out with your hypnosis, and don't pretend you didn't. If it wasn't that everything was so messed up, I'd report you - but as it is, you'll just have to take the scolding from me."

Izumi shrugged, folding her arms across her chest and sticking out her tongue.

"And don't do that. I'm your superior officer, whatever else I might be, and you are setting recruits a bad example," Ketsui added.

"I don't think shutting up that jerk was a bad thing to do," Hiroshi admitted. "I think it was pretty cool, actually. Though obviously I'm not saying that knocking out other Division members is a good plan," he added hurriedly, as Izumi beamed and Ketsui sent the hapless recruit a dark look.

"She really needs no encouragement," Ketsui said acidly. "Now inside, the lot of you. And Yatsubashi, Naniwa? Fukutaichou will be all right. Truth will out, and he's not a liar. It will all be fine. But I recommend not talking to Onmitsukidou - about him or about anything. Kai-dono is fine, but some of his subordinates are nasty pieces of work...as you saw...and they're not worth your time. In fact, I suggest not discussing this at all - not until the Captain returns, at least, and certainly not when there are foreign Division members lurking in the shadows."

With that he was gone across the cobbles, and Hiroshi let out a heavy sigh.

"I guess I understand now why Kohaku-san doesn't like talking about his father," he murmured. "That officer said some horrible things. You'd think after five years they'd let it go."

Izumi shrugged her shoulders, her eyes darkening, and Hiroshi saw her gaze flit across the cobbles to where two junior Onmitsukidou were dragging the still sleeping Morokawa out of the way of the investigation. Her fingers flicked together pensively, and although Hiroshi could not understand her words, the staccato nature of her movements indicated the anger and indignation that still swirled in the young woman's heart.

"Five years isn't very long considering all the things Keitarou did," Shinobu said softly. "Hiroshi, leave it be. Ketsui-san is right. At the moment we don't want to do anything that gets the Taichou in trouble, and if something happened to mean Fukutaichou's not here then we have to do our bit to make sure at the very least our jobs are done and nobody needs to worry about us. Kohaku-san can take care of himself - he's a seated officer - and we should keep out of it."

"You've changed you tune," Hiroshi looked surprised, and Shinobu shrugged.

"It makes me uncomfortable, the atmosphere here today," he admitted. "If Fukutaichou is in trouble then I want to help him, Hiroshi. Taichou too. But we are just recruits. What Ketsui-san said just now made me really realise that. We don't know anything about five years ago - and that guy was out of line but we shouldn't cause more issues by getting involved. I'm cross with what was said about Taichou in particular, but I figure that the biggest help I can be right now is to go and see Atsudane-san or Hikifune-san and see if there is anything they want me to do while Shikibu-san is holding the fort."

"But you have some free time now, don't you?" Hiroshi was startled, and Shinobu nodded.

"I do, but I want to be useful," he said honestly. "And I don't want to be out here while those Onmitsukidou are. I can't promise I won't lose my temper with them properly if they badmouth the Captain again, so I'm better off finding some useful occupation. We're just recruits, and for the first time, I think knowing the limits of that really annoyed me. I know we can't always be in the loop, but to be talked down to like that..."

He clenched his fists.

"The sooner we get stronger and get ranked up the better," he murmured. "But all we can do right now is work hard to support the Division, so that's what I'm going to do. Whatever it takes, while Fukutaichou isn't here, I'm not going to do anything that might cause anyone any bother, no matter what or who I'm dealing with. I'm not okay with letting someone from a foreign division say things about my Captain or Vice Captain, or the Thirteenth, or any of the other things he said. It wasn't right. But Ketsui-san is right as well. If I stay here, I'll pick a fight for real, and I can't be doing that. I need to go cool off and get my head together for a bit. I'll see you later, Hiroshi. Ichimaru-san,"

He bowed his head towards the Thirteenth seat, and Hiroshi could tell that there was a new level of respect in his friend for the petite young woman who looked more like a fairy princess than a member of the Gotei. Then he too was gone towards the main building, leaving Izumi and Hiroshi alone on the steps.

Hiroshi cast Izumi a faint smile.

"That's a pretty neat power, Ichimaru-san," he commented, and Izumi snorted, offering him an impish grin in return. Her fingers twitched again, and Hiroshi frowned.

"Do you always speak like that, with your hands?" he asked, and Izumi nodded. Her fingers moved to her throat, and she touched it, grimacing and shaking her head.

"Ketsui-san understood your signs," Hiroshi remembered. "I suppose that means that we'll learn them too, as time goes on. I'd heard you were a scientist and that you helped the Urahara out a lot - but I didn't know you could do something like you did to that Onmitsukidou officer."

Izumi's lips thinned, and her gaze flitted back in the direction of the Onmitsukidou.

"You don't like them, huh?" he asked softly, and Izumi shook her head.

"I guess you were here five years ago," Hiroshi realised. "You were a recruit with Kayashima-san and Kohaku-san, weren't you?"

Izumi looked startled, then nodded her head. There was a clouded sadness in her expression now, as though the question had sparked a bad memory, and Hiroshi's brows knitted together in consternation.

"Did I say something bad? If I upset you, I'm sorry...I really don't know much about what happened then, except that Keitarou died."

Izumi's features became pensive, and for a few moments, her hands remained still. Then she got to her feet, sheathing the sword that still lay across her lap and reaching out to grasp Hiroshi by the sleeve. She gave it a little tug, as if indicating for him to come with her, and he shot her a surprised look.

"Ichimaru-san?"

Izumi tugged on his sleeve again, gesturing towards the door. She released her hold, disappearing inside the building and then turning back to see that he had understood her instruction. Nonplussed, Hiroshi did as he was bidden, allowing the petite young woman to lead the way through the corridors to a small chamber at the back of the building, barely bigger than a cupboard, in which were piled up stacks of books and papers, many of which were covered in formulae written in an elegant yet spidery hand. Izumi gestured for him to follow her inside, then busily rummaged at the desk for clean parchment and a fresh ink brush. Glancing around him, Hiroshi realised that this tiny room was a makeshift office, and as he turned to observe his companion, he understood that this tiny pokehole, hidden deep within the division, was as good as Izumi's unofficial study.

"All this stuff is your work, isn't it? Your science research for the Urahara and the Taichou?" he asked, and Izumi paused, offering him a smile and nodding her head. She put her finger to her lips, as if indicating that the contents of this room were top secret, but Hiroshi let out a rueful laugh.

"I don't understand any of it, don't worry. I wouldn't know what to tell anyone, even if I wanted to," he assured her. "I'm from District Six, I have absolutely no connection to science whatsoever."

Izumi beamed at him, finally pulling free a blank sheet of paper and laying it out across the desk. Reaching for the brush, she swept it across the page, before pushing it across towards him. He hesitated, and she gestured to him to pick it up. Hiroshi did so, his gaze skimming over the contents.

"Five years ago, a lot of bad things happened," he read softly. "But for Kohaku most of all. It's better not to ask. People don't like remembering and idiots like to make up lies."

He set down the paper, offering her a sad smile.

"I think I understand," he said slowly. "Kohaku-san talked to me a little about his father, when we were training together. And it's all right, Ichimaru-san. I know he's not a creature and that those people were wrong. I like Kohaku-san, and I don't want to upset him. I won't ask awkward questions, I promise."

Izumi nodded approvingly, taking back the paper and folding it between her fingers. The next moment red flame licked up the parchment, consuming it neatly into ash with a perfectly formed flare of Kidou, and Izumi brushed the dust free of her fingers with satisfaction, turning to eye Hiroshi expectantly, gesturing to the door.

"You didn't like what they said about Kohaku-san either," as the Thirteenth seat led the way outside, Hiroshi reflected on their conversation. "You guys are friends, aren't you? Well, I guess you would be, if you recruited together - but I guess when people say stuff like that about a friend, it makes you angry. I'd be the same if it was Shinobu or one of the others. But it's what Ketsui-san said, Ichimaru-san. We work with Kohaku-san and we know what he's really like. Nobody's going to cause him any trouble about the past, I promise."

* * *

"And that is the latest news that I can give," Hirata dropped back against the wall of the Eleventh Division's big barrack hall with a sigh, folding his arms across his chest. "We have no bad news of Kikyue's patrol as yet, and I have confirmation from Sekime-taichou that she is still alive. Her whereabouts, however, and the fate of her companions are unknown...and given the events of last night, immediately concerning. I have asked Sekime-taichou to work on trying to pinpoint a location...and we will await her further developments before taking any action into the Dangai ourselves."

From his corner of the chamber, Tenichi gazed at his Captain with a troubled look in his greenish eyes. Hirata's words were matter-of-fact, and the opaqueness of his pale eyes behind his glasses gave the impression that he was perfectly calm. Although Tsumi no Fuuhi slept at the man's waist, there was no sense of wind chill in the atmosphere, and Tenichi knew that, for most of the lower ranked officers, Hirata's reassuring words would probably be enough.

But not for him. Although on Hirata's return, he had summoned only Hajime and Ohara to his office for a direct and detailed brief on the contents of the Captain's meeting, Tenichi didn't need to have all the details to know that the situation was serious and there was a chance that Kikyue and her companions might never come back alive. Whatever had been said in that office, Ohara had emerged from it pale faced and drawn, his eyes mere shadows of shock in his face. Although he had said nothing at all about it, Tenichi knew the implications of his colleague's distress. While he did not know all the facts of the incident five years ago in which Kikyue had chosen to save Ohara, rather than kill him, he did know that the Fourth Seat's feelings for Kikyue were more than that of just officer and subordinate. Hajime's own expression had given less away, but from the regimented and firm way he had marshalled the Division into the hall to hear the Captain's announcement, Tenichi felt certain that the Vice Captain was also worried about the current state of affairs. That was enough to make him worry, although he knew there was not much he, as Eight Seat and still on probational duties, could do. Still, the atmosphere was unnatural and strange, and he didn't like it at all.

 _It's like the day he told everyone Souja-dono was dead._

Tenichi swallowed hard, trying to push back the recollection from his mind, but it was to no avail.

 _That day, too, he looked like this. Like it was him talking about a stranger. But I saw him, that night, when Souja-dono was covered in blood and gasping for air. I saw him, when Unohana-taichou said that there was no hope. I remember it...God knows I wish I didn't. Everything in my life twisted out of shape that night, and that's no exaggeration. But that was my own fault. Taichou...he did nothing wrong, but Souja-dono still came back from Rukongai dead._

He sighed, glancing down at the hilt of his own sulking sword.  
 _  
And what happened at Eleventh last night? All Taichou said was that there was a violent incident. Minaichi-taichou is hurt, and Ikata-fukutaichou is dead. But Ikata-dono should have been with Kikyue-hime. And Houjou-fukutaichou was arrested. And that means..._

"For now, you're dismissed back to your ordinary duties," Hirata was speaking again, and with some difficulty, Tenichi raised his gaze to his Captain once more. "With a few of our seated officers delayed by the Dangai mission, it will mean everyone putting in an extra shift, but I am sure you will all work hard. If I am needed, I will be in my office."

With that he was gone, only the faintest of breezes whipping after him as he left the room, and at his exit, a soft murmur of conversation began to ripple through the gathered division officers. They had no time to gossip about the surprising and sudden announcement, however, for Hajime was quickly among them, barking orders to the lower seats in tones that told anyone who valued their life that it would not be a good day to disobey. After sending Nakata to lead drills and Masaoka to organise chores in his usual matter-of-fact way, Hajime let out his breath in a rush, glancing across at Tenichi and Ohara, the only two officers that remained.

"Why didn't you give us orders too, Hajime-dono?" Ohara's voice was soft, but there was a slight tremble in his tones that told Tenichi he was fiercely controlling his own temper. "I could as well have taken drill as Nakata, and I outrank him. Surely with our numbers depleted..."

" _You_ are not in a fit state of mind to instruct anyone on anything," Hajime said bluntly. "We both know it, Ohara."

"What are you talking about?" Ohara reacted angrily to this, raising a hand as if to strike the Vice Captain, but Hajime grabbed the other man by the wrist, forcing the hand down by his colleague's side.

"Kikyue-dono is alive," he said evenly. "We have no information to suggest otherwise. In the meantime, if I can parry your strike so easily as that, you're clearly not as focused as you usually are. See sense. Taichou is bearing the weight of this on his shoulders already. He doesn't need further trouble because you're worrying about his daughter too much to maintain squad discipline."

Ohara's eyes widened with shock and dismay at this, and Tenichi grimaced.

"I'd help, Hajime-dono, but I'm still barred from leading drills or doing training," he said apologetically. "Taichou was worried, I could tell that. Is there anything I can do in the meantime, to help out in another way?"

"I wish I knew." At this, Hajime groaned. "Thank you, Kotetsu, but Taichou hasn't intimated to me that he intends to lift your ban at present. I imagine it simply hasn't occurred to him - I can't say myself that there's been anything in your conduct to indicate you'd be a disruptive influence on the juniors, and we could use your help. But I can't supersede the Captain's words and the parole arrangements would need his authority to change."

"His help, but not mine?" Ohara found his voice at this, bitterness lacing his words. "You believe me so unprofessional that I could not do my duty to my Captain, and yet you would willingly place those duties on a lower ranking officer with a prior criminal conviction for violent assault against an unarmed recruit? I had thought we had reached a new level of understanding between us since Souja-dono's death, but it seems you dislike my position in this division as much as you ever did, doesn't it?"

"Ohara, shut up and go to your quarters," Tenichi had flinched at Ohara's tactless words, but Hajime's response showed no flicker of emotional reaction. "You're proving your current ineptitude by speaking in such a stupid and unguarded way. You might think it a secret, but we all know how your senses are where Kikyue-hime is concerned. You believe it's your divine duty to protect her, but there's nothing you can do in that regard right now and frankly, you're in the way. I'm dismissing you from duty for the rest of the day - because at present you are a much more disruptive influence on those junior officers than Kotetsu, who has at least kept his head."

Ohara visibly whitened at this brusque dismissal, and for a moment Tenichi thought his colleague was about to draw his sword and launch at Hajime in an offensive strike. Then he seemed to get to grips with his composure. Shooting Hajime the most icy look he could muster, he turned on his heel with every inch of dignity he could manage, stalking from the room. The door banged shut behind him, and Hajime winced, shaking his head slowly.

"I'm sorry, Kotetsu," he said softly. "He shouldn't have spoken so."

"It's all right," Tenichi recovered himself, offering his companion a rueful smile. "He didn't say anything untrue, anyway. And he's upset. I can understand that. I'm upset too. It reminds me..."

He bit his lip, trailing off, and Hajime's gaze darkened. He nodded.

"Me too," he agreed, and Tenichi knew that neither men needed to mention Souja's name to recognise the fact that his shadow had once more loomed over them. "Taichou is worried, and so am I. But I'll take Ohara's petulance, because ultimately, it's for his own good. He's stupid enough to have fallen in love with the Captain's daughter - that's something I can manage on a daily basis, but Taichou was the one who told me to take him out of circulation if he looked like being a liability. Ohara takes it very seriously, Kikyue-dono's safety, and he wanted to go with her into the Dangai. It wasn't allowed, and I wasn't allowed to go, either. Now Ikata's come back and attacked his division and is dead..."

He shrugged.

"I'd rather take Ohara's tantrum, than let the Taichou," he added. "Whatever he says, Kikyue-hime's in danger, and we all know it. Whatever happened to Ikata, we don't know yet if it might happen to Kikyue-dono, or if she and her companions might also be sent to attack us here at Seventh in the way Ikata apparently set on Eleventh. There's not enough evidence to suggest if this was just a stupid mutiny, but Kotetsu, I know Ikata, and I don't think that he was that foolish a man. He wanted this mission, true, but he wanted it to prove his spurs as a mission leader. I don't think he wanted it as a grandiose means to kill his Captain. More, I know Houjou isn't the kind to set out to start any of this, and he'd only have gone to Eleventh because something was going on there that needed stopping. I don't think that Houjou would've cut Ikata to ribbons if it were just a mutiny. I think he'd have taken him down and arrested him. The fact he didn't meant he couldn't, so I don't think it's just a rebellion gone awry. I think someone interfered with Ikata somewhere, and that means Kikyue-dono's situation is concerning. That's why Ohara's worried - he's smart enough to have seen that, just because she's alive, it doesn't mean that she's safe. But there's nothing any of us can do, because we don't know where she is. Where any of them are. Takasugi, Hashimori, any of them. And it's only Kikyue-dono we know is alive. We don't know anything about the others."

"Should you be talking to a lower ranked ex-con about things like this, sir?" Tenichi asked softly, and Hajime's eyes twinkled faintly with irony. He shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Perhaps it takes one to know one."

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Tenichi stared at his companion, non-plussed, and Hajime sighed.

"I've seen the inside of a prison cell myself before now," he said pensively. "Seimaru-sama didn't like me very much. Fortunately Misashi-sama saw things differently."

"This may be cheeky, but I think being imprisoned by Seimaru-sama is probably a badge of honour, not something to be ashamed of," Tenichi reflected ruefully. "But I may be biased. He and his grandfather created the chaos that drove my brother and I into being refugees. I don't think you can put it in the same category as what I did, Hajime-dono."

"Perhaps not," Hajime looked thoughtful for a moment. "In any case, I know the difference between someone who wants to make good and someone who wants to make trouble. You were an idiot, attacking that girl, but that was then. There is life after prison. I know that all too well. Honestly, I'm impressed by your current attitude. I wanted Taichou to give you a fresh chance, and I'm glad you don't seem keen to betray that trust. You've come back here and accepted all the restrictions placed on you. It's a relief to me, especially now we're in this situation. Unfortunately, though, I don't know how to best deploy you. I don't have authority to challenge parole documents or Taichou's orders...not unless I want an extended visit to the Clan prison of this administration as well."

He glanced in the direction of the doorway.

"I need to go help Nakata...he won't manage everyone on his own, no matter how loudly he shouts, and I should back him up."

"Do you think Aizen Katsura is behind this?" Tenichi asked. Hajime shrugged again.

"It's as good a theory as any," he agreed. "We know he can manipulate Hollows, and probably corpses as well. It seems to have his M.O at this stage...use puppets to kill shinigami, just like he did five years ago in the Spiritless Zone. Why? Did you remember something you didn't tell Taichou or I about him?"

"No...no." Tenichi shook his head hurriedly. "No, everything I know, you know now, too. Believe me, most of Seireitei knows the whole story by this point. And I never did meet Katsura. Not once. I didn't hear his name, even, until after I was arrested. So there's nothing I can say that will help in that regard. But I just..."

He clenched his fists, frustration glittering in his eyes.

"Houjou-fukutaichou was good to me," he said simply. "When I was at Thirteenth, always. And even when I screwed up, he was fair. Now he's been arrested, but I don't...I don't understand what happened at Eleventh, and I don't understand why Ikata-dono was there, and Kikyue-hime wasn't. I don't understand any of it, and it's annoying me. And if it's Katsura...if it is him, messing with us the way his father did, I really..."

He hesitated, chewing on his lip.

"I owe his brother my life," he concluded. "But Koku isn't Katsura, and I promised Taichou, if need be, I'd draw my blade and kill Katsura to keep people safe. I just think...we need to find him, Fukutaichou. I don't know how, or where to even look, but we do. Because if he's doing this..."

"I agree, but we have no leads, and no information about his current whereabouts," Hajime said heavily. "I asked Taichou, but nothing came up at the Captain's meeting that he could share about that. I can't send you out to look for him, Kotetsu. Not only would it be irresponsible of me, you're quite right about entangling yourself with this given the connections it has to the Thirteenth. I don't suppose Houjou is guilty of anything particularly sinister, not given the man he is, but it doesn't mean something else isn't going on there. I don't say your old Division mates are involved in treason," as Tenichi's eyes widened, "not even that waif and stray. But Katsura has met Ukitake-taichou, and he must know Ukitake-taichou took Kohaku in. It's well known that Katsura can read Kohaku's mind. Well, we don't know if he's been doing that. Maybe he has. Taichou said that Kohaku'd been ill last night, when all this happened. What if Katsura did that, to make a distraction for whatever he was planning at Eleventh? It can't be ruled out."

"Meaning he's using his own little brother as a puppet?" Tenichi's heart leapt with rage in his chest, and Hajime pursed his lips.

"Not everyone has the same respect for family bonds as you," he pointed out. "Who knows? Maybe. Maybe he sees Kohaku as a traitor - after all, he turned shinigami and betrayed Keitarou to the Gotei, didn't he? Maybe Katsura wants revenge for his father's death. A lot of things are going on that I don't understand, but what I do understand is that Katsura's been around in the middle of it too much for coincidence. But for all we know, he's hiding in the Dangai itself, and right now, we can't go there."

"In the Dangai? _With_ Kikyue-hime?" Tenichi's brows knitted together in consternation, and Hajime nodded.

"Which is why I'm going to keep my Captain's orders and maintain normal routine here as much as possible, so he has his head clear to deal with whatever master plan Sekime-taichou comes up with to get her out," he said grimly. "It might be that getting our officers out of there will require us to go in. Katsura has a way of entering the Dangai that we don't understand, and he can probably open the gates like the one in Sixth and the one in Seventh whenever he likes. Kotetsu, if Sekime-taichou finds a way to open that gate for us to go in, you might find you suddenly have orders."

"I already promised the Captain that I would find and kill Katsura if need be," Tenichi's response was without hesitation. "It bothers me, being that I owe Kohaku my life, but if you're right, and Katsura's been manipulating him too, then it's better all round that the only Aizen left is the one in Thirteenth Division."

"Right," Hajime nodded approvingly, clapping a warm hand down on his junior's shoulders. "Then I'll go help see to drill. Stick around in case Taichou needs you for messages - and keep an eye on Ohara, if he comes out again. I don't want him trying to supersede my orders when he's in such a rash state of mind...stupid fool that he is, he's useful to this squad, and Taichou wouldn't want him killed. If he tries to disobey these instructions, I'm authorised to put him in confinement, so I'm going to assign you to keep tabs just in case."

"Are you asking me to supervise a superior officer, sir?" Tenichi looked surprised. Hajime offered a rueful smile.

"You're tied by probation and the price you'd pay for breaking rules is much higher than the slap on the wrists I could give him for insubordination, given his family's status in Taichou's government," he replied. "That means right now, yes. You're more reliable a prospect. Besides, whatever else prison did for you, it seems to have hardened your resolve about decisions and duty. I won't say I dislike it, because I suspect it will come to that point. So keep that in mind. Our priority is to get Kikyue-hime and her companions back safely - but if doing so means killing Aizen Katsura, then that's on the agenda as well."


	33. Kohaku's Letter

**Chapter Thirty Two: Kohaku's Letter**

"This morning was hard going,"

Shunsui pulled closed the door of the Captain's meeting room, locking it carefully and letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Juu. I feel like I wasn't a lot of support...but I don't know, honestly, what I can do."

"Nobody can do anything," Juushirou said evenly, falling into step with his companion as they began to make their way back towards their respective Division barracks. "Least of all me, so I wouldn't worry about it, Shunsui. All we can do is wait...and try to get on with life in the meantime."

He grimaced.

"Enishi is probably fine," he added. "He's a lot less prone to worrying than I am, and he tends to act in accordance with his convictions. I'm sure he knew what he was doing...but I admit, I genuinely don't know how we're going to prove it."

"It's a tricky one," Shunsui admitted. "Proving that people you killed were actually dead before you killed them. But Retsu-sama has it in hand. If something like that can be proven, I'm sure she'll uncover it. And the Captains did accept that Ikata was the antagonist. That means that at the very least, Midori-sama will hopefully be able to do as Kai asked, and make Enishi's hearing about being vigilante, rather than straight sedition or murder."

"There is that," Juushirou acknowledged, "but if he is found guilty of that, he'll lose his badge. I'll lose my Vice Captain...and I'm not sure how to process that. Especially now."

He sighed.

"Enishi took me to task the other day about cosseting or protecting Koku too much from the Katsura investigation," he reflected. "He was right, and I'd handed over the organisation of Koku's patrol schedule to him as a result. He's not as prone to stupid over-thinking as I am, so it made sense. Now, after last night, I wonder if his warning came too late. Koku was really not well...really not the Koku that we've come to know over the past five years, and obviously, because of that, my instinct is to shield him. But..."

"You can't," Shunsui said categorically. "Enishi's case may rely heavily on Kohaku's testimony, even if Thirteenth are considered partisan. But tell me more about this 'not well'. You said in the meeting that he was full scale delusive...on the scale of five years ago?"

"By the time I got to him, Izumi had used her hypnosis and laid him out," Juushirou admitted. "But from what she and Kayashima both said, yes. Koku woke most of the Division with a nightmare, too. We all saw some part of it, though with differing levels of intensity. It was just like we'd gone back five years. I thought he'd come so far forward, but now I wonder if he has."

"I can see you are going to continue with the paternal worrying, whatever I say about it," Shunsui looked resigned. "I suppose in that case I'd better come back with you and help you patch up your conscience before I head home and make sure everything at Eighth is running smoothly. Tetsuya's pretty reliable, and I don't think he'll be surprised, considering the situation, so if you don't object, I'll come and crash Ugendou for a bit. We can brainstorm and, hopefully, I can put your mind at rest."

"You're more than welcome," Juushirou assured him, offering a faint smile. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?" Shunsui shrugged his shoulders. "I only wish there was more I could do for Enishi, but short of busting him out of jail illegally..."

"No, that wouldn't help anyone," Juushirou shook his head. "Otherwise we'd have done it already. There must be a hearing and a full investigation. I just wish I knew the outcome right now, because although I believe in him and what he did, I'm not the one who'll ultimately be deciding on his fate."

"I think we should work on the premise that he was right, though, and Ikata and the others were dead, no matter how odd or sinister that sounds," Shunsui reflected. "If he was wrong, then that's in some ways a simpler investigation, because it will mean Ikata mutinied and Enishi stopped him. If that turns out to be the case, we'll do what we can to get Enishi pardoned because we know that he saved lives. But, if he was right and he did kill dead men, we have a bigger problem. We know corpses are coming out of the Dangai, but if Ikata and the others died there, but still came back...it means that things have stepped up a level."

"It doesn't make a lot of sense," Juushirou sighed. "Why kill Ikata and his men? Why not hurt Kikyue and her officers? Why send them back to kill their Division? What point does an action like that have?"

"Until we know who, we can't know why," Shunsui admitted. "Someone must have killed him and someone must have sent him here. Unless we think the Dangai did it on its own, which is unlikely in my opinion."

"Agreed," Juushirou nodded. "Someone is behind this."

"There is always the possibility that Ikata volunteered for the Dangai and pretended to be dead in order to try and carry out a mutiny," Shunsui rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I admit, that does seem too intricate for a man like Ikata, and the long-term benefits of it would be non-existent, because he would be expected to stay dead after the attack. But...if he wanted to kill Minaichi that much..."

"He hated Minaichi, but if he wanted to kill him, he lived in the same location and would've had ample chance to just go at it with blades," Juushirou objected. "As you say, he wasn't the plotting type, either. And as much as he did hate Minaichi, he'd worked with him for thirty years. Why kill him now? Makes no sense at all."

"I agree," Shunsui frowned. "I had to raise the possibility in the interests of exploring all avenues, but I think you're right. Which makes Ikata's actions without true motive...and implies someone else's hand in the attack."

"Someone with a zanpakutou, in order to open the Gate from inside the Dangai?" Juushirou asked. Shunsui nodded.

"That's how it sounds," he concurred. "I feel as though, if we're going to get to the bottom of this, we're going to have to ignore preconceptions and just look at the information we have. We're in danger so far of putting on blinkers - assuming mutiny, or that Aizen Katsura is involved."

"You don't think he is, do you?" Juushirou asked sharply. Shunsui shrugged.

"I've yet to see any evidence of it," he admitted. "I know he was in Rukongai, but we have no witness statements to say that he killed anyone there. It was the first incident, Juu, so everyone assumed that was what happened, but that was before we knew corpses could come out of the Dangai and attack. Hirata's men took a sword from that scene - an old sword. What if Katsura stumbled on the attack and used his spirit power to stop the monster? If so, he'd leave his reiatsu behind. And since the only other thing we can lay at his door is the raiding of Keitarou's tomb...which you already know bothers me...I'm inclined to say that he's not involved in this. At least, not as a conspirator. And it might well be that, by focusing on him too much, we've missed other clues."

"Koku is adamant his brother is not a bad person," Juushirou reflected. "I wish I knew if he was right, but since we don't even know where Katsura is, it's hard to prove either way."

"There's always..."

Shunsui faltered, then frowned, shaking his head slightly.

"I have to admit, I don't really think so," he added vaguely, lowering his voice. "But I suppose we shouldn't forget that Keitarou had an S.P.Y in the Gotei five years ago."

"Sekime?" Juushirou's eyes widened in consternation, and Shunsui chewed on his lip.

"We don't know that for sure," he cautioned, "so keep your voice down. I have to admit, I still think she's the most likely...but I also don't think that she's still working on the dark side. Whatever her reasons, what happened to Anabomi and everything five years ago shook her. We didn't see the need to report anything then, because, well, it didn't seem to be the right thing to do. But I suppose, it was her key that Ikata came back on. Theoretically."

"True," Juushirou frowned. "I tend to agree with you, though. She might have been...involved in that, five years ago. But...no. I genuinely don't like Sekime for this. I think she was in over her head, and she got out. I suppose we have to keep it in mind, as a possibility - but...to be honest, Shunsui, I can't see it. I still find it hard to see her as a spy. And Minaichi...he's hurt and she's clearly concerned..."

"Five years ago she did try to kill him," Shunsui pointed out. Juushirou nodded.

"Yes, until she realised the truth about her Captain and what really happened," he responded thoughtfully. "No. Call me an idealist, if you like, but Sekime's not behind this any more than Enishi is a murderer. It doesn't feel right. I don't see her doing something like this. Keitarou manipulated her - that's all."

"Mm," Shunsui let out a gusty sigh. "I can't say I feel different. I suppose we should keep it in mind, in case it becomes necessary to talk to her - but I don't really think this is her style, either. Yes, she gave them the keys, but it wasn't a very efficient way of offing Minaichi even if she still wanted to. And it's like Ikata. There are easier ways to kill Minaichi if you really have your mind set on that. I admit, she went to extremes to cover her tracks last time, and if we were still thinking about Katsura, then she'd be an obvious choice of ally...but...you're right. It doesn't feel right. So we'll put that on the back-burner, and think again."

"Koku was adamant that he and his siblings didn't know the identity of the Gotei spy." Juushirou remembered. "It's true that Sekime has always kept her distance from Koku, and he's never said anything to me about her since that conversation - but if Koku didn't know, Katsura wouldn't. It's just too clumsy as a theory, and right now I don't buy it - not least because I want to believe we didn't do the wrong thing, five years ago, not speaking up about our suspicions."

"There is that, too," Shunsui acknowledged. "But I don't think we were wrong. Although ultimately we may have to prove it."

"Well, if we do, we do," Juushirou sounded resigned. "First things first...I need my Vice Captain back."

"It looks like you still have Kai's little helpers on site," as they reached the entrance of the Thirteenth Division, Shunsui gestured to the two black-robed Onmitsukidou who blocked the way, and Juushirou pulled a face.

"I don't have much choice but to let them roam," he admitted. "It's annoying, but at present, unavoidable."

They approached the entrance, the Onmitsukidou acknowledging both Captains with a respectful nod. The courtyard of the Division was quiet, although the remains of markers on the cobblestones indicated that there had been officers working here, collecting evidence from the place Furuta had collapsed. Aside from the Second Division officers on sentry duty, there was no sign of any other special operatives on site, and as they crossed the yard towards Ugendou, Juushirou saw Naoko waiting for them, her arms folded across her chest. At the sight of her, Shunsui offered a wry smile.

"You shouldn't worry about not having Enishi to take you to task, Juu," he observed dryly. "Naoko-chan will probably do just as good a job."

"Taichou," at the sight of him, Naoko hurried forward, casting Shunsui a disparaging glance and then turning her attention to her Captain. "Taichou, the Onmitsukidou are mostly gone. Apparently they have to stay at the entrance - ostensibly because they don't think we can protect ourselves, but really because they want to know who goes where and why. Since the others weren't doing anything except annoying our recruits, I sent them away until you returned. Kai-dono isn't here now, but I have spoken to Kohaku. He - and Kayashima too - are both willing to speak to Kai-dono if you consent."

"Koku is up?" Juushirou asked, and Naoko nodded.

"He is, and he seems quite steady," she confirmed. "A little pale from last night, but in his wits and very much wanting to do his bit to help. I warned him that it might not be a pleasant interview, but he is determined to do it, regardless. I hope it wasn't forward of me, sir, but I sent a message to Second to tell Kai-dono to return once the Captain's meeting had ended. I thought that, given Kohaku's views and the urgency of the matter, it would be better not to waste time."

"It sounds as though Koku is fine, Juu," Shunsui cast his friend a sidelong glance, and Juushirou sighed.

"Where are they now?" he asked wearily.

"I brought them to Ugendou, sir," Naoko admitted. "I thought it better, given that the Onmitsukidou were annoying everyone else. I think Kai-dono should talk to Kohaku himself, and I didn't want them prodding or poking him without their leader present. Apparently, according to Ketsui, some of the Onmitsukidou were making derogatory remarks about the lad, and about Thirteenth, and even about you, sir. I didn't think that was something lower seated officers ought to deal with, and so I sent the Onmitsukidou officers away to learn about professionalism and respect. Was that all right?"

"It was," Juushirou confirmed. "It's unfortunate, that some of Kai's officers are less professional than Kai is, but if that's the reason you sent them away, Naoko, then you have my backing. Kai can come, of course - and Etsuo-san, if he likes, but I think I'll make it clear that if they want to speak to my subordinates, they'll have to do so themselves. I want this investigated, but I won't tolerate disrespect for the Division within these walls, whatever is said outside of it."

He flashed his Third Seat a smile.

"Thank you for holding the fort so well, Naoko," he added. "I appreciate it, especially with things as they are."

"I suppose I'll have to get used to it, for now," Naoko grimaced. "I know I always scold him, but I miss Fukutaichou being here. He's a steady, calm influence on all of us, isn't he? I've felt like ripping chunks out of people all morning, and remembering not to is starting to take its toll."

"Kai should be glad you dismissed his naughty officers, then," Shunsui looked amused, and Naoko sent him a dark glare.

"I can begin with you, Kyouraku-taichou," she said stiffly, "as you are a visitor to the premises also."

"But, the honoured guest of your Captain," Shunsui beamed at her, "not to mention the current Captain Commander."

"Heaven only knows what idiot thought that was a good idea," Naoko sighed, and Juushirou frowned.

"Heaven seems to be coming into the discussion a lot, lately," he reflected, and Shunsui cast him a startled look.

"As in, Heaven's War?"

"Yes," Juushirou agreed. "I don;t know why, but when Naoko said it just then, it jarred. It's as though that's somehow really important, even though we know nothing about it. Or about 'Heaven'."

"The Royal Realm, as it is now known," Naoko looked thoughtful. "I don't know much about that, or how it works, or if it even has any bearing on our lives here now. Heaven's War I've heard of, of course, but only in terms of a general history. It's so long ago, most of the stories we have have become myth rather than truth."

"Did the Unohana fight in Heaven's War?" Shunsui asked curiously. Naoko shrugged.

"Define fight," she said dryly. "I don't know. The Unohana is a really old Clan though, so it's possible they had some involvement. At the very least, they existed. They're one of the oldest families in Seireitei. Retsu-sama's said so. I think our records go back four or five thousand years at the very least, and who knows about before that. There are rumours that the first Clans in Seireitei were the Yamamoto and the Unohana, but that view isn't very popular in the direction of District Six."

"I can imagine not," Juushirou said drolly.

"See, the Kyouraku only came about because of military distinction," Shunsui rubbed his chin. "Sometime after Heaven's War, or maybe at the same kind of time. I'm not certain."

"Do you think that matters?" Naoko asked. Shunsui shrugged.

"Juu said it, about the fact Heaven's War keeps getting mentioned," he admitted. "I don't know. Maybe it does. Maybe we should try and find out some more about it. I mean, I've looked into the Dangai death sentence a little, but maybe its more than that. If it keeps coming up, after 3000 years with no mention whatsoever, that's suspicious. And probably not coincidence."

He offered a rueful smile.

"It's probably just me, fixating on something," he added pensively. "I don't have enough of a grasp on it yet to make it make sense in the bigger picture, but it does bother me. I'll keep thinking on it and let you know if I come up with anything."

"Then I'm relieving you of your duty, Naoko," Juushirou cast the Third Seat a grateful glance. "You've held the fort wonderfully, but you need to rest too, and I'll take hold from here. Take a few hours and get some sleep if you can. I don't doubt I'll need you later, but I'll have a look at the patrol details myself and see what can be made of them."

"You haven't had much sleep either, Taichou," Naoko objected, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'm Captain," he said evenly. "The buck rests with me."

"I'll keep an eye on him, Naoko-chan," Shunsui promised. "I won't let him overwork himself. Don't worry. I came here for that purpose."

"If you're in charge, Kyouraku-kun, I imagine nothing much will get done at all," Naoko rolled her eyes. "Though in this case, maybe that's a good thing."

She sighed, then saluted.

"I'll go do as you say then, sir," she agreed reluctantly. "If you need me, though, don't worry about sending for me. I'm at your disposal. I don't think Fukutaichou did anything wrong, and I'm not having members of other Divisions roaming around here spreading untrue rumours to the new recruits, so I'm more than happy to tear chunks from unwelcome visitors if you should want me to."

"I will hold you to that, if it reoccurs," Juushirou assured her. "Thank you, Naoko. I appreciate it."

Naoko offered him a sad smile, then disappeared into shunpo across the yard, leaving the two Captains alone.

"She'd work herself into the ground if I let her, for the sake of this Division," Juushirou observed pensively, and Shunsui snorted.

"She's just following her Captain's example, then," he said categorically. "Come on. We're going to find your waif and stray and make sure he's fit to speak to Kai. I can sense Kai's reiatsu approaching, so he got Naoko's memo. You'll have to make it a cursory check - but if Naoko says Koku's okay, then he's probably fine. She's quite perceptive and she's protective of her officers, especially where Kai and his men are concerned."

As Naoko had indicated, Kohaku and Kayashima were both waiting for their Captain on the walkway that led to Ugendou, Kayashima lounging against the wood watching the koi pond and Kohaku curled up against the door of the Captain's office. At the sight of Juushirou, however, both were immediately alert, and Kohaku scrambled to his feet, hurrying across the wood planks to greet his mentor.

"Taichou! Shikibu-san told us to wait for you here - she said that I should speak to the Onmitsukidou, and I want to. She told us about Fukutaichou, sir, and I want to help."

"Well, he looks in one piece to me," Shunsui eyed Kohaku critically, and the young officer reddened, looking awkward.

"I guess the whole of Seireitei knows I was ill last night?" he asked apprehensively, and Juushirou nodded.

"It's not something we can keep under wraps, not when Enishi may rely on your testimony," he said heavily, grasping Kohaku by the shoulders and holding him at arm's length, examining the skinny youth with a searching gaze. "I admit, you look better than I think I expected. Are you sure you're up to this, though? It might be upsetting, and you were really not yourself last night."

"He's all right, sir," Kayashima interjected at that point. "We've talked it through, and we went to see Furuta. Koku wants to help - and so do I," he added. "I saw the dream delusion, too, and Naoko-san said that Shihouin-fukutaichou might be interested in speaking to me as well. I was with Koku last night, so I can also vouch for the fact he didn't leave the Division grounds or go to Eleventh himself."

"You look like you've been in the wars," Shunsui observed, and Kayashima shrugged.

"Perils of having a best friend who doesn't always live on the same thought plane as the rest of us," he said ironically, and Kohaku sighed, looking guilty. "It's all right, Kyouraku-taichou. Just scratches and bruises. Nothing to make a fuss about."

"We want to help Fukutaichou," Kohaku added, recovering his composure. "Please sir, can we? Shikibu-san said it was important, and I am all right now. Really. I've had breakfast, and I feel a lot better than I did. And Fukutaichou has always been kind to me. I don't want to let him down."

"Well, Kai is on his way here," Juushirou sighed, but released his hold on Kohaku's shoulders, nodding his head. "If you feel like that, then I won't stop you. You might as well go to the gate to meet him," he added, glancing at Kayashima. "I think it should be both of you. Kai can decide what he wants when you get there, but you're to speak only to him or to Etsuo-san, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Kohaku and Kayashima exchanged glances, both nodding their heads, and Shunsui grinned, stepping back to allow them to pass.

"I think your guest just reached the entrance of the Thirteenth," he observed. "You should probably not keep him waiting."

"Yes, you both go," Juushirou agreed. "Go, report, and then come back. I want to speak to you both about last night, but Shunsui's right. Speaking to Kai is for Enishi's sake, and that's more important than my peace of mind right now."

"We're going, sir," Kayashima grabbed Kohaku's arm, dragging him off in the direction of the main courtyard, and Juushirou watched them go, rubbing his temples wearily.

"He really does seem all right, Juu," Shunsui remarked, and Juushirou nodded.

"He does," he admitted. "I'm glad, but I hope it's not just an act. I know Enishi inspires loyalty from the officers he leads, and I'm sure both of them want to help, but Koku was unusually bad last night. If he has another...episode...it might make things more difficult."

"Well, Kayashima is with him, and that lad seems quite grounded," Shunsui pointed out. "Sending them together was a good idea. I guess Kayashima's bruises came from restraining Koku last night, which means he's not afraid to get actively involved if Koku loses himself. It'll be fine, Juu. You have to trust him with this. Nobody else can give his statement for him. It has to come from Koku, and it has to go direct to Kai and Saku-chan, else it means nothing."

"That's why I haven't gone with him," Juushirou admitted. "As protective as I feel over him right now, I don't think it would look very good if I was interfering. The Thirteenth has nothing to hide, and so the Captain needs to keep out of interviews with his squad members."

"And you need to sit down, have some hot tea - or something stronger - and take the pressure off your shoulders a bit as well," Shunsui moved to open the door of Ugendou, marshalling his friend inside and indicating for him to sit down. "I suppose it's probably too early for sake, especially if there are Onmitsukidou on the premises, but you should take a break anyway. You've relieved Naoko of her duties, but there's not much you can do now, either. Your Division are cooperating and Enishi is in no immediate danger while the investigation is carried out. Kohaku has bounced back from his night terror, and everything here is as serene as it can be. You don't need to be buzzing around doing anything at present. So you can sit and kill some time talking to me instead."

"Maybe you're right," Juushirou sank down onto the cushions with a sigh. "The meeting this morning was not pleasant, and I've had next to no sleep with one thing or another. Naoko's right. Enishi's a calming presence here. I realise I'm being repetitive, but I really don't like that I can't do anything for him but wait and let the Onmitsukidou build their case."

"Kai will do what he can, you know that."

"Yes, but Kai is also honest and objective where the need arises, and we need the burden of proof" Juushirou replied. "Oh well. Rehashing it won't change anything, so I suppose I'll try and leave it there."

"It looks like Naoko pre-empted your arrival. There's fresh tea steaming here and waiting to be drunk," Shunsui inspected the tea implements gathered on the side table of the small office-bedchamber. "And it looks like you have mail. Is that Kinnya-sama's crest?"

"I'd forgotten about that," Juushirou admitted, taking the letter from his friend and turning it over pensively. "It came as I was about to leave this morning. I wasn't expecting anything from him, and I had other things on my mind. But he did send it express, so I suppose I ought to read it."

"I second that," Shunsui set a ceramic tea mug down before his friend, pouring the warm green liquid into it and nudging it in Juushirou's direction before pouring his own. "Here. Drink this and read your Grandpa's latest missive. Like as not whatever it is is something you can deal with, and it might take your mind off everything else."

"Doubtful," Juushirou looked rueful, nonetheless taking an obedient sip of tea. "When Ojiisama sends an express, it usually means he wants me to do something. I hope he doesn't want me to come to Sixth. I don't think that would be a wise thing to do, right now, with no Vice Captain to deputise."

He set the tea mug aside, carefully breaking the seal on the letter and untying the ribbons that had held the paper in place. Setting them down on the table, he began to unfold the message, realising as he did so that there was another letter folded up and concealed inside. He glanced at it, then looked again, his brows knitting together in a frown of confusion as he took in the characters written across the front of this second document. It was tied with a much simpler kind of ribbon, but from the precision of the knots Juushirou had the distinct feeling that whatever its contents, Kinnya had probably already read it and refastened it for its onward journey. For all Kinnya was known as the Kuchiki hermit by his wider kinsfolk, Juushirou knew that he was not easily fooled, and the fact that he had chosen to open and read a letter not addressed to him put him on edge.

"A letter addressed to Koku," he murmured, and Shunsui glanced up, sending him a quizzical look.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ojiisama's sent me a letter that's addressed to Koku," Juushirou tapped it with his index finger, and Shunsui frowned.

"That sounds ominous," he murmured. "What does Kinnya-sama have to say about it?"

"Let's see," Juushirou set the mysterious communication aside, turning his attention to the elegant scrawl of his grandfather.

 _Juushirou,_ [it read] _,  
I hope this letter finds you well. I apologise in advance for the extra work I suspect I might be putting on your shoulders, but a strange letter came into my possession and I think that it is something you ought to be aware of. Keiichi obtained it in a local town from a young girl wanting to send it to your lad Kohaku in the Thirteenth. He thought it amiss, and brought it to me. I admit, I have read the letter, and his suspicions are not without grounds._

 _The letter is signed by a "Gorou", but we are certain that the true author of the letter is someone who knows Kohaku intimately well. The use of correct kanji and the level of education involved in composing it suggests a lack of subtlety on the part of the sender, and the contents are not as guarded as they could be. Take comfort in the fact that we are not dealing with a genius, but it does seem that the Gotei's missing fugitive is currently lurking in my environs. I will be chasing up this matter personally, but in the meantime, I thought you should be aware that Katsura is trying to communicate with his brother, using a young girl as a fence for his messages. I also think from the content of this message that they may have been in contact before, quite recently, and I suggest you ask Kohaku about this at your first opportunity._

 _I will be in touch if I have further information about the missing Aizen boy, but for the meantime, I believe this is a matter that the Thirteenth Division Captain is eminently placed to resolve._

 _With all the best from your Grandfather,_

 _Kuchiki Kinnya._

He raised a troubled gaze to meet Shunsui's grave one.

"Katsura?" Shunsui asked softly, and Juushirou nodded, holding the letter out. Shunsui took it, skimming over the contents with a curious eye.

"Intercepted in the Coastal Province by Keiichi-dono, who is almost as sharp as Ojiisama when it comes to sniffing out trouble," Juushirou said wearily. "Shunsui, I don't like it. I had thought that it could happen, Katsura making contact with Koku, but what Ojiisama says bothers me."

"They may have been in contact before, quite recently," Shunsui pursed his lips, folding the letter between his fingers and handing it back. "Yes, that is a problem, and one you don't need right now. Thirteenth has Onmitsukidou everywhere. If they suspect Koku of involvement with his brother...but then, Kinnya-sama might be mistaken about that."

"He might," Juushirou admitted slowly. "I don't like reading the private mail of my members, but in this circumstance, I'm going to have to. I'll have to tackle it with Koku too, when he returns from his conversation with Kai...but first of all, I suppose I should see what Katsura wants him to know."

He unravelled the plain ribbon, unfolding the second note and spreading it out on the table before him.

 _Koku_ [it began, using the character for 'black' that Juushirou knew had once been Kohaku's manner of self-identification in Rukongai],

 _Forgive me for this message so soon after the last but things have changed. The Dangai is dangerous and nobody must risk entering it. Something dark is ripping it to shreds from the inside out and I don't know what it is. All I know is that it was a bad idea to connect Zaimon to Senkaimon. There are Hollows inside the Dangai, Koku, and someone is going to get killed if the shinigami keep opening the Gates. I don't know how to stop it, and sending this is a risk, but I don't know what else to do or who else to ask. If you have to, talk to your Ukitake-taichou and tell him everything. I'm sorry if that gets you or your friend in trouble, but I'm afraid that things are going to get a lot worse._

 _Gorou._

Beneath the pseudonym was the crudely drawn image of a Katsura tree, and Juushirou sighed, pushing it across towards his friend so that Shunsui could read it too. The other Captain did so, his brows twitching together as he digested the contents. There was a moment of silence, then, at length, Shunsui spoke.

"Interesting."

"Is that all you can say?" Juushirou shot his companion an irritated glance. "Shunsui! If Koku's been communicating with his brother, then..."

"It's not an if, I don't think," Shunsui pushed the letter back, offering the white haired Captain a faint smile. "I'd say that Katsura's landed his brother in it good and proper. But it is interesting, don't you think? The tone of the letter. Katsura sounds frightened. We know he's impulsive and prone to random actions. This sounds like a man who's desperate...certainly desperate enough to risk his own safety by telling Koku to go and talk to you. Plus, there's something else in this," he reached over to tap the document. "Katsura mentions a friend. Koku's not the only one keeping secrets. It sounds like someone else is, too."

"Kayashima, you think?" Juushirou asked sharply, and Shunsui shrugged.

"I'd put my money that way," he agreed evenly, "but you know them better than I do, so you tell me. Do you think that it's likely?"

"I don't know what to think," Juushirou admitted. "I'll have to tackle it, of course, but thank goodness I sent them to talk to Kai before I read this. Hopefully he'll talk to them and then leave and I can have it out with the pair of them without risk of making Enishi's situation worse."

He sent Shunsui a doubtful look.

"You really think that Katsura's sincere? He's not just trying to get Koku in trouble with the Gotei?"

"You've met the lad," Shunsui replied. "What do you think? Do you think he'd put Koku in that position?"

"No," Juushirou owned. "When he attacked the Seventh, he lost his temper and was wild. The thing that made him pull back was Koku. It was like Koku snapped him out of his vengeful rage. No, I think that he probably wouldn't hurt Koku. Which means that his warning..."

"Is probably true," Shunsui said grimly, "and we have had ample proof recently that the Dangai is dangerous. Truth is, Juu, I tried to stop the Dangai mission but I was too late to do it. I hoped it would be fine, but I wish I'd been quicker. I don't know what's going on in there, but I did find evidence that there are a lot more Dangai criminals - thus Dangai dead - than anyone's realising. It seems like our forebears originally used the Dangai to dump anyone they didn't like. Heaven's War may or may not have been like that. As far as I can ascertain, all the judgement passed after that was passed here in Seireitei, by Seirei peers, and it sounds as though rebels were sent there, but I did some more digging and I found that many of those who didn't die in battle were executed. Only the most offensive were consigned to oblivion. The list I have is quite long, but if that was signed off after a major war, that does make sense. The thing is, when I went back and looked for more data, I found that when it was the Royal Realm - or "Heaven" - making the call, a lot more people got chucked in there. Basically anyone who spoke up against their governance ended up in there, rich or poor. It was the Seireitei based Regents who put a final stop to it, but the predecessors - those appointed by the Royal Realm from within their own ranks - they had no qualms about getting rid of anyone who they considered a problem to their rule."

"And then Keitarou connected the Zaimon to the Senkaimon and made his own network out of them," Juushirou groaned. "Katsura's still using those tunnels even now his father is dead."

"He said he met a Hollow inside one, which also intrigues me. The fact he mentioned it suggests its not something that normally happens when he uses them," Shunsui added. "I have a bad thought, Juu. A bad thought that I think was rattling around in the back of my mind after I saw the Zaimon lists, but which Katsura's letter has just made even more real to me. Soul Society have been chucking criminals into the Dangai - or no, not specifically what we think of as the Dangai, but some spiritual non-space - in huge quantities since who knows when. Sure, we don't do it any more, but if we're dealing with the numbers I think we are...where do all those dead people go? I think Katsura just answered that for us, without meaning to. They don't go anywhere, Juu. Those that die on entry are corpses. Those that don't...well, maybe the atmosphere in there mutates them and they become Hollows. Maybe that's why Hollows appear in Seireitei, as well as in the Real World. Souls here don't turn Hollow unless someone tampers with them. Real World Hollows don't seem able to get here. So where do our Hollows come from? There have been rumours and myths for years about some kind of Hollow world. What if that isn't a myth, but something that our predecessors inadvertently created? Right now I'd be willing to bet that the root cause of all our domestic Hollow insurrections can be traced to the Dangai...or rather, the Zaimon. Dangai transferance used to be horribly dangerous, even with legitimate Senkaimon. What if part of that danger was to do with Hollow attacks we have no record of...because there were no survivors to record them?"

"But if that's true, it's not Keitarou's doing," Juushirou chewed on his lip. "I see your logic, and can't argue with it, except that if you're suggesting all Hollows we fight here - like the one who killed my Father - if they all are mutations of ancient criminals consigned to oblivion in times gone by, then there must have been a network of some kind beforehand. Somewhere these Hollows are and some way for them to get here that we don't know about. Even if they had access in the past, they don't use our Senkaimon system now. They apparently don't use the tunnels Keitarou created as a normal rule, either, if you're reading Katsura's letter correctly. We're dealing with too many big gaps at the moment to say you're right. You might be - but we're leaping ahead of ourselves and at the moment, the biggest problem isn't Hollows. We're seeing hardly any of them. It's reanimated corpses. And the Ikata incident means that we can't ignore that."

"True," Shunsui sighed, but nodded. "And even if I am right, there's not a lot we can do about it. It's something that was set in motion long before we were born. Probably longer even than Yama-jii has been alive. Undoing thousands of years of damage doesn't seem like something we could manage easily, even if we knew where to look or how to go about dealing with it. And all that theorising doesn't explain why we're seeing the roaming dead all of a sudden. That isn't Hollowfication. If my theory is correct, the corpses should stay corpses, and rot away slowly inside the Zaimon. If we presume Ikata and the others were dead, and I see no reason not to believe Enishi or Kohaku on that point, then something must be actively interfering in that process. It's not an accident when eight fit officers suddenly decide to destroy their Division and kill their Captain. And whatever happened to them, it happened within the last few days. I agree that that is a lot more pressing. Not least because we still don't know where Kikyue and her officers are."

* * *

"I think that is all for today, Jun'ei. We will continue this tomorrow, but you have had little occasion for your sword practice since Futsuki went to the Endou border to finalise the trade arrangements, and I will not have him criticise me for indulging your laziness when he returns."

Kuchiki Seiren, father of Ryuu and twin brother of the Kuchiki Clan leader, Guren, closed the dusty history book with a wry smile. In the bright, airy chamber that was given over to the education of important members of the Kuchiki Clan, the room's only other occupant let out a sigh, closing his own volume reluctantly and resting his hands lightly on the cover.

"Must I practice today?" he asked, a faintly plaintive note in his voice as he gazed across the room towards the window, taking in the bright sunlight that glittered there in indication of the coming of the summer months. "It seems like a nice day, and I should like to spend some time in the grounds. The cherry blossom is mostly gone at the main house now, but the wisteria is beginning to bloom and this kind of weather is perfect for writing music..."

He trailed off, eying his companion doubtfully, and Seiren sighed, pushing the book into the pile with the others and getting to his feet.

"A Clan Leader must have a wide range of skills, not just cultural pursuits," he chided softly, and despite himself, Jun'ei felt his cheeks flush red at the gentle rebuke. "Guren-sama and I have both learned first hand the importance of a solid family base from which to govern this District, but the heir to the Kuchiki has always had certain skills and attributes that have been essential. Your spirit power means that you must train to hold a sword, because one day you will inherit this family and you will lead the Clan in a new direction. You need to remember that at all times, Jun'ei. Your life is your own at present, but much depends on the lessons you learn now."

Jun'ei sighed heavily once more, nodding his head.

"I know," he admitted reluctantly. "I don't hate fighting with a sword, and I understand that I must train. I just...with Futsuki-dono away, I hoped...well...maybe I would be able to spend a little more time with my flute. I have been writing a new song recently, and I hoped to have it finished by the time Father next came home."

"We both know Futsuki would scold me, if I let you postpone your training so easily," Seiren came to stand beside Jun'ei's desk, sending the boy a pensive look. "He knows I am fond of you, and thus more likely to give in to your entreaties than maybe I should. Still, this time I must be firm. Shirogane sent your mother and younger siblings to her parents' manor, but he was quite clear that you were of age enough now to stay here and attend to your education. Fifteen is an important age for a young shinigami-in-waiting, and especially one who will one day be the lord of this District. You are aware of all that has occurred recently here, and of the unexplained spiritual anomalies across Seireitei. I cannot sense these things, but I can read the reports and I know that they are not trivial affairs. Your spirit power is such that you ought to be able to pick up from the atmosphere the things I cannot. Just because we are officially at peace, it does not mean that we could not be at war in a matter of days. I have learned that lesson the hard way, and so I seek to make sure you do not."

Jun'ei gazed up at his great uncle earnestly, taking in the grey-streaked hair and the lean figure that stood before him. Seiren was not as broadly built as his twin brother, with his mother's delicate features and slender build, but in his youth, Jun'ei knew that this man had been a great sword fighter, capable of taking Guren's blade in a battle of sealed swords. Jun'ei had never seen his great uncle wield a sword in such a decisive and brutal fashion, however, for an illness some thirty years earlier had left permanent physical frailties that he had failed to fully shake off. Jun'ei did not know what kind of illness, for the family had never spoken of it, but he had heard the rumours about Seiren's sickly nature and lack of spirit power that had debarred him from a place in the succession, and so he had assumed that it had been a similar kind of ailment. Whatever it had been, it had left lines in his face that made him appear some years Guren's elder. Athough there was no escaping the fact he was not as strong as he had once been, Seiren's will to live and his obstinate refusal to retire while Guren lived had made him a constant presence at the Kuchiki court throughout all of Jun'ei's short life. In spite of his lack of spiritual presence and the fact that he now often walked with a stick at close hand in case of unsteadiness, Seiren was still a key figure in Kuchiki politics, and for this reason, he had been entrusted with educating Shirogane's eldest son, the potential future heir to the Clan, in all the things he himself had been taught by Kinnya as a youth.

Jun'ei had always liked having Seiren as a teacher, and he knew that Shirogane's agreement to the choice meant that his great uncle was probably someone his father too esteemed highly. Shirogane had always impressed on Jun'ei that Seiren's lack of spirit power did not make him weak of mind, and that, as the Clan leader's brother, he should always be treated with the utmost deference and respect. Jun'ei had resolved not to shame his father by acting rudely to such an important individual, and from the first time he had stepped into the classroom, he had found this to be easy. Seiren was a strict but fair and ultimately conscientious tutor who would ensure that he was rigorously drilled in all the necessary facts, while always making room to hear Jun'ei's own opinion on everything he learned. In some ways, Jun'ei reflected now, he had spent more time in Seiren's care than he had with his own father, for Shirogane, as Vice Captain and heir to the Clan was often away in Inner Seireitei. Jun'ei valued the brief spells he had with his father, and the music lessons that had provided the central opportunity for the two of them to bond, but it was Seiren who had become Jun'ei's principal guide in navigating Kuchiki life. Jun'ei knew that Seiren did not exaggerate, nor did he lie, and so at the man's words now, he frowned, slowly nodding his head.

"Yes, sir, I know. I'm sorry. I suppose I am being frivolous. But Father did say that, when my skill was good enough, he would let me play Grandmother's flute. Oune has such a fine sound, so much purer and richer than my own flute, and I have so little opportunity to spend time with him when the shinigami squad is busy."

"If I was better able, I would like to cross swords with you myself," Seiren sounded regretful. "I understand that it is dull, training alone, but unfortunately this body of mine would probably not give you any challenge at all. When you were smaller, perhaps, but you are improving in leaps and bounds and I am quite sure you would quickly overwhelm me these days. Still, I must insist, Jun'ei. I will come with you, and observe, but you must complete your exercises. They are part of your education, just as your history and your music studies are - and I will not let you neglect them."

"Yes, sir," Jun'ei looked sad, but he nodded his head, getting to his feet and neatly tidying his books before bowing very properly before his tutor. "Thank you for my lesson, Seiren-dono. I will go and prepare for my sword practice now."

"I will meet you down at the yard," Seiren told him, and Jun'ei bobbed his head in agreement, hurrying to carry out his promise.

The Kuchiki manor was a big and winding estate that had first been founded several millenia before, although over the years it had undergone changes and refurbishments to suit the individual tastes of different Clan leaders. Guren was the fifteenth head of the Kuchiki, and Jun'ei knew that his father, Shirogane, would be the sixteenth. The thought that one day that honour might also be his still gave him a tingle of apprehension, for he knew that, when that day came, the strong and stable role models that had been carefully placed around him would no longer be there to turn to for support. Jun'ei was too young to remember the fractured Clan that had been so ripped into pieces by the machinations of Aizen Keitarou, and so he saw his family as a close knit unit, filled with admirable leader figures and heroes to whose great deeds in uniform and at court he was to aspire. The weight of these expectations was sometimes heavy about his young shoulders, but, as he hurried to his chamber to change his robes and fetch his asauchi blade, Jun'ei also reflected on the honour of having been singled out to stay behind.  
 _  
Father sent Mother to Grandfather because of the incident in Ribari-sama's grove, and the risk of fallout from the shinigami investigations there. He sent Mother and he sent my sister and my brother, but he did not send me. I am fifteen this year, and that is old enough to be able to stay and continue my training. I should not try Seiren-dono's patience by complaining. My being here means that he has an additional chore in teaching me, and it is strange, with both Mother and Father far from the main house. But while Futsuki-dono is attending to business at the border, I did think..._

He paused, his gaze falling on the carved wooden flute that lay on the window sill, its painted finish protected from the sun by the half-closed shutter. The flute had been a present from his mother when he had been seven or eight, after his first Sakura festivities. He had been allowed to stay up and attend the evening ceremonies and there he had heard Shirogane play for the first time. In that moment, he had been captivated by Oune's true and pure notes, and had begged his mother to be allowed to learn to make such pretty fairy music too. Shirogane had been proud that day, he remembered regretfully, turning away from the flute and moving instead to the corner where the asauchi was propped against the wall. He had promised to teach Jun'ei himself, whenever he had been able, and he had kept that promise, setting the young boy tasks and challenges to work on in the time he was away. Jun'ei knew that Oune had been a gift from the paternal grandmother he had never met, and that it was Shirogane's prized possession, rarely out of his sight for long periods of time. In spite of that, Shirogane had promised Jun'ei that one day, when his skills were ready, he would be allowed to play this special flute, and this had spurred Jun'ei on to work at his music even more.

 _Well, it can't be helped.  
_  
Jun'ei scooped up the sword, sliding it through the loop in his _obi_ and turning back towards the grounds.

 _I will train and I will do my duty, and then, perhaps, there will be time to think of other things. Seiren-dono is taking time to come watch me, so it will not be as boring as training by myself might be._

He grimaced.  
 _  
I am fond of my sister, but it would be so much better if there wasn't such a big gap between my brother and myself. At barely five years old, it will be some time before he will offer me any kind of competition, which is a shame. I hear so much about Guren-sama and Seiren-dono's spars as children, but I am the only boy of my age in my generation, and sometimes that makes it very dull. Even Father always has Ryuu-dono, but I wonder who will support me when I come to inherit this place?_

Seiren was already waiting in the training yard when Jun'ei arrived, and, at the teenage boy's reluctance, the older man offered a rueful smile. He made no comment, however, merely taking a seat at the side of the arena and Jun'ei sighed, drawing his weapon from its sheath and trying a couple of test swings as he tried to focus his thoughts on the rigorous sword drill he knew that his other great uncle, Futsuki, would expect of him in his absence.  
 _  
I suppose Seiren-dono is right. Futsuki-dono would be vexed if I allowed my training to lapse because he isn't here. Father entrusted my education to Seiren-dono and my training to Futsuki-dono, and if I behave in a lax manner, it will reflect badly on them._

Jun'ei's expression became one of resolution, and he stabbed and parried his blade with more force, shifting his feet automatically into a better stance as he got into the rhythm of his drill. While he enjoyed sparring, solo training was a tedious affair, and, as he ran through the exercises, Jun'ei realised that he really just disliked doing things on his own. From the moment he had first been born, he had been surrounded by supportive servants and kinsfolk, and the thought of one day being lord in the absence of these individuals was still his deepest fear.

"Your left foot is a little too far back," Seiren's guidance jerked him from his concentration, and he turned, offering his great uncle a smile and obediently changing his stance.

"It's so much more difficult when I am on my own," he admitted, running through the exercises a second time and then pausing, gazing at his asauchi blade thoughtfully. "There is so much to remember, and I do try, but I find it harder outside of a spar situation. Then, it seems to come to me naturally, but like this..."

"Well, I suppose that's all right," Seiren chuckled, leaning back against the trunk of a nearby leafy sakura tree with an approving nod. "The time you will most need these skills will be in combat, after all. One day you will join your father in Inner Seireitei, and then those skills will come into their own."

"How long do you suppose before that happens?" Jun'ei looked doubtful. "I asked Father, last time he was here, but he wouldn't give me a clear answer. I know that he and Guren-sama are both much better than I am, and I still have much to do...but..."

"You need to hear your sword speak first," Seiren got stiffly to his feet, making the short distance across the yard to place his hands on the youth's shoulders. "You shouldn't want to rush ahead, Jun'ei. It will all come together when your soul is ready. At least," he smiled sheepishly, "that is what I have been led to believe. I have never heard a sword speak, so I am merely repeating the things my father used to tell Guren-sama when we were small children."

"I see," Jun'ei swung his sword experimentally once more. "I suppose that's true. I didn't think of that."

He lowered his blade, glancing at his great uncle questioningly. "Seiren-dono, may I ask you something? I do not wish to be impertinent, but it is something I have been curious about for some time."

"You may ask," Seiren nodded his head. "Why? What is it? Though if it is advice about shinigami skills, I am not the right kinsman to ask."

"Yes..." Jun'ei hesitated, working out how best to phrase his question, then, "Do you ever feel grieved that you did not ever hear a sword speak to you?"

"Grieved?" Seiren's eyes opened wide with surprise, and Jun'ei reddened, looking uncomfortable.

"I am sorry," he hazarded. "Father said I should not discuss it with you, but as you brought it up...if I have caused offence..."

"I see," Seiren's expression softened into one of comprehension, and he smiled faintly. "I understand why your father gave you such counsel, but you needn't worry. You've caused me no offence at all. You are of an age now to know, and I do not mind you asking."

He shrugged, taking a step away from his student and gazing up at the leafy branches of the sakura tree. Slowly he raised his hand to touch the lowest hanging bough.

"The sakura blooms only for a short time," he reflected. "When it ceases to flower, it becomes just another green tree. You might consider me to be thus, Jun'ei. I am the green tree in a Kuchiki forest of blooming sakura."

"Seiren-dono?" Jun'ei was foxed, and Seiren laughed.

"I was born with spirit power," he explained, turning to smile at his companion's confusion. "It was dangerous, and it was damaging my body. I would have died, had it not been sealed away. And yes, for a long time, I felt very badly about it. I resented that I couldn't do the things others could. But...I have come to learn...that even a green tree can serve a purpose in this family. I don't mind it now, Jun'ei. Spirit power has never done anything to help me in my life. I have earned my position through loyalty and hard work, and I am content with that. I have children and grandchildren to carry on my line, and none of them bear my burden. I am able to support Guren-sama and I am able to be here, with you, teaching the future of this family. It means a good deal to have that level of trust. To me, that is much more important than spirit power. But,"

He paused, pressing his lips together, then,

"The heir to the Clan must hear his sword," he said softly. "The Kuchiki are not as strict a family as they were when I was a child, but nonetheless, that is one thing that cannot be overlooked. The heir to the Clan must have spirit power, and he must be able to raise a _zanpakutou_. Sixth District and Sixth Division both rely on that. Guren-sama's sword is a phenomenal weapon, and your father's is no weak blade. You must follow in their footsteps, my boy - and the more rigorously you train now, however tedious it is for you, the better your chances of hearing that blade speak to you."

"I suppose so," Jun'ei frowned, digesting his companion's words carefully. "I will keep working hard, sir. I give you my word."

"I don't doubt it," Seiren's grin widened at this industrious sincerity. "Your father has good reason to be proud of you."

"Do you think that he is?" Jun'ei wondered, and Seiren nodded.

"He is," he assured his young companion. "I know it's hard, when he's so busy and not here as much as you'd like, but he is. And I appreciate that the flute is something you share, but I'm sure that the thing Shirogane most looks forward to is the day when you fully come of age and can be at his side in Inner Seireitei. You will be a good shinigami one day, Jun'ei. But there is a lot of hard work between then and now. Fifteen is a good age, but it is still a young one. And I still have much to teach you in the classroom. I don't seek to be made redundant yet."

"I would not want that, either," despite himself, Jun'ei grinned. "I am grateful for your lessons, Seiren-dono. I am glad Father chose you to instruct me, and I am sorry that I ask such silly questions."

Before Seiren could respond, there was the sound of a commotion from the direction of the manor's main gates, and Seiren frowned, turning to glance across the grounds.

"What on earth...?" he murmured, and Jun'ei felt his heart skip a beat in his chest, sensing that the change in his great uncle's demeanour meant something was seriously amiss. Seiren had no spiritual wits, but he had trained as a warrior long enough to have good instincts, and many of the Kuchiki guard held him in the highest esteem for his long years training with them to hold his blade. For that reason, although Jun'ei knew that, of the two of them, he was the only one who could now sense the strange swirling reiatsu traces that lingered in the atmosphere, it was the tension in Seiren's lean frame that worried him the most.

"Seiren-sama! Jun'ei-sama!" the next moment, the tree branches parted to reveal a breathless retainer, identical anxiety etched onto his features. This was Shibata, Seiren's closest manservant, and at the sight of him, Seiren frowned, turning to glance at the other man in consternation.

"What has occurred, Shibata?" he asked softly, and Shibata paused momentarily to catch his breath, bowing his head to his lord.

"Strangers at the gate, sir," he said at length. "They would not give their names. When challenged, they laid out several members of the guard on duty. They are demanding to speak to the person in charge here."

"They are _demanding_...?" Seiren's eyes narrowed. "Who makes demands of the Kuchiki?"

"I do not know, sir, but they mean business," Shibata said grimly. "There are only two of them, dressed in strange old robes. One is an old man, the other perhaps your own age. It is the old man who spoke to me. He made the demand to speak to the person in charge, or they will attack the manor and everyone in it. The younger man said they mean nobody here any harm, but they demand use of our archive. I do not know who they are, and they are clearly not sent from the Gotei or the Council, but I feel that...if we seek to prevent them..."

"The archive?" Seiren's lips thinned, and then he sighed heavily.

"They have made threats of violence to the men on duty? Have already caused harm?"

"Yes, sir, but no loss of life. Not yet," Shibata responded frankly, and Jun'ei felt a rising sense of panic grip his heart as he followed the rapid exchange between the two men. "There are no shinigami stationed here at present, as Futsuki-dono is not yet returned to the main estate."

Seiren's gaze flitted to Jun'ei, then he nodded his head.

"Then I must speak to them, mustn't I?" he asked softly.

"Seiren-dono!" Jun'ei could not keep silent any longer, dropping his sword and grabbing his mentor's sleeve, sending him an urgent glance. "Seiren-dono, I can sense it. I can sense them! It feels like...like someone's brought death to the manor. They're shinigami, aren't they, Shibata?" he demanded of the manservant, who nodded his head. "I can sense it! Seiren-dono, what if they _hurt_ you? What if..."

"Shibata, I want you to take Jun'ei from this place," Seiren gently detached the frightened boy's hold from his sleeve, offering Jun'ei a pensive smile. "He must not be caught up in this. I will meet with these people and find out their demands. I will buy as much time as I can. Make sure Jun'ei gets away from here safely, and then take a message to Guren. He told me that, with the investigations going on in this vicinity, he and members of Sixth would likely be running extra patrols within the District boundaries and within a couple of ri ride of here. Like as not some deployment from Sixth are not far from the Nagoya estate, as that is the most appropriate place for such a foray. You know all the base camps shinigami use when on patrol in our land. If he's good to his word you should be able to get to him at speed, and if not, some other squad will likely be in situe. Tell whoever you find that unknown shinigami intruders seek harm at the main Kuchiki estate."

"But Seiren-dono!" Jun'ei protested. "Seiren-dono, what if they kill you?"

"They have come to negotiate, and I will talk to them," Seiren said simply. "That's my duty. That, and protecting you. You are the future of this Clan, remember? Don't worry about me here. I have encountered death already," he flexed his hands a couple of times, glancing at some old scars, and then shrugged, reaching for his stick. "I am not afraid of treating with it again. Go with Shibata, Jun'ei, and carry out my orders. Shibata," he glanced at his manservant, "I entrust him to you."

"Yes, sir," Shibata's expression was grave, but he acknowledged the instruction with a sharp bow of his head. "My apologies, Jun'ei-sama, but please, accompany me."

Before Jun'ei had a chance to avoid it, Shibata had grabbed him firmly by the arms, dragging him forcibly away from the training ground and towards the rear stables of the property.

"Shibata, let me go!" Jun'ei exclaimed, struggling to get free, but Shibata held firm, not hesitating for a moment until they reached the stables. Once there, he released his grip, giving the young boy a shove in the direction of the tethered animals.

"Your great uncle is not a fool," he said brusquely, and despite the informality in his address, Jun'ei was more frightened by the other man's seriousness than he was the grim bluntness of Shibata's words. "Do not insult his intelligence and waste time here by arguing. Right now, these intruders have not taken a life. Seiren-sama cares about every man on duty here, and he seeks to make sure they do not die unnecessarily. He will keep these intruders busy, if he can, until Guren-sama returns. In the meantime, protecting you is his priority, and mine, no matter how much you protest it."

"But...but..." Jun'ei's eyes became wet with frustrated tears, and Shibata gave him another little shove.

"Saddle a horse and ride from here," he said firmly. "I'll take the message to Guren-sama, but you should ride from here to safety."

"On my own?" Jun'ei's eyes almost fell out of his head at this, but Shibata was not listening to him, busily tossing saddles and tack onto horses at a frightening speed. Watching him, Jun'ei had the sudden impression that his great uncle's normally well-dressed and polite retainer was truly a warrior underneath his fine manners, and that he had learned the skills of war in order to survive the battlefield, rather than for show at the heart of the Kuchiki court. He thrust reins into Jun'ei's hands, pausing to meet the young man's gaze with a troubled one of his own.

"You can sense what we cannot," he said softly. "I am sorry, Jun'ei-sama. This is all I can do. I must ride to get word to Guren-sama as soon as I can, because there are no Senkaimon to quicken the journey. That means I cannot ride with you. This message must take priority, and the speed I need to travel would not suit you. You understand?"

"Yes...but..." Jun'ei swallowed hard, reluctantly allowing the manservant to hoist him up onto the saddle of the nearest horse, who tossed his head and pawed at the ground as if also cognisant of the danger. "Where should I go? Where..."

"The Coastal Province," Shibata told him frankly. "It should be safe there. Kinnya-sama is a fine shinigami still, and he will protect you. Tell him what has occurred, and that he is to keep you there until further notice. Guren-sama will doubtless send for you when this matter is resolved, but for the time being, the future heir of the Clan must be safe."

He patted the horse.

"This beast knows the journey," he added. "Take it and ride south. Find the river and then the horse will take you the rest of the way. It was born at Kinnya-sama's estate, and it will find its way home. Trust it and go. I must take my master's message. Ride from the back gate. Seiren-sama will distract the attention of the interlopers, so ride from here as fast as you can."

With that he slapped a hand down on the haunches of the horse, which kicked up its front legs in protest, letting out a whinny before setting off at a gallop towards the rear gate. It was all Jun'ei could do to cling hold of the reins as the beast's hooves clattered against the cobblestones, making a bee-line for the open gate and freedom. Though Jun'ei was well trained in many of the skills of the warrior, riding a horse was one he had never spent much time mastering, but despite his terror at the speed of the horse's gait, it was the ominous aura that he was leaving behind which scared him the most.

 _Seiren-dono is acting as a decoy so I can get away. I am not so much of a child that I don't understand that. And he was worried. I know that he was. He and Guren-sama are brothers, and they work closely together, but that's the first time I've ever heard Seiren-dono say the Clan Leader's name without an honorific. He knew this was serious and so his mind was on the threat, not on manners...perhaps in that moment I saw my great uncle as the soldier he used to be. But he's not that person now - he's not as strong as he was in his youth, and he can't fight a shinigami, even if he was. He sent me away because I'm useless yet - but I don't want Seiren-dono to be killed. Surely there's something I must be able to do, even if I can't fight. If Seiren-dono can face an enemy with only a walking cane and Clan pride, surely I can do something as well? And besides, they can't sense it. Not like I can. I can't forget it - it was like Death itself was waiting at the gate, wanting to be let in._

He shuddered involuntarily, and his horse neighed and kicked up its legs again skittishly, clearly picking up on the uncertainty in the young boy's aura.

 _I know this isn't just nothing, and I can't just run and do nothing. I'm going to be the leader of this Clan one day, and so I have...I have to help protect Seiren-dono, too. Shibata will go to Guren-sama, but I...I must go to Kinnya-sama. I must tell him what has happened. If he is such a strong shinigami, maybe he can come and help Seiren-dono. Maybe I'm useless with my own blade yet, but if I do that...surely...even I can help._

He patted the horse's neck absently, trying to ignore his fear.  
 _  
Well, Jun'ei. Father left you behind because you're not a child any more. Time to prove it. I'll go to the Coastal Province. To Kinnya-sama. To get help._

* * *

"I'm glad that's over,"

Kayashima stretched his hands over his head, casting his companion a rueful glance as they made their way across the Division and back towards the Captain's office. "I know that Shihouin-fukutaichou has a reputation for being a tough interrogator, but I felt like I might start confessing to a hundred things I didn't do if that conversation had gone on any longer."

"He's worried about Fukutaichou," Kohaku reflected, pushing back the sliding door and stepping out onto the walkway that led to the poolside office. "They're friends, remember? That's why he's being so particular."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"When Tenichi-san was on trial, I testified," he added. "I had to spend some time talking with Kai-dono, building my defence case. He's not really that bad. Just particular about detail, and about making sure everything is addressed. He was kind to me then, and he listened to us both this time around, too. Even if he asked a lot of questions, it's better than simply not believing us."

"I suppose that's true, but he didn't give away any hint of how Fukutaichou is, or what might happen," Kayashima sighed. "It was all pretty grim. Next time you have a hallucinogenic episode, Koku, can you do it when I'm on night patrol? I'd rather spend a night wallowing in mud, I think."

"Like I have any choice or control over it happening," Kohaku snorted. "If I did, it wouldn't happen. I said earlier, didn't I? I thought that all that stuff was behind me. I've not been quite like that since Father died. It was a bit of a rough shock to discover that I haven't got as much stability and control as I thought I had. The reality is that, before, we were in a time of conflict, and so I was reacting to the shifts in the atmosphere. We've been peaceful for five years. Not even many Hollows appearing, so nothing to trigger me. But all of this, with the Gates and whatever is coming out of them..."

He shrugged.

"I still react to it," he said sadly. "And I suppose the only way I will learn how to manage that is to do it while things are more unsettled."

"So you need us to have a full scale war with the deadies in order for you to stop giving me your nightmares?" Kayashima rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose that could work. I mean, they're dead, so nobody new would have to die. And then we'd all get a good night's sleep."

"Except that Ikata-san and the others weren't dead until very recently, and that's a problem," Kohaku pointed out. "Long dead people from ancient history are one thing. They're not very attractive, but they come from something long before any of us were even thought of. Ikata-san and the others were comrades, even though they were part of a different Division. And that Division is currently in disarray because something killed them and sent them on a homicidal mission to kill others."

"I wonder, if they had succeeded, whether there would've been a zombie plague," Kayashima pursed his lips. "You know, where those struck down by the deadies came back to life as deadies too,and started roaming looking for people to kill."

"I really worry about your imagination sometimes," Kohaku groaned. "Please, don't even suggest it. I'm going to assume that isn't the case, anyhow. Furuta said it, didn't he? That guy with him was killed by Ikata's sword, but he stayed dead. And Furuta was hurt, but he's all right. I don't think death is a catching disease...thankfully. Whatever this is is spirit power from someone or something."

"And you have no idea what?" Kayashima asked. Kohaku shook his head.

"I can't know all the answers," he said regretfully. "I saw what you saw, and what I told Kai-dono. I didn't see anything else...or if I did, I didn't remember it."

"I remember there was an old man, in the dream I had," Kayashima reflected. "I don't know who he was, though."

"And I don't remember him," Kohaku sighed. "My brain was too tied up with the Gate and Ikata-san. I wasn't rational enough to register anyone else."

"It was only for a split-second, anyway," Kayashima admitted. "Maybe it's not connected. Maybe it means nothing. I don't know."

"Is that why you didn't mention him to Kai-dono?" Kohaku asked. Kayashima shrugged.

"Not exactly," he replied with a rueful smile. "It's just, I don't remember all that clearly. I just remember seeing him, and then darkness. I know I didn't recognise him. But I remember one thing that was odd. What he was wearing. It didn't look right. It looked strange. Like one of the pictures from one of the gazillion history books you're always reading."

"And that's a reason to not report it?" Kohaku looked surprised. Kayashima grimaced.

"I did mention it in passing to the Captain, last night, when things were going on, but in front of Shihouin-fukutaichou, I admit, it made me think of your brother," he confessed. " _He_ said a shinigami came through the Gate, dressed in odd, old-fashioned clothing, right? If you didn't see this old dude, it's possible that was just my brain making it up because of what we discussed that night in the forest...but if it wasn't...then I realise now that talking about it to someone investigating in that much detail would be really risky. I mean, it isn't at all significant unless you put it with the fact your brother thinks a shinigami in old fashioned clothing came through a Gate in Fourth District that nobody knows about. And if I mentioned that, which is something we haven't been told about at all, then revealing where the information came from..."

"I see," Kohaku looked guilty. "You're protecting me."

"You, and him, I suppose," Kayashima acknowledged. "I hate to admit it, but all my preconceived ideas about him...I don't know. I think you're probably right about him. He's not involved and he isn't a monster. What happened five years ago happened, but your Dad - who was a monster, sorry to say it - was around then, and influencing the things he did. I'm prepared to believe that's why he ended up how he is now...but I believed what he told us. Trouble is, I don't know how we convey that to the Captain. If I was more sure that this old guy meant something, I'd maybe risk it - but if you don't remember him, the chances are I just imagined that and it wasn't important at all."

"I don't remember every detail of my visions, always," Kohaku sighed. "I get too panicked and they slip away. That's why I didn't see it was Ikata-san until it was too late to do anything. Katsu-nii used to see things, sometimes, that I hadn't. Father, too. They'd pick up things from me that I wasn't aware of. We can't totally rule this one in or out because of that. It's the first time since we became friends that I've had a future dream. It's impossible to know how much you are susceptible to picking up the details of it, because we've nothing to compare it with."

"Careful," Kayashima warned, as they reached the door to Ugendou, Kohaku raising a hand to knock on the wood panelling. "You're starting to sound like it's a science experiment. You're not an Urahara, remember? You're not a guinea pig and I definitely am not. I'm not interested in knowing how much transfers between us when you have a bad nightmare. I'm only interested in us helping to get Fukutaichou back where he belongs so we can deal with any more deadies - and you should be thinking the same."

A voice from inside the office calling them in effectively prevented Kohaku from retorting to this matter-of-fact comment, and Kayashima slid back the door, leading the way inside. Shunsui was still there, Kohaku noticed, as both shinigami bowed their heads, coming to stand before their Captain's desk. Some folded papers lay there, beside mugs of tea that had been half-drunk, and as Juushirou gestured for them both to sit, Kohaku thought he saw a flicker of gravity in Juushirou's hazel eyes. Although the whole situation was a grave one, something about this unexpected sombreness put him on his guard.

"I trust that you were able to help Kai with his enquiries?" Juushirou asked the question quietly, and Kayashima nodded.

"Yes, sir. He spoke to both of us and took notes. He had us sign our statements and then dismissed us," he agreed, casting Kohaku a glance for corroboration. Kohaku hastened to oblige, offering a faint smile.

"We told him what we could," he added. "About the dream, what we remembered, what I saw the other day and what happened last night. I think Kayashima was probably more helpful with that last bit, as I don't remember clearly - but Kai-dono said it was all right, and thanked us for our detailed help."

"And you are quite all right, talking about this?" Juushirou's gaze bored into Kohaku's, making him once again uneasy, and the young officer nodded.

"I'm really quite fine now, sir. I'm sorry about last night. I wasn't expecting it and it took me off guard. I realise I caused a lot of disturbance."

"No, I don't suppose you could help that," Juushirou sighed, suddenly looking tired. "I'm glad you've both come back here. I'm relieved you are recovered, Koku - if nothing else, that shows you have become stronger since you first joined the Division, which is reassuring. I don't doubt we'll have more moments where your spirit power takes us by surprise, but if you can bounce back from it quickly each time, I imagine you'll find a way to manage it better, and that's a positive."

"Yes, sir," Kohaku was confused, for, although Juushirou's words were positive ones, his demeanour was anything but. "Taichou, is there something wrong? You don't seem...very...happy?"

"Your Captain and I have had an interesting chat this morning," Shunsui spoke up now, and both Kayashima and Kohaku turned to glance at him in surprise. "I don't suppose that's news, but we both agree that it's important we talk to you - both of you," he shifted his gaze from Kohaku to Kayashima and back again, "preferably before things become a little out of hand."

"We're happy to report back, sir," Kayashima said firmly. "Shihouin-fukutaichou has gone now, sir, so I don't think he'll need us again. At least, he said Koku might need to testify at Fukutaichou's hearing, if it comes to levelling charges - but that won't be yet. I mean, there's a lot of stuff they still want to examine first."

"I'm prepared to do that," Kohaku added. "I already promised Kai-dono that I would. I did it before, for Tenichi-san, and I've spoken to the Council of Elders directly before, too. I know what to expect, and I don't mind."

"Then we'll leave that aside for the moment," Juushirou reached across to scoop up the folded pieces of paper, running his fingers over them absently. "I wanted to talk to you about something else, as it happens. I had a letter, this morning, from my Grandfather in District Six."

"From Kinnya-sama?" Kohaku looked startled, and Juushirou nodded.

"Perhaps you'd like to read it?" he asked softly, holding it out, and Kohaku hesitated, suddenly feeling deeply uneasy about what the document contained.

"I...it's not addressed to me, sir. Would Kinnya-sama want...I mean..."

"It concerns you," Juushirou proffered the letter again. "For that reason, I'd like you to read it. Kayashima, you may read it, also. I suspect that both of you are already abreast of its contents, and so I don't feel there's any problem with sharing it with you."

Kohaku and Kayashima exchanged glances, but, reluctantly, Kohaku took the document, unfolding it and smoothing it out on his lap as he skimmed his gaze over the contents. As he digested Kinnya's words, he felt a cold hand encircling his heart, and his head shot up, a stricken look in his dark brown eyes.

"Taichou..."

"This came along with it," Juushirou held up the other piece of paper. "It's addressed to you, but we've already opened it and read it. It's not my normal practice, but in this case, I felt the need. Do I need to tell you who it is from, or can you guess?"

Kayashima finished reading Kinnya's letter, setting it down with a look of consternation on his young features. There was a moment of silence, then, at length, Kohaku sighed.

"It...it's from Katsu-nii, isn't it?" he whispered, and Juushirou shrugged, setting it down on the table between them.

"It's signed by someone calling himself "Gorou", he said matter-of-factly. "The whereabouts of this youth is currently unknown, but this letter was given to a retainer of my Grandfather to send here. I am going to ask you once, Kohaku, and I want a truthful answer, please. I have always trusted you to be honest with me, so I will not countenance any attempts to lie. Do you understand?"

Kohaku swallowed hard at Juushirou's uncharacteristic use of his full name, nodding his head.

"Have you been communicating with your brother in secret over the last five years?"

"It's not the last five years, sir," seeing that Kohaku was lost for words, Kayashima took a hand. "Koku's had nothing to do with Katsura for most of it, I can testify to that."

"But this indicates contact between you of a recent nature," Shunsui reached across to pick up Katsura's letter. "So as you can guess, we're both curious to know what is going on."

"And how you are involved in this, Kayashima," Juushirou added, "because from Katsura's letter, it seems Kohaku wasn't doing this alone. Your lack of surprise makes me think that you are probably the 'friend' mentioned."

"I am, sir," Kayashima nodded his head. "I'm not going to lie. If Koku has done something wrong, then so have I, and we're both guilty."

"Koku?" Juushirou glanced at the dismayed Twelfth Seat, who struggled to gather his composure, taking a deep breath into his lungs to calm himself down.

"I hadn't spoken to my brother in a long time," he said softly. "That's the truth, sir, I hadn't tried to. But when I was at the border camp, when that thing came out of the Gate and attacked me...I wasn't completely honest. It threw me off my guard. I would've been killed, but Katsu-nii was there. I didn't see him, but he spoke to me, telepathically, and I knew it was him who took the creature down."

"No trace of Katsura has been found at the border camp, Koku," Shunsui interjected. Kohaku nodded.

"That's my fault," he said guiltily. "I didn't know that Katsu-nii was especially wanted at that time - I mean, more than before - and I didn't think...I guess I covered up the scene with my kidou. My reiatsu is stronger than his, and so I cancelled it out."

"I can guess where you learned that idea," Shunsui grimaced, and Kohaku glanced at his hands.

"I didn't speak to my brother, then," he continued softly. "He just vanished. I can't even sense him, now, and I can't communicate with him the way I used to. But he sent a message, after that. He wanted to meet. And..."

He faltered, glancing at Kayashima for support.

"He wanted to meet, and you decided to go?" Juushirou asked.

"We both did," Kayashima said firmly. "I wasn't going to let Koku go into potential danger on his own."

"Where did this meeting take place?" Shunsui wondered.

"District Four," Kayashima replied. "He said, before he left, that he wasn't staying in Fourth, though. I guess, if he was sending letters in Sixth District, he was telling the truth about that," he added, gesturing to Kinnya's letter on the desk.

"And you didn't think to report any of this to us?" Juushirou demanded, banging his hands down on the desk in his frustration, and despite himself, Kohaku flinched. He had never seen Juushirou truly angry before, and had never had such a tone directed at him, but in that moment, he saw the steely indignation of a Captain in Juushirou's gaze, and instinctively he shuffled back, uncertain whether the white-haired man was about to lash out in the way Keitarou had sometimes done when things had not gone according to plan. "Do you understand how much danger you create for yourselves, meeting with a wanted fugitive behind the back of your Captain and Vice Captain? I don't care if he is your brother, Koku! You don't go out there and make contact with a wanted felon off your own bat. Do you know what could happen if the Onmitsukidou knew you had been talking to Katsura before all of this business happened? They might start thinking there's a conspiracy - that you're even involved somehow in what's been going on!"

"Juu, it's all right. Calm down," Shunsui placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"How can I calm down?" Juushirou wheeled on his friend in irritation. "My Division is under scrutiny and my Vice Captain is in custody. Now I find that two of my officers have been gallivanting around Fourth District -undoubtedly breaking curfew - in order to meet with a man who most of Seireitei consider a prime suspect in this whole business!"

"Katsu-nii isn't involved in all of this!" Kohaku found his voice at last. "He isn't, sir, I promise. I know I did something bad and I should have told you, but I know he isn't. I know he didn't..."

"How do you know?" Juushirou cut across the Twelfth seat's protestations, sending him a searching glare. "He's your brother, and you care about him, but that doesn't mean he's necessarily innocent. We don't know what he is or isn't involved in. All I know right now is that he broke into Keitarou's tomb and he used his reiryoku in Rukongai. That I can prove. What can you give me to prove that he's not involved in all of this?"

"I don't know," Kohaku admitted. "I just...I believe he isn't. I believe what he told me, sir. I'm sorry, I know that isn't proof, but..."

"I believed him too, for what it's worth," Kayashima added. "He didn't lie about being in Rukongai, sir, nor did he lie about Keitarou's grave. He admitted he was in those places, but he said that the shinigami are too focused on him as a suspect. He said that he was sure it was a bigger deal and that bad things were going to happen. That's why he wanted to speak to Koku. To see if something could be done to stop it."

"Words are not really proof," Juushirou pointed out, and Kohaku nodded.

"I know," he acknowledged. "But he was with me, at the border camp, and so he couldn't have been in Sixth District. He can't be in two places at once, sir."

"I think this has become more heated than it needed to be," Shunsui held up his hands. "Juu, I understand why you're upset. Koku put himself foolishly in danger, and if it were Shizuka, I'd feel the same way. In fact, I think I did, given her antics during Keitarou's invasion, so I'm certainly not in a position to lecture. Koku," he glanced at the troubled Twelfth Seat, "you need to understand that your Captain worries about you. He's angry because of that fact, and you don't need to cower back like that. He isn't going to hit you."

"Why would I hit him?" Juushirou looked stricken at this suggestion, and Kohaku sighed, relaxing against the wall of the office.

"You've never been really angry with me before," he said honestly. "It reminded me...of when Father...was cross."

"Did Keitarou hit you?" Kayashima demanded, casting his friend a glance, and Kohaku shrugged.

"Not me, but when he was angry, once, I saw him get violent with Katsu-nii. Threaten him," he said slowly. "It wasn't just a normal kind of angry. I think...Katsu-nii was afraid of him. When he was sent to kill Mitsuki-san, and he failed, Father...was really cross. He basically told Katsu-nii that if he didn't do as he was told, he'd be in danger of his life. And he meant it. He didn't do it, but I felt it in his aura...he meant it and Katsura knew it too. Father only stopped that time because I intervened. I was Father's favourite, so he didn't touch me - and he knew if he hurt Katsura, I would be angry with him. He needed me, but if he hadn't...maybe he would've hurt Katsu-nii more. Maybe it happened other times...I really don't know. Katsu-nii protected me, so maybe there were things he didn't say. But I didn't like it, when Father was angry. His _reiryoku_ would spike and it would feel...not nice. I'm sorry, sir. I should know...you wouldn't...but..."

"I'm just frustrated," Juushirou ran his hands through his lank white hair. "And yes, worried. Anything could have happened to you, you realise that? What if Katsura had wanted to abduct you? What then?"

"I wouldn't have let him, sir," Kayashima said frankly. "I went with Koku in case Katsura was hostile. But he wasn't...I mean, he didn't like me being there, but he said that he wasn't going to attack shinigami. He said that, since Koku was one, now, shinigami weren't his enemy. And I admit, I believed him. He didn't try and make excuses for what he'd done or put any kind of spin on it. He admitted he'd killed the healers and that he wasn't looking for forgiveness or absolution from us. He just said that something bad was happening. Also that he would never hurt people in the Rukon. He said his mother used to look after them and consider them like family, and so now he tries to do that - he takes them food and supplies, like she did, because he wants to help them. That's why he was there that day. He said they were attacked and he tried to stop it."

"He also said he went to Father's tomb and took the sword," Kohaku added. "He said that the thing that killed the people in Rukongai was a corpse, and it came out of one of the Gates Father used. Because of this, he thought maybe Father...wasn't dead. And so..."

"He went to check," Shunsui's eyes clouded at this. "I'm sorry for that. He probably had to see something unpleasant."

"He said he wished he hadn't, but it meant he knew Father was really dead," Kohaku agreed. "He took the sword in case someone was trying to use it. He didn't know it was dead. He hid it somewhere he thought it wouldn't be found and used. I just...well, I found it, because I picked up Father's dead reishi on the box. But he was trying to prevent things from happening. Not cause them."

"Is that all?" Juushirou asked. Kayashima shrugged.

"We talked about the incident in Sixth, and he said that if it was one of Keitarou's Gates, it was probably near where Eiraki-hime killed the Kuchiki heir," he remembered. "Maybe that's why he went to Sixth - to investigate it further. He said he couldn't open the Gates once dead things had come out of them, but that Kohaku could."

"We already know the one at the border camp responded to you," Juushirou glanced at Kohaku, who nodded.

"Neither Kyouka or I understand why, yet," he admitted, "but maybe it has something to do with why I'm so sensitive to what's going on inside them. Perhaps that's why I picked up things from the Gate by Twelfth before anything happened there. Maybe it's because when I stopped Father, I destroyed a Gate...do you think maybe I picked up the network's frequency when I did that?"

"It's possible," Shunsui mused. "We'd need to ask a scientist's opinion, but you made a good job of that Gate, and that was the crux of the whole system. Maybe that means that all the Gates respond to your reiatsu more easily - although that would imply a serious connection between our Gates and the ones Keitarou was using. That's something we still need to look into, though."

"He said something about a spy in the Gotei, too," Kayashima remembered, and Juushirou and Shunsui exchanged glances.

"A spy?" Juushirou asked softly, and Kayashima nodded.

"That Keitarou had had one. He asked Koku if he'd found out who it was, but Koku said not," he agreed, glancing at his friend for confirmation. Kohaku nodded eagerly.

"He did say that," he confirmed. "He wanted to know if I'd figured out who Father had working for him. I don't remember anyone being caught, though. Katsura was worried whether that person was involved in this."

"Katsura doesn't know who the spy was, if there was a spy?" Shunsui pressed his lips together, and Kohaku shook his head.

"None of us knew," he said helplessly. "It might not even have been true, but I think it was. I hadn't really thought about it since he mentioned it, and I certainly didn't try and find out who they were after everything was over. Should I have done?" he asked, glancing at his Captain, and Juushirou sighed.

"No...I think that would be our job, not yours," he said frankly. "If Katsura didn't know the identity of the spy, and nor do you, it is possible no spy existed. And if they did, it's possible they died - or Keitarou killed them - without us knowing. Or they were puppets, and acting under Chudokuga's control. Even if not, trying to find something like that out could be dangerous, and it would have put you at risk. There are lots of options, but we have no evidence of anyone betraying the Gotei - and nothing till now to suggest anyone harboured any kind of grudge for what happened five years ago."

"If they did, sir, then Koku would've been a target, wouldn't he?" Kayashima asked bluntly, and Kohaku looked troubled.

"I suppose I would," he murmured.

"Me too, if it comes to that, but nothing happened," Shunsui said evenly. "Katsura raising it suggests he probably didn't know who the spy was, but I don't really think this is anything to do with Keitarou, to be honest. It's just unfortunate that in recent history, most things have been - and so it's an avenue of investigation that isn't totally closed. Leave the issue of the spy with us. If it seems relevant, we'll find out what we can - but it definitely isn't something that eleventh and twelfth seated officers should be concerned with. Especially not on the say-so of an outlaw."

"Shunsui is right," Juushirou agreed. "It's interesting to know that he asked about it, but it is our job to investigate things like that."

"Katsu-nii said one other thing. About a shinigami, that came through a Gate in Fourth," Kohaku met Kayashima's gaze, and Kayashima smiled ruefully.

"We were discussing this, actually, coming back," he admitted. "Taichou, last night, I said I saw an old man, in the dream I had. Koku doesn't remember seeing him, so maybe I imagined it - but apparently Koku gets too wound up in his visions, sometimes, and doesn't remember all the pieces. We don't know if it matters or not, but the old man was robed in old fashioned clothing. He had a sword...or a book...maybe. And Katsura said he'd heard from the locals in Fourth that a shinigami had been found in that clearing where we met. He had been unconscious and dressed in old fashioned clothing, with an old fashioned tachi sword. He said that the man was taken to the hospital where Edogawa-san is currently stationed...but that was all he knew about it. Just...he showed us the Gate was there. He opened it and he said that it wasn't like the corpse gates, because he could still open it. But he was sure the dude came through there. Nobody in the Gotei seemed to make that connection, so he assumed that it wasn't on the Gotei network."

"Now that's information we don't have, but I imagine the Fourth Division know about this mysterious shinigami," Shunsui rubbed his chin. "I also don't like the idea of coincidence. Kayashima, the old man you saw in the dream...I wonder if that is the same person that is currently with the Fourth?"

"That might be worth finding out, but it will be hard to ask questions without making a bigger incident out of this," Juushirou sighed. "Thirteenth are in a contentious position and I admit, I don't know what to make of Katsura right now."

"His letter suggests a warning," Shunsui picked it up, unfolding it and handing it to Kohaku. "He wanted you to tell Juushirou everything, so I think he is sincere about wanting to help. I don't think your brother is guilty of this mischief, Koku - but I don't think Seireitei is ready to embrace that concept just yet. Kinnya-sama will doubtless hunt him down, if he's still in the Coastal Province, and he's a curious old soul, so he'll make sure he takes him alive. If that happens, maybe we'll get more direct answers. But, for now, I want to know if anything Katsura says in this letter resonates with you at all."

"I never used Father's network, so I don't know if Hollows are normally there or not," Kohaku read the letter, then folded it over, handing it to Kayashima to look at. "If Katsu-nii thought to mention it, it suggests they aren't. But I don't know anything about that."

"We think he has someone working with him. A girl, who delivered the message to Grandfather's retinue," Juushirou added. "Do you know anything about her?"

"She's a young girl from the border camp," Kohaku sighed. "She talked about Katsu-nii like he was her oniichan, but she never called him by his name in front of me, so I didn't make the connection right away. Not till later, but Katsura admitted it, when we spoke to him. I think he took her from the border camp and she is with him, wherever he is. She's only a small child, though. Her name is Homare, and she said she was eight years old. I don't know how much of Katsu-nii's story she knows, but if he took her, she probably knows something about it. She isn't stupid. He won't hurt her, though. I'm sure about that. She's from Rukongai, and he'd never hurt a child."

"More likely he misses being a big brother," Shunsui reflected. Kohaku looked rueful, nodding.

"Probably," he admitted. "He did say that he wasn't quite sure what to expect, when we met. There is a gap between us that wasn't there before. I suppose we've both changed. After what happened, I don't think we could stay the same."

"So, what do we do now?" Juushirou cast Shunsui a glance. "My hands are tied, Shunsui. If the Onmitsukidou find out any of us have had contact with Katsura, it might impact on Enishi's case."

"Fukutaichou knows nothing about any of this, sir," Kohaku said honestly. "And I really did have a vision last night, and I haven't lied about anything else. I didn't tell you I met Katsu-nii, but I didn't really know how or what to do about it. I thought...well, shinigami were already investigating the Dangai, so I thought it would be all right, and I wouldn't need to. But...maybe I was wrong."

"I don't suppose any harm is done, since even Katsura's warnings about the Dangai being dangerous to enter came too late to prevent what happened to Ikata and the others," Shunsui scooped up the letters, glancing at them, then folding them shut. "Let me take the burden of this one for now, Juu. I'll look into what I can find out about Gates, and also see if I can find anything out about this mystery patient at Fourth. If Mitsuki hasn't written to you and mentioned him, then probably she doesn't see a bigger picture or even know about the other things going on - but Retsu-sama does, and she came back from Fourth in a hurry to see to the business at Eleventh. I'll try and see if I can find out anything from her, as Captain Commander. If I do it, it distances it from Thirteenth, and looks like just one of my crazy hunches."

He reached over to tap both Kohaku and Kayashima on the head.

"Meantime, confine these two to barracks and give them some heavy chores to teach them about what should be reported and what should not," he added with a grin. "It might well be that Katsura's warnings do help - but keeping secrets from the Captain and breaking curfew are serious infractions."

"I think, given the current state of the Thirteenth, that that might be helpful," Juushirou eyed the two apprehensive shinigami with thoughtful eyes. "With Enishi away, a lot more jobs have been shared out among the upper seats. I think you two should spend some time with the new recruits. You can do some drill training with them - swords, and kidou, if you like - but no shunpo from you, Koku," he warned. "I don't want them hitting the fence, thank you."

"With the recruits?" Kohaku looked troubled, and Shunsui eyed him keenly.

"Juu, are your recruits that scary that they make your seated officers look like they want to flee?" he asked lightly, and Juushirou shook his head.

"They're fine, as it happens," he said matter-of-factly, "and Koku, we've had this conversation. I thought that you had even begun training with one of them lately."

"I have. Naniwa-kun," Kohaku nodded, twisting his fingers together. "I suppose...it's fine. I just...coming back from the patrol with Fukutaichou, he left me in charge. I had to...be a bit cross with them. They were...well...dawdling, so I told them to get a move on. I don't think...they liked it very much."

"You gave them an order and they obeyed it?" Juushirou asked. Kohaku nodded.

"Yes," he agreed doubtfully. "I did. Morata and Takahashi seemed to take it all right, actually. Yatsubashi was angry with me. I don't really know why he was. Something upset him. I don't know what."

"Yatsubashi?" Shunsui cast Juushirou a glance.

"A lad from Seventh District. Very capable. Skilled and not shy of mud romps, which makes Enishi happy," Juushirou replied pensively. "But I haven't heard of any trouble with him - or any of the others - on any patrol," he added, glancing at Kohaku.

"It wasn't a big deal, really," Kohaku chewed on his lip, his expression becoming awkward. "I think it was probably my fault, because I was chatting to them without thinking about our difference in rank. They got carried away and I had to stop them...and I think that probably caused a problem, because I'm not used to being assertive and giving orders."

"Then it sounds to me like plenty more practice is in order," Shunsui said glibly, and Juushirou's lips twitched into a rueful smile. He nodded.

"It's not always pleasant, being the one calling folk to heel," he agreed. "Shunsui is right, though. You shouldn't feel self-conscious about asserting your rank and making sure they listen. It's for their own safety, in the long run - you are a more experienced officer in the field, whatever education they have had, and they need to listen to you. I think this would be a great opportunity to practice that authority. I'll arrange for the both of you to do some drill with them," he added, glancing at Kayashima, who nodded.

"Even if it's a punishment, sir, I don't mind. I quite like the idea of working with them and giving them tips," he admitted. "I'm sorry we kept secrets from you though. We should have talked to you about it sooner - I see that now."

"Katsu-nii wanted me to talk to you about it, Taichou. That means it's serious, and he's really worried about something," Kohaku looked apprehensive. "I trust my brother. I believe what he told me. But I...if he tries to contact me again, sir, I'll come to you straight away. I promise. I'm sorry I didn't do that the first time. I got myself confused, but it won't happen again."

"Then I suppose for now, that's the end of it," Juushirou sighed. "I am sure I don't need to tell you that this discussion remains inside this room. I don't know what to make of Katsura right now, but my priority is making sure our Vice Captain is returned to us safely and as soon as possible. The Dangai is shut and nobody else will be going in for the forseeable future, I imagine, given last night's events. In the meantime, this is a problem for Shunsui and I and people of our rank to try and resolve. You two are dismissed, and I suggest you spend time thinking about your rank in the Division and what it does and does not entitle you to do."

He gestured towards the door, and slowly, the two seated officers got to their feet, bowing towards their Captain and withdrawing from the chamber. As Kohaku shut the door of Ugendou behind them, he let out a heavy sigh, casting his friend a troubled glance.

"He's never been angry with me before," he murmured, and Kayashima grimaced, clapping a reassuring hand down on his friend's back.

"He's worried about you, but maybe it's better this way," he advised. "It's out in the open, now, and that's better than keeping secrets. Plus, the punishment could be worse."

"Yes...maybe," Kohaku bit down on his lip, tasting blood. "I just have a bad feeling about it. For Katsu-nii to risk his safety and mine by sending such a message and giving such advice...makes me think something really big is going to happen. And whatever it is, we've not even seen the tip of the iceberg yet."

* * *

 **Author's Note**  
 _Introducing Shirogane's eldest son, Jun'ei!_

 _And here's Seiren too. Still going strong with that stubborn will of his..._


	34. Jun'ei's Flight

**Chapter Thirty Three: Jun'ei's Flight**

 _Kenpachi Yachiru._

Retsu rested her hands on the sill of the autopsy chamber, a frown crossing her features as she gazed out across the busy yard of the Fourth Division. Although she knew that she had a long list of things that needed to be done and that the massacre at the Eleventh should be taking prominence in her mind, try as she might she could not forget the hazy recognition that had flashed into the eyes of the mysterious patient that moment he had grasped her arm and met her gaze. It had been a brief moment of determined clarity, but there had been no opportunity to ask the stranger what he had meant by it, for he had slipped back into unconsciousness, his heavy eyelids drooping shut and his breathing evening out as he had returned to his stupor.

Retsu had been shaken, but she had not wanted to frighten Mitsuki with the potential implication of the man's words, telling her instead that the man's return to wakefulness was a positive sign and that she should monitor him yet more closely as he continued to recover. She had been firm and brisk in her command, allowing no probing questions, and Mitsuki, though her eyes had glittered with curiosity, had responded with her usual tact and understanding, accepting the order without asking any questions.  
 _  
To think that that name would emerge now, in these circumstances.  
_  
Retsu sighed, turning reluctantly back towards the row of biers on which lay the corpses of three of the Eleventh Division members. They had all been formally identified now, and the severed hand had been matched to the corpse of a young officer by the name of Tanaka. In the centre lay Ikata's corpse, the biggest and broadest of the individuals, and then to his right, the blooded form of the unfortunate Karachi. In the room next door, Eriko and Madeki were overseeing the active post-mortem examinations of some of the other officers, but Retsu had taken responsibility herself for these three individuals, sensing that these corpses held the detailed clues to what had happened in Inner Seireitei that night. Both Ikata and Tanaka bore signs of wounding from Enishi's blade, although the wound to Tanaka's damaged arm had already been traced to the weapon of one of the injured Eleventh officers who had been found outside of Minaichi's chamber. The broken end of Tanaka's _zanpakutou_ had been retrieved from Minaichi's body, but it had disintegrated to dust almost immediately, suggesting that it had already reached an advanced state of decay by the time it had been thrust into the Captain's side. Karachi had definitely been struck dead by Ikata's weapon, and the quantity of decaying blade reiatsu lingering around the wound had only added to Retsu's fears that, as outlandish as it might sound, Enishi's claim that all of the officers had been dead before the attack was not impossible.  
 _  
But I sorely wish that it were, because I do not like what I feel I am about to prove true. These are wounds struck by weapons that have begun to fragment and rot into the wounds they caused. They were dead weapons, which is why Tanaka's sword broke so easily. Ikata's sword is older and endured for longer - but its fragility and the residue it left behind suggests the wielder was no longer in command of the blade when the blows were struck. These men were zombies acting on unknown impulses...and not puppets like those of Aizen Keitarou, but ones like the Dangai dead, whose hearts had ceased to beat and whose bodies had begun to decompose. I have yet to begin a detailed autopsy, but the scent of death is so pervasive that I can already see that Ikata and Tanaka did not die at Eleventh last night. Karachi was killed by Ikata, but his body remains fresher than theirs, suggesting he died more recently. These anomalies frighten me, but they cannot be ignored._

Retsu moved to stand beside Ikata's corpse, her expert gaze running over the corroding blade of the Vice Captain's _zanpakutou_. It was coated in congealing blood, blood which had already been identified as having come from members of the Eleventh, including the unfortunate Karachi, as well as the Thirteenth Division's Fourteenth Seat. Spirit matter on the hilt of Ikata's weapon had also matched the unconscious Minaichi, and only a half hour earlier Retsu had received a detailed statement from Kai about his investigation of the scene, including Kohaku's witness testimony of the events at Eleventh that night.  
 _  
Kohaku saw Ikata strike his Captain, something no witness at the scene had been able to fimly report, and the reiatsu on Ikata's sword proves that boy once more correct._

Retsu touched a finger lightly to the sword, her lips thinning.  
 _  
Kohaku has the Mirror sword, and the things he sees are founded in truth. I wonder how deep that runs, or whether it even matters. I hope it does not, but I begin to fear that it might. All of these things...may speak to us of shadows in a past most of us do not remember. That boy alone might be able to know the answers to my doubt, and yet, as a healer, causing him the distress and danger necessary to confirm my fears is something I wish to avoid. Ukitake-taichou has rehabilitated him and allowed him a fresh life here, but the depth of clarity with which he witnessed this event makes me wonder whether the threads of Seireitei's past are more vivid now in the atmosphere than they have been in several thousand years. If so, none of this is a coincidence. Nor is it the work of Aizen Katsura...not that I really believed that it was.  
_  
Retsu withdrew her touch from Ikata's _zanpakutou_ , accepting to herself that the biological evidence made the possibility of an Eleventh Division mutiny a dubious reality. Enishi had told the truth about the scene into which he and his officers had arrived, she mused grimly, but then, she had not supposed it to be any other way. Houjou Enishi was a trusted officer not given to deceit or flights of fancy, and certainly not the calibre of individual to kill people unnecessarily. Although the detailed tests to calculate the official time of death for the officers were not yet completed, Retsu was experienced enough to know that the contrast between Karachi's bloodsoaked corpse and the congealed, blackish slime that coated the wounds of the other officers suggested a difference in their manner of death. Karachi's heart had been beating at the time of the assault, she reflected, an attack witnessed by an officer of the Thirteenth whose account of the incident matched with the evidence. By contrast, the wounds on Tanaka and Ikata were more severe, in particular in Ikata's case, for Enishi's sword had severed through most of his vital organs in an attempt to ensure the man's rampage was really at an end. Lack of blood loss indicated the cuts had been made after the heart had stopped beating, and although the time spent in the Dangai would probably make an exact determination of the time of death difficult, the more she looked at the corpses, the more she knew that they had been dead before they had stepped out of the Gate into Seireitei.  
 _  
I must conclude that the actions of the Thirteenth Vice Captain, while unprecedented and vigilante, probably saved lives at Eleventh. And, though rough and bellicose a man he was, Ikata Jintarou is not guilty of the crimes his body appears to have committed, including the serious matter of a mutinous assault on his Captain.  
_  
Retsu knew that her duty now was to confirm publically and officially the rest of Enishi's story, that walking dead had invaded and attacked the Eleventh, but still she hesitated. Although she too valued truth and integrity, the implications of this scene, coupled with the strange patient's mention of an Unohana kinswoman long dead had made her deeply uneasy, even to the point of irrationality. As she had worried about what to do, two of the Eleventh officers found collapsed outside of Atsushi's office had regained consciousness and one had begged to speak to Retsu as a matter of urgency. Though still shaky and weak, the officer had adamantly insisted on giving a statement, indicating that the Eleventh Captain had attempted to send to Thirteenth for help before he had been struck down. In this unexpected witness testimony, Retsu had seen a brief way out of her dilemma. Minaichi's request for help, alongside the clear proof of Ikata's violent assault on his Captain and his men would likely be enough to exonerate Enishi from any wrong-doing and return him to his rightful rank and position without fear of censure. For a brief moment she had considered making this pathway her official judgement of the incident, but although the alternative frightened her, she knew that she could not conceal evidence that might ultimately lead to bigger problems later on.

 _For the time being, if that witness testimony goes to the Onmitsukidou, Houjou Enishi will be released and returned to his Division. I will not see an innocent man in prison or forced to face a disciplinary hearing where one should not exist, but I need a little more time to put together the threads of this and work out what it really means. I do not want to create panic that may not be merited, and I do not want to believe the direction in which my thoughts are heading, but I need to know for sure._

She removed her gloves, dropping them into the _reishi_ incinerator that stood alongside the window and moved to open the door, gesturing to a nearby recruit to take a message to Eriko. She leaned back against the door post, considering her next course of action carefully. She had not enough solid proof to be sure of her fears, and she did not even know the full name of the patient who lay in the Fourth Division hospital, let alone his reasons for voicing that name. Until she understood his motives and his origins, she could offer the Council only circumstantial evidence, and in a matter of this severity, she knew that would not do. It might harm the reputation of the Unohana to voice such things aloud, but more than the prestige of her family, Retsu cared about protecting lives. Careless reporting might cause further unprepared missions to be sent into the Dangai, with disastrous consequences. As it was, the status of the missing Seventh Division officers was already a high concern, and Retsu did not want to trigger the worried Hirata into a full blown search assault by recklessly raising possibilities for which there was currently no verifiable evidence. District Seven was a politically uncertain place since the death of Hirata's son and heir five years ago, and Retsu had no mind to cause bigger dynastic and political shockwaves by driving a worried father into reckless danger after his daughter.

Still, although she knew this, she could not swallow her concern at having heard that name from the lips of an unknown stranger, dressed in old-fashioned apparel and found alone and unconscious in a clearing with no explanation as to how he got there.  
 _  
Nobody in the Unohana talks about Yachiru-hime. Not now, and not for years. Yet that man saw me and spoke her name._

Retsu turned away from the door, allowing it to slide shut with a soft hiss. Selecting a fresh pair of gloves, she moved reluctantly back towards the corpses to take the necessary samples for further and deeper analysis. As she did so, something glinted faintly in the artificial light of the chamber, and she paused to glance at it, her expression becoming even more troubled as she traced her gaze around the decaying remains of what was clearly a much older weapon. It had been found thrust into Ikata's obi, but the moment she had tried to retrieve it, the blade had begun to crumble into dust _,_ leaving little behind but a hilt, carved with a floral insignia which she did not immediately recognise, but which was clearly old - old enough to remind her of the sleeping stranger she had left back in District Four.

 _And then there's that. Where Ikata found it, I don't know - but it's another ancient trinket, rather like the one found in Rukongai at the beginning of this business. And as much as I try to push the concept out of my mind, my thoughts keep returning to that stranger's words...and the look in his eye when he saw my face. It wasn't fear so much as recognition, but that would mean..._

She faltered, drawing her hand back from the sword hilt and turning back towards the autopsy biers.

 _I remember when I was small, some of the people at the main house thought me an ill omen because of it. My cousins would say that I looked like the pictures in the ancient genealogies, and people didn't always want me to inherit because of that. They thought I might be like her, but Father stood firm and made sure that they saw my healer training and how good at it I was. I didn't understand, not at first. Not till he took me to show me the shrine and told me the story of Yachiru-hime, the ghost that can't rest, always looking for vengeance against traitors and insurgents in the Unohana Clan. As a girl I was always afraid of that place, and once I knew that people thought I had her features, I made sure to never go near it if I could avoid doing so. I wanted to sever myself from that connection, and so I allowed the story to be forgotten. It was an ancient tale, after all. The corpse is long gone. And I have proven myself as the leader of the Unohana. But..._

She sighed heavily.

 _A strange man in ancient clothing spoke her name, and I felt a shiver run down my spine, as though his doing so made real the vague fears that lurked in my mind, ever since the Dangai opened and the dead walked free. My family have always feared Yachiru-hime, but I know...she was not the one that was really to be feared. And if this...all of this...is really what I think it is, then it means that, somehow, the Soldier sword has awoken. Ikata and the others went into the Dangai alive, but came out dead. Kikyue-hime is still missing, and the safe recovery of those officers must be a priority, but the method of doing so concerns me. Because if we are really dealing with this particular Unohana skeleton, there could be a lot more bloodshed still ahead. And I have only a limited amount of time to dig up the right historical records and put the details together before more comrades become puppets ready to slay their allies in cold blood._

* * *

They had gone.

In the desolate monochrome landscape, Takasugi cautiously emerged from his hiding place behind a crystal tree trunk, scanning the sandy ground for any sign of his companions. When Kikyue had sent him to scour around the area, he had not supposed there to be any imminent threat, but, as he had picked his way through the oddly empty landscape, he had felt a flare of spirit power and had known instinctively that his companions were in danger. Rushing back to the point they had parted through Shunpo, Takasugi had been just in time to see a stranger cast some kind of spell over his comrades. Before he had even been able to draw his sword, the man, Kikyue and the other officers of Seventh Division had disappeared inside the Dome, and for a moment Takasugi had just stood there, fear and apprehension competing for dominance inside his heart.

His instinct was that he needed to save his companions, but the other, pragmatic part of his brain realised that, if he were captured too, there would be nobody to help them. The stranger had not killed Kikyue or her fellows, just rendered them unconscious, and so Takasugi had taken the decision to hide, biding his time until he was sure that everything was quiet. Worried as he was about his commander and Division fellows, he knew that to panic and give his position away would be reckless. For all his jokes and teasing, Takasugi had reached his current rank by resolute hard work and reliability. He knew that his spirit power was not in the same category as Kikyue's, so any enemy that had been able to take her off guard would surely kill him very easily. No, as worried as he felt, Takasugi knew that biding his time was the best option, waiting until he was sure there was no trace of the eerie, death-like reiatsu that had pervaded the whole area in the moment that the stranger had appeared.

As he had sought cover among the crystal trunked trees, Takasugi had felt a second flare of power, and then a hollow emptiness. Although the whole atmosphere here was unnatural, the sensation had reminded him of the opening of the Gate back in Sixth District, through which they had first made their foray into this unknown space. What this meant, Takasugi wasn't sure, although he remembered the keys that Sekime Mareiko had given to both Ikata and Kikyue and he half-wondered if one of the patrol leaders had activated their device.  
 _  
If that were so, though, it would mean they'd have left me behind. Which means if it was one of Sekime's devices, it was probably Ikata. Kikyue-hime wouldn't leave one of her officers here. She'd wait for me to report first...meaning there's a good chance that whatever it was, it means Kikyue-hime is still in trouble._

Gritting his teeth, Takasugi approached the Dome with caution, his right hand never leaving the hilt of his zanpakutou as he drew closer to the strange, smooth building. Everything seemed quiet, and the door that Kunimori had opened earlier had once more closed, making it difficult to work out how to get inside the building. For a moment, Takasugi thought about firing Kidou at the wall, but then discounted it, realising that he would lose the element of surprise if he released spirit power recklessly. Instead he carefully began to run his hands over the even surface of the Dome building, trying to remember how he had seen Kunimori manipulate open the door. It took a while, but Takasugi was persistent, and eventually his probing fingers located the divide between one piece of panel and the other. Some further pressing and experimentation and there was a sudden hiss of air as, slowly but surely, the door of the Dome slid back, revealing the dark hole that lay within.

Takasugi gulped, swallowing hard. Then, not without misgivings, he stepped into the black.

He had no idea where he was going, and the pitch blackness all around him disorientated him further. It was not possible to tell whether he was going up or down, or even if he was simply going round in circles. He kept walking, his senses primed at every step for a sign of enemy activity, but there was nothing, just silence. In District Seven, in the past, he had patrolled all areas around the Endou manor and had even spent shifts at the prison, inspecting the prisoners through long bleak corridors of gloomy Sekkiseki-laced stone, but even in those grim locations, there was more of a sense of life than here. Here there was not even a rat to scurry across his path, nor an angry prisoner banging against the cell walls, and despite himself, Takasugi almost wished that he'd been assigned another round of prison duty than been chosen to come here, to this strange world of nothing.

 _But there are Hollows here, as well as strange shinigami, which means I need to stay on my guard. True, Kunimori-dono said they didn't come to this place, but I don't know if everything he said was true. I need to stay alert...I don't know what's inside this Dome. All I know is that Kikyue-hime and the others were taken inside here, and nobody's yet come out.  
_  
At length the interminable path of blackness ended, and Takasugi stepped out into a central chamber, shielding his eyes against the sudden and unwelcome bright light of the outside moon. The ceiling here was round and translucent, and he realised that his long trek and taken him to the top of the Dome building, into a large, airy room that showed signs of having been someone's place of work. Although he glanced at the scraps of paper, the characters written there were too ornate and complicated for even his Clan education to make sense of, but he scooped them up anyway, rolling them up tightly and sliding them into his _obi_ in case they proved useful later on. As he did so, he caught sight of something dark on the floor of the chamber, and slowly he approached it, his grip on his sword tightening as he realised what it was.  
 _  
Blood._

Takasugi was an Endou, and the Endou prided themselves on their ability to face blood and gore with equanimity, but in these circumstances, with his Clan's hime still missing, Takasugi could not help but fear the worst. Tentatively he reached down to touch the congealing stain, brushing his finger through the sticky substance and then raising it to his nose to sniff it, as if trying to pick up a trace of reiatsu. He was not a healer, and his attempts were in vain but, as he stood back up, he realised that there were other bloodstains around the chamber, crimson spots of defilement in an otherwise spotless chamber.

There was blood, but no sign of any bodies.

Takasugi stood up, wiping his finger clean on his hakamashita.

 _There isn't enough blood here to indicate anyone took a fatal wound, though. It's just patches, not a flood. There also isn't any sign of a blood trail. Whoever bled here should have left some kind of evidence of how they left this scene, but there's nothing. If they were superficially hurt, then I should be able to see what direction they went in...but there's nothing like that here. And..._

He paused, running his hand experimentally through the air near where the bloodstains lay, and his eyes narrowed. Was that the faintest trace of a Senkaimon, or was he imagining it? He drew his weapon, cautiously poking at the unstable area of atmosphere, but there was no reaction, and with a sigh, he returned the weapon to his scabbard. If a Gate of some kind had been here, it was clearly not possible to activate it that easily.

Stepping back to assess his surroundings once more, Takasugi scoured the area for any sign of either Kunimori or the stranger he had seen accost Kikyue outside the Dome, but there was no sign of them. His brows knitted as he worked out the possible explanations for this state of affairs.  
 _  
One, they've left this area and I didn't see them leave. Two, they're lying in wait for me somewhere. Three...  
_  
He bit his lip.  
 _  
Three, they went back through the Gate that I think is here, but can't open. Maybe with Ikata and the others. Ikata was certainly getting all friendly with Kunimori-dono. Maybe Ikata opened the Gate and took them back. Or maybe they were forced to open the Gate, given that there's blood. It would take some force to take Ikata down, not to mention the rest of the eleventh's thugs, but I suppose, if it came as a surprise attack, maybe..? But that doesn't tell me where Kikyue-dono is...and that's my prime concern. I need to find her and my comrades so we can go back, too.  
_  
He hesitated, debating again the risk of using his spirit power and drawing attention to his location, but ultimately pushed the concerns aside in his bigger anxiety for Kikyue's safety.

 _If something happens to her, the Taichou will flip. That's not good for anyone, so I need to find her. It's not likely anyone's waiting for me, since nobody's really seen me. Nor is anyone going to send help, because nobody knows we're in any trouble. That leaves me to figure out how to deal with this. I was with them when Kunimori-dono appeared, but there were several of us there. The other guy appeared after I'd left the group. There's no reason to suppose they even know I exist. So if they're here, what I'm about to do may be suicidal. But I guess that's still my duty, so I'm going to do it anyway._

He rubbed his hands together, getting down on the floor and gazing at the clean space of marble that he had chosen with a resigned sigh.

 _I don't know if this will work in this place, but I guess I'm out of options. It's not like I even really have the proper powder, so I'll just have to wing it and hope for the best._

Slipping off his sandals, he tapped them on the floor of the chamber, trying to get every scrap of white sand that he could manage. It wasn't the regulation equipment for casting a spell like this, but it was made of spiritual matter, and in the circumstances, it was all that was available. Hoping against hope that it wouldn't fail him, he crafted a circle against the cold stone, marking in the rough patterns as best he could and closing his eyes briefly to draw together the words of the spell which he had learned so diligently as a trainee. As the syllables came together, he drew his spirit power into close focus, thrusting the palms of his hand down against the ground.

" _Bakudou no Gojuu Hachi. Kakushitsuijaku!"_ "

He hissed the spell command in a forced whisper, watching as the threads of spiritual energy locked together in an attempt to find his commander's circle flared briefly with light, half-numbers flitting briefly between the makeshift edges of the powder circle. Although Kidou was not his strongest skill, spells like Kakushitsuijaku were useful in the field, and so he had worked hard at mastering it. Although the spell had been cobbled together from surrounding ingredients, and the caster lacked the pure accuracy of someone of higher rank, it was enough to give him the faintest flickers of reiatsu, somewhere in the ether. These traces gave him some sense of slight comfort. Although he had failed to pinpoint her coordinates, he now knew that Kikyue's reiatsu was somewhere nearby, and more, she was definitely still alive.

He sat back on his heels, letting out his breath in a rush.  
 _  
Whoever they are, they didn't kill Kikyue-hime. But she's not here, and my spell didn't trace her whereabouts accurately enough for me to pinpoint her either. Somewhere nearby - but where? This room is just a room...or is it?_

Takasugi got to his feet, moving towards the smooth walls.

 _Maybe it isn't. Maybe there's another way through. My spell didn't alert anyone, so maybe there's nobody here. But Kikyue-hime is here - somewhere. So now my duty is to find her...so that we can all get out of here alive._

* * *

It had only been a short time since he had left the manor, but already Jun'ei felt as though he had been riding for hours. The horse that Shibata had chosen for him was an experienced and speedy mount but, to the frightened teenage boy clinging on tightly to the reins, it seemed like he was trying to keep his seat atop a wild animal. The beast's long legs covered the ground quickly, taking him further and further from the main home and the tutor he admired, and he knew that even if he were to try to make out landmarks, he would not know where he was.

He had never travelled far from the main manor. He had never had to, for, as a First Degree Kuchiki and in the direct line of inheritance, people were expected to come to him, not the other way around. While his father made frequent trips between Inner Seireitei and the Kuchiki estate, and even patrolled in areas far beyond Jun'ei's imagining, it had been a fairly sheltered life for the young teenager. If not for the deep sense of unease about the peril in which Seiren must have put himself to allow his charge to escape, Jun'ei felt sure that he would not have had the grit or determination to cling on as the horse galloped its way across the green and lush terrain, but although he'd resolved to himself to be of help to his Great Uncle, a forlorn fear inside of his heart worried that he might never see the other man again.

As they crossed from open terrain into forest, the branches of some of the trees hung low, brushing against Jun'ei's cheeks and tearing against his fine Clan clothing. Still they thundered on, the horse not hesitating for a moment even though the way ahead seemed far from clear. Was it really this way to the Coastal Province? Shibata had seemed so sure, but then, Jun'ei realised, the retainer might have just been trying to reassure his fears. Did the horse really know where it was going? Jun'ei knew that riding was a sport and pastime of the noble classes, but he had always had a healthy wariness and suspicion of the art, preferring to have both feet firmly on the ground. His father had scolded him a few times about his tense posture when trying to ride, telling him that the horse was smart enough to pick up on its master's unease, but he could not help it. Horses were big, stamping, snorting beasts that could easily trample a person if they were not careful, and Jun'ei had often secretly felt that he would be happy if no more of the creatures existed in Seireitei.

But here he was, riding headlong through the countryside towards potential salvation, and for the first time he found himself reviewing this opinion. The horse was certainly faster than he would manage the journey on foot, and seemed to have no hesitation about the route. If they could keep on this path, perhaps he would reach the Coastal Province in time. Maybe Seiren would be saved. Maybe he would really be able to help. Maybe...

A flash of brown shot out from the undergrowth, darting across the horse's path and suddenly the animal which had seemed so certain and so secure shied back, rearing up and kicking its legs with a whinny of protest and alarm. Jun'ei cursed, struggling to hang on to the reins for dear life. The forest creature, whatever it had been, had soon disappeared into the bushes on the other side of the path, but the suddenness of its appearance had unsettled the horse, checking the headlong flight and creating panic. Too late Jun'ei realised that the beast had indeed picked up on his own fears, and had been racing just below the panic line, adrenaline rather than confidence adding wings to its hooves. Now it was just another frightened animal, lost in the middle of the forest, and as it reared up for a third time, Jun'ei missed his grip, grabbing wildly in vain for the trailing leather thongs.

As though sensing the shifting of his weight on its back, the horse bucked and reared again, clearly intent on ridding itself of its burden, and Jun'ei found himself dumped unceremoniously on the forest floor. He scrambled back under the cover of the nearby bush, afraid that the animal might indeed bring his worst fears to life and trample him, but instead the horse tossed its head, letting out a neigh of fear before turning tail and bolting into the woodland. So relieved was Jun'ei that he had escaped the flying hooves, he did not realise for a moment that he had been abandoned in unknown territory, entirely alone and with absolutely no idea how close he was to the Coastal Province or even where Kinnya's manor was located within that region. Pulling himself stiffly to his feet, he dusted the leaf litter from his expensive robes, wincing as he realised that he had taken a bruising. His hakama had a long tear in it, and he had clearly caught his skin against thorns on his descent, for a thin trickle of blood was running down his leg, but he was in one piece and largely unhurt from his fall.

He took a deep breath into his lungs.  
 _  
Maybe Father's right. Maybe there's nothing to fear from horses at all. I was afraid to fall, or be trampled, but I am quite fine, and the horse..._

He faltered, his eyes widening as he suddenly realised his predicament, and he swung around, gazing with increasing horror at the emptiness of his surroundings. Forest flanked him on all four sides, but he had no idea from which way he had come, nor which way the horse had been headed before it had been startled from its purpose. Fear for his own situation was soon superseded by panic about the fate of his Great Uncle, alone at the Main House with unknown shinigami enemies threatening hostilities at his door.

 _I have to help Seiren-dono. Shibata told me...I have to...but I have no horse. I have...I have no idea where I even am._

He took a tentative step or two along the grassy path, then paused, glancing around him at the trees with a growing sense of helplessness.

 _All the trees look the same. The trees here still have sakura in bloom, so I must have travelled some distance from home but...but I don't know where here is, and there isn't a marked path. I don't even know if there is a local town nearby. How am I going to help Seiren-dono if I can't even get out of the forest?_

For a moment, his panic threatened to rule his young senses, but he clenched his fists, repeating to himself a couple of times that his teacher was relying on him to convey the message to the Coastal manor. If he was to one day inherit the Kuchiki Clan, then he would have to learn to be resourceful, and also, to react in a time of crisis. Frightened as he was, he also knew that, if he panicked and ran away from his obligations now, his father would be disappointed in him. Whether Seiren had given his life to allow Jun'ei's escape was something he couldn't know, but even if his mentor was beyond help, he was still a blood Kuchiki with a duty to his family. His trembling fingers slipped to his throat, and he wrapped them loosely around the silver pendant that hung there, reminding himself of the heavy weight of responsibility it was to be born a member of District Six's ruling Clan. The cold sensation helped to reassure him, and he slid the pendant beneath his robes, turning once again to examine his surroundings.

The forest all looked the same, but the only thing that was guaranteed was that he couldn't escape the wall of trees by staying where he was. No forest could go on forever, he reasoned to himself. Drawing on the lessons Seiren had taught him about the make-up of District Six's terrain, he realised that there was also a high likelihood of settlements being located near to the woodland. It was illegal to cut down cherry trees in District Six, but most of the trees in this forest were not sakura, and Jun'ei remembered that the common folk used wood not just to heat their homes but also for crafts and trade.  
 _  
So there must be people here somewhere. All I need to do is find them. Find them and command them to take me to the Coastal Province. I'm a Kuchiki Lord. They have to obey me. That's their duty, and so I need to do mine._

With this naive assumption in mind, Jun'ei identified what looked like a more trodden pathway between two large acer trees, and, gritting his teeth for what he suspected might be a long walk, he set off in that direction. It was hard to navigate through rows and rows of similar scenery, but as he walked, he remembered that although he had left the manor without any kind of proper weapon, he did have the small blade he carried with him for cutting food and other necessary tasks. Pulling it from his obi, he used it to notch the trees that he passed, congratulating himself on this clever idea. By marking the path, he would know if he had already crossed the same land, and as he broke through into a small copse, he began to believe that he could make it through to the outside of the forest on his own.

"Why are you hurting the trees?"

As he notched the trunk of a tree on the far side of the copse, a voice startled him, and he jumped, dropping the blade in his surprise. He swung around, seeing a small girl watching him, her arms full of discarded and broken twigs and branches. She had clearly come to collect firewood, and Jun'ei put a hand to his chest, annoyed that he had been so easily taken off guard by a child.

"It's none of your business," he told her smartly. "Go about your duty, little girl. I have an important mission to undertake."

"You know, that's quite rude," the child frowned, tilting her head to look at him pensively, and Jun'ei bristled at the scrutiny. The girl was roughly dressed in peasant clothing, her feet bare and her hair dusty and tousled. She was clearly the lowest of the low among the local District population, and Jun'ei's teenage Kuchiki pride rankled at being scolded by such an insignficant specimen.

"You shouldn't speak to me like that," he told her imperiously. "I'm a member of the Kuchiki Clan and I could have you arrested for speaking to me so familiarly without permission."

The girl's eyes widened at this, and she took a hesitant step back. Mollified by this reaction, Jun'ei bent to retrieve his knife, glancing at his companion.

"In recompense for your rudeness, I want you to take me to your settlement," he told her. "I have business with your people, and would speak to an adult about them."

The girl stared at him blankly, and Jun'ei sighed, remembering that he had told her not to speak to him without permission.

"You may respond," he told her frankly, and the girl sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't have any people. Nor a settlement," she said frankly. "Just my Nii-chan. But he won't help you. He doesn't like people like you."

At this unexpected response, Jun'ei's indignation flared up once more, and he grabbed the child by her shoulders, causing her to drop her burden as he gave her a little shake. Whatever he was about to say to her, however, was lost as there was a tremendous rustle from the trees overhead, followed by the descent of what could only be described by the bewildered Jun'ei as a shadow dropping from the sky towards them. Before he could react, or even ready his blade, the stranger had pounced, pinning him to the ground with his fine Kuchiki clothing pressed hard against the dirt. The young girl shrieked and Jun'ei felt a knee in his back, preventing him from wriggling free or getting up. He tried to twist his head around to see his attacker, but it was to no avail. The man had him held in a way that suggested he knew exactly how to overpower a stranger, and despite his earlier indignation, Jun'ei felt his fear beginning to return.

"Who are you, and what do you want with Homare?"

The voice was low, and Jun'ei could feel the warmth of the other person's breath against his ear. He wriggled again, but it was to no avail, and a fist came down on his hand, forcing the blade free from his grasp. Gloved black fingers curled themselves around the hilt of the weapon, and Jun'ei saw it drawn away from his line of sight. A cold prick of metal against the skin of his cheek told him that his own weapon was now being used against him.

"I asked you a question," the voice said again. "I suggest you answer me. People die in this forest, and the animals pick apart their bones for food. If you don't answer, I might leave you here for them, so I suggest you tell me. Who are you, and what do you want with Homare?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Like Father, like son?**  
 _  
There are nuances and differences in the meeting of Homare and Jun'ei compared with that of his father Shirogane and Shikiki all the way back in Fourth Maki. Of course, Jun'ei knows nothing of that particular escapade..._

 _Also a moment of spotlight for Takasugi. He's a new character for this story in the Seventh line up. It seems to be that the one sure fire thing that will happen in any story I write is that somehow I will bully Hirata. It seems that, with Kikyue missing in the Dangai, I'm true to form. Good thing there are people looking to help._

 _Poor Hirata. He has a really hard life. I'm surprised all of his hair isn't grey by now._

 _And...that is probably it for this wave of updates for a while. I have some academic things and deadlines coming up and they will be occupying me for the forseeable future. But look for some more Tenka Ransei in the summer, with any luck..._

 _My sincere and warm thanks to all who keep supporting this story and Team Stupid. Cookies all round :D_


	35. The Outlaw and the Clansman

**Chapter Thirty Four: The Outlaw and the Clansman**

"I have to admit, the Kuchiki estate is considerably more impressive than I remember."

As they made their way along one of the long and ornately carved passages that connected the many sections of the Kuchiki main estate, Kunimori lifted a casual hand to brush it against the wood panels, eying with interest the bright colours and designs that adorned the walls to either side. "It was always a fine place to come - a place of peacocks rather than power, if I recall - but they really have outdone themselves. It's become something of a maze, if not quite a fortress. I suppose being the Regental house afforded them some luxuries that most families never had."

"I thought you weren't going to hurt anyone here," Tsuneyoshi cast his companion an accusatory glance, pacing reluctantly along behind him. "You said that you wanted access to the archive, but we didn't come to harm the Kuchiki. You're going to get alerts sent out all over Seireitei at this rate. I thought this was a peaceful errand - a factfinding mission. Did you have to treat it like an act of war?"

"I don't know what you mean." Kunimori turned to meet Tsuneyoshi's dark glare with an impassive smile. "I didn't kill anyone. That's a peaceful entrance in my book. Besides, it's their own fault. They didn't want to let me in, so I had to be persuasive."

He shrugged his shoulders, reaching down to pat the hilt of his sealed sword.

"If I had been serious, I'd have brought this out," he added. "It's just kidou. They'll live. All of them. But none of them are any use to me, so why waste time? Sometimes it's better to be more direct."

Tsuneyoshi bit his lip, remembering the scene in the Kuchiki courtyard. At first, he had been afraid that Kunimori might blast his way through the phalanx of Kuchiki retainers that had barred the way, but although he had knocked out the first wave of these with a casual blast of Kidou magic, there had been no serious intent behind the attack. The enigmatic old man had held back from causing a massacre, and had even seemed willing to wait following the initial blast, in order to negotiate terms with the people on site. It had not been long before a man in Kuchiki robes had appeared, several more retainers in tow. His expression had been impassive and his demeanour had showed no sign of fear or apprehension as he had approached them. At his arrival, those Kuchiki retainers who had escaped the initial Kidou soporific had seemed both relieved and anxious, and their reaction had told Tsuneyoshi that this was indeed a member of the main Clan, with significant rank within the family. The man had been robed in the finery of green and cream that he recognised as the traditional colours of the Kuchiki, and though he had carried a walking stick in his right hand, he had made no attempt to use it, moving with slow but firm strides as if trying to conceal any physical weakness from their sight. At first glance Tsuneyoshi had understood that this man was a soldier, although the sword he carried at his side had been an asauchi, rather than a _zanpakutou_. He had challenged them, his voice ringing out clear and crisp in the morning air as he had demanded an explanation for the insolence of their forced entry. Still Tsuneyoshi had not suspected Kunimori's intentions, as the old man had begun with genial pleasantries, bowing his head and apologising for the unexpected onslaught of magic as though it had been an accidental whim. He had calmly introduced himself and his companion, and had waited with deference for his companion to respond. Tsuneyoshi had almost believed that they were going to actually negotiate with this stranger, and would access the Kuchiki archive without further disruption.

The moment the newcomer had given his name, however, Kunimori's demeanour changed from docile and elderly to the strategic and ruthless man of war he truly was. Before Tsuneyoshi had known what was going in, the old man had unleashed a more potent round of Kidou spells, each powerful and compelling soporifics that had laid out not only the whole of the remaining guard and reinforcements but the finely robed individual as well. He had fought against it a little longer than his low-born fellows, struggling to retain his stance, but it had been to no avail, and soon he too had dropped onto the cobbles, the stick clattering against the stone as he fell.

Kunimori had paused at the man's side for a moment, and Tsuneyoshi had known that he had debated whether or not to take further action. Ultimately, however, he had stepped over the unconscious form as though it was nothing more than a stray tree branch, beckoning for Tsuneyoshi to follow him into the now unguarded main estate. A cluster of frightened house staff that had witnessed the encounter in the front courtyard quickly fled and hid from them as they approached, and now, deep inside the Kuchiki manor, there was nobody to stop them from looking around.

"You won't kill them?" Tsuneyoshi asked now, and Kunimori sighed.

"What do you care if I do or not?" he challenged. "You're only interested in Harumizu, and I only promised not to hurt the Unohana. We have no deals about Kuchiki men, Tsuneyoshi-dono."

"No, but I won't support you in unnecessary bloodshed," Tsuneyoshi snapped back. "That man was barely armed. He had no _zanpakutou_ , and he carried a stick. He wasn't a match for you. You could have left him without humiliating him for his lack of power."

"Ah, you noticed that too, did you?" Kunimori rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A high ranking Kuchiki with next to nothing in the way of reiatsu. I have to admit, I was disappointed. When we arrived here, I definitely sensed spirit power of a significant level - pure and definitely from this Clan. But I don't sense it now. That one...whoever he might be in the family, he was a decoy and a distraction. Whoever was here before is not here now...and I was displeased at the level of deception involved. I decided to punish him for being useless. For a man who trains as a soldier, letting him live in such pitiful circumstances is more humiliating than a quick, clean death. He carried a sword, so deserved no civilian mercy measures, even if I believed in them. As it is, he will probably resent being spared, if and when he comes to himself. By that time, our work here will doubtless be done. You shouldn't be soft - this world is survival of the fittest."

"We don't really know what this world is," Tsuneyoshi pointed out. "Kuchiki Seiren is a name I don't know - a man born since our exile. Who knows how long we were in that place? Time moves there in strange ways. You said that Ikata told you everyone powerful was in this military central barracks. Why should we expect to find powerful people here in the outer reaches of Clan land?"

"You didn't sense anyone with power here?" Kunimori sent his companion a questioning look, and Tsuneyoshi sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Something raw and untrained, maybe. Probably a child," he admitted reluctantly. "Not someone worth pursuing, if that's what you're asking."

"Maybe, maybe not," Kunimori pursed his lips. "I grant you it was untrained, so probably wouldn't be of much use to me - but I am still displeased. That man...that Kuchiki Seiren...is far worse. To think we'd come here, and that's what we'd find. A man so weak that I can't make use of him. A Kuchiki so pitiful that he doesn't even have Knowledge to give me. I can hardly believe it...I admit, that's a possibility I didn't factor into our plans. I dislike not having all the information before I strike, but I never thought I'd see this family fallen to such a degree. However fine their house may be, it seems they've become complacent. Apparently they are no longer the austere power-mongers of the past."

"He might have had knowledge, if you'd asked him," Tsuneyoshi objected, and Kunimori sighed, leaning up against the wall and sending his companion a weary glance.

"I didn't mean that kind of Knowledge," he said softly, brushing his fingers against his sword once more. "A man with no reiatsu isn't subject to my powers of suggestion. Ironically, his lack of anything makes him immune to my sword's greater skill, which means I can learn nothing and steal nothing from him. Moreover, he's spiritually dead, so he's not the key to the archive, either. The little I know about that place is that it requires spirit power to enter the hidden realms beneath the main house. How to activate the entrance, or even where it is, I do not know. Even if we find it, I imagine we won't be able to enter easily. We may not find what we're looking for as easily as I had hoped."

"Meaning?" Tsuneyoshi frowned.

"The Kuchiki have always been an unfriendly people unwilling to share anything with anyone without due permission," Kunimori said matter-of-factly. "The most secret and secure documents have always been sealed away behind many barriers and doorways, deep in the heart of this estate. The one who has access to that is the one who leads this family. And that empty shell of a man may be in charge here right now, but he isn't the head of the family. He isn't who we're looking for. He isn't the one with the Knowledge we need to break into this archive and find what we need to know."

"Then we might as well not have come," Tsuneyoshi grimaced. Kunimori rolled his eyes.

"The one that escaped will go for help," he said simply. "That Seiren person might have tried to buy time for him to leave, but he'll go and bring back the one we seek. When that one comes, we'll have what we need."

He cast his companion a sidelong glance.

"Be glad I knocked them out, rather than killing them. I could have made you more potential warriors, but I decided to spare your sensitive soul the cries of angry Kuchiki retainers," he added coolly. "I have no use for them, but I left them alive out of deference to you. I'm interested in information, and until we have it, we won't leave here. But the one who left, he'll bring who we need right to us."

"What if that person alerts a whole army?" Tsuneyoshi demanded.

"Then I might need to create you some soldiers of your own," Kunimori smiled benignly, and Tsuneyoshi felt a cold chill in his stomach at the calmness of the other's words. "Don't worry. He won't. The Kuchiki don't ask for other people to help them. They handle their own problems. All we have to do is wait, and all the Knowledge we need will be ours."

"And in the meantime?"

"We take whatever scraps we can find," Kunimori pressed his hand against a wood panel door, sliding it carefully back to reveal a chamber beyond. It was neat, formally appointed and well lit, with shelves of books and other volumes adorning the walls each side of the window. A low-slung desk of good quality carving stood in the centre, and Kunimori stepped into the chamber proper, opening the door fully to allow his companion access. "Starting with this one."

"Why this one?" Tsuneyoshi eyed his companion suspiciously, and Kunimori laughed.

"The basic rule of dealing with the exalted noble snobbery of the Kuchiki," he said frankly. "The carving on the door indicates someone of status works in here. Whether it be that ingrate we met outside or someone of better rank I wouldn't know, but this room has books and a working desk. At the very least, we can kill time trying to find out something about this world. You are right, we know not enough about any of it. And time is ticking. However little I fear facing the current leader of a family whose best defence against attack is an aging weakling with a walking stick, we are not here to sightsee."

"I suppose that makes sense," Tsuneyoshi sighed, moving across the chamber to examine the books on the shelf. "We came for information, not to fight with the locals. Maybe, if we can find what we need in here, we can leave without the need for fighting."

"Considering the sword fate gave you, Tsuneyoshi-dono, you really are a coward," Kunimori grimaced, shaking his head slowly in defeat.

"Maybe that's why fate gave it to me," Tsuneyoshi smiled humourlessly. "Because a power like that is base and unnecessary, and only someone who understands that should ever wield it."

"Says the man who massacred his family and apparently made zombies of them, too," Kunimori returned neatly, flicking through the heavy bound volumes that lay on the desk. "I agree. You're a complete pacifist."

"Shut up," Tsuneyoshi's eyes glittered with irritation. "I'm not like you, so stop trying to make out as though I am. I didn't want to be involved in Heaven's War, or the aftermath. I just..."

"Protected your son, I know, I get it already," Kunimori cut across him. "Instead of your moral justification speech, how about you stop wasting air and come and look at this."

"It's not a moral justification speech," Tsuneyoshi muttered, nonetheless coming to stand beside the desk. "Well? What about it?"

"Ikata mentioned to me something called District One, when we were talking," Kunimori said simply. "I don't know where that is, but it's apparently where the Yamamoto are. This also talks about Districts. This volume mentions District Six. I don't know, but I'd guess that's maybe where this is. What this number system means, I don't know - but apparently this is no longer what we know as Kuchiki Province. That means the land borders and jurisdictions may be different from what we remember."

"The Council of Elders?" Tsuneyoshi moved to pick up another document. "What's that?"

"I'm not sure," Kunimori looked thoughtful. "And the date on that means nothing to me, either. I am beginning to think we have perhaps been away a considerably long time, Tsuneyoshi-dono. I had already assumed it, but in that Void place, it's hard to know one day from another. Maybe we've been away...longer than even I imagined."

"How long is that?" Tsuneyoshi paused, looking startled, and Kunimori shrugged.

"A milennia, perhaps?" he hazarded. "It's difficult to be sure. Maybe not so long as that."

"So Harumizu might not be alive still?" Tsuneyoshi's eyes became stricken, and Kunimori laughed.

"Ah, you see? You are invested enough to want to know the target of your hate is here to meet your blade," he teased. "You shouldn't worry. I felt his reiatsu, remember? He's here. Somewhere. Like you and I, he holds a Royal Sword, and they have an unmistakeable scent. They also seem able to prolong life - so I expect you'll get your chance to meet him. He may have aged, like me...but he's here."

"I'd forgotten that you sensed him," Tsuneyoshi let out his breath in a rush. "All right, then. What do we do now?"

"It seems waiting for the Kuchiki is a good idea. We can interrogate them more easily on details of the geography and time frame we've emerged into," Kunimori reflected. "Knowledge is always important in any project, and we need to be sure we get this right. I promise you not to kill any Kuchiki I don't have to, if it will keep you focused on the reasons we came here - but we do need to know where we are, and more, where we are going."

"Yes..." Tsuneyoshi looked doubtful, setting the council record aside. "In any case, this Council of Elders wasn't mentioned to you by Ikata before you killed him and his men?"

"No..." Kunimori said regretfully. "Only this Gotei thing with powerful Shinigami, operating in a central territory. I maybe should have pushed further, rather than just seeing them as a useful diversionary tactic, but I did assume that power was in the hands of the powerful. Ikata didn't strike me as important or potent enough in his spiritual aura to have that level of Knowledge to give, so I didn't bother to try. Plus, he was a Yamamoto, so I felt more obligated to kill him than I did in interrogating him. Maybe that was wrong, and I should have probed him further about the structure of government first. Maybe power is separate from politics here after all."

"Or maybe not," Tsuneyoshi's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed up the document again, his grasp so tight that the paper crinkled beneath his touch. "Kunimori-dono. Look. Look at this."

He thrust the document in his companion's direction, his hand trembling, and Kunimori took it, frowning and glancing at his companion.

"You already said this related to this Council, about which we know nothing," he objected, but Tsuneyoshi shook his head.

"We know something," he said darkly, jabbing a finger in the direction of the second paragraph, and at the sight of the characters, Kunimori's eyebrows shot up.

"Kyouraku Harumizu," he murmured, his eyes big with surprise. "Well, well. Now that's a helpful clue. Just when I thought you were starting to lose your nerve, too. I can sense it, Tsuneyoshi-dono. That killer instinct bubbling up inside of you once more."

"He's alive and he's here," Tsuneyoshi said bleakly. "Somewhere in Seireitei, he's here."

"I don't know how current this document is," Kunimori scanned the contents. "I don't understand the dating system being used and this era name means nothing to me. Ikata did mention that the head of the Yamamoto was currently someone called Yuuichi, though, and his name is mentioned here as one of the attending Clansfolk. I imagine that makes it relatively recent. It also looks like Harumizu hasn't changed much, if he's butting his nose into other people's rebellions and answering to the commands of high ranking Clansfolk from whom he can brownnose rewards and status. This report relates to a rebel against Soul Society. A man called Aizen. Aizen? Where did I hear that name before?"

"The Endou _hime_ mentioned it to me, when I spoke to them," Tsuneyoshi took a deep breath to calm himself. "Aizen Katsura. That's what she said. They were looking for him. Maybe Ikata said it to you as well."

"Maybe I should have interrogated her and her people, too," Kunimori looked pensive. "I couldn't imagine that a slip of a girl like that would be trusted with any important information, and the Endou never were a status family, but if we've been away as long as I think, it may have changed. There's an Endou listed on this document too - Endou Hirata, perhaps the name says? That may suggest they've risen in status, and even as a girl, she might have known something useful to us - she or some of her followers."

He shrugged.

"Oh well. Never mind. We'll just have to make do with what we can find now we're here. This document doesn't go into great detail about where anything is. It just mentions the pursuit of an Aizen, and that Harumizu was involved. He appeared before this Council thing, but there's no real detail in this report and to be frank, I don't care about some minor rebel born long after we left this place."

He smiled, tossing the document back down on the desk.

"It also gives us the name of the person we probably seek here," he added. "If that report is recent enough to mention the current head of the Yamamoto, and some Endou or other, and we saw representatives of both those families in the Void World, then I imagine it's also fresh enough to tell us who is in charge here. The name of the Kuchiki listed is Guren. Kuchiki Guren. The Kuchiki have a long-standing and irritating tradition of inserting colours into the names of their important Clansfolk, and _Guren_ is no exception to that rule...but none of the Kuchiki I ever knew bore names that carried the same character. The fact that the poor excuse for a life form we met at the Gate was called Seiren makes me think that there may be a close kinship of sorts between him and our target, perhaps even as close as twins maybe? Such similar names suggest some kind of sycophantic parenting of that nature. If so, that also explains why he was allowed to address us with such temerity, even given his complete uselessness as a living creature. That closeness has given him rank here above his ability - which may work in our favour. Perhaps leaving Seiren alive was a good idea, as it might prove a useful bartering tool if this Guren wants to be difficult."

"That's a big assumption to make," Tsuneyoshi looked doubtful. "The Kuchiki I remember saw the birth of twins as an evil omen and were well known for slaughtering the weaker child to prevent later political clashes."

"Even more reason to assume this Clan has fallen well below its ancient standards, as something as feeble as that Seiren should have been stifled at birth, not left to roam around embarrassing his family with his utter lack of power," Kunimori rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps you are right, but I suspect that what we met at the gate is proof of a sentimentality of family that demonstrates the decline of what was once a great noble house. I think that will be useful for us. It strikes me that if this Guren can keep alive such an embarrassing kinsman, he is probably not going to prove much of an opponent. Especially not if we use threats to his kinsfolk to make him comply."

"I don't want unnecessary bloodshed here," Tsuneyoshi warned, and Kunimori snorted.

"You really do annoy me, sometimes," he said wearily. "I've heard you, all right? I told you. We'll see how things pan out. I don't really want to make you delusional if it's unnecessary, since you might turn on me again, and that would be inconvenient. So I won't make you hear dead voices, so long as you stop whining about people's lives like they matter to you. It's hypocritical and, frankly, unattractive."

"There are already voices here," Tsuneyoshi muttered, rubbing his temples. "One, anyway. It's there, nagging away in the background. A woman's voice, I think. Maybe someone died here recently. It's hard to be sure, but it's there. And it's annoying."

"A woman is not a weapon, and I don't care about dead Clan _hime_ ," Kunimori looked derisive.

"If you had the recollections I do, you would," Tsuneyoshi said darkly, as an image of a dark haired woman flashed into his thoughts, hair flying loose on the wind and blood splattering her blade. "If you'd seen what I saw, you wouldn't be so casual about the power of women to do harm."

"Harm, maybe, but not wage war," Kunimori was unmoved. "If you can't shut out girlish whimperings at your age, then you really need to toughen up and stop being so easily distracted. Our business is with Harumizu and the current Yamamoto, not some dead Clan _hime_ in some ornate crypt nearby. If you're saying this in order to make me want to leave more quickly..."

"I'm not," Tsuneyoshi sighed. "I want to know about Harumizu, too. I'm not going anywhere, Kunimori-dono. But I won't countenance you killing the weaklings outside. Whoever's voice I hear, I hear it strongly enough that I know she's not weak, and I don't want to hear her or make any kind of connection to her, not if I can avoid it. I also don't want to make fodder of the men outside, either. I can't hear their voices yet, so I know they're all still alive, but I don't want to, however feeble they might be. I came here for information. Not bloodshed."

"Well, that suits me too, here, so long as I get the Knowledge I need," Kunimori shrugged his shoulders. "So it's agreed. We'll wait for the Kuchiki to come. Once they do, we'll have all the answers we need - to avenge your grievance, and mine."

* * *

"Are you sure that it's all right for me to visit?"

Juushirou pushed open the door of the corridor, hesitating for a moment, and glancing back at Kai as if looking for confirmation. Kai grinned at the moment of doubt, flicking his fingers in the direction of the end cell. It was later the same day and, following the conversation with Kohaku and Kayashima about Katsura's letter, Juushirou had found it difficult to settle and leave everything out of his control. Worried about Enishi's fate, he had taken a walk in the direction of Second Division to ask after his Vice Captain's health and situation. There he had been met by Kai, who had greeted him warmly, assuring him that he was more than welcome to see Enishi's condition for himself. At first Juushirou had hesitated, worried that his presence might somehow compromise the investigation and inspire deeper probes into the Thirteenth Division's other activities, but Kai had seemed unconcerned, leading him personally to the hallway that led to the holding cells.

"It's fine," he agreed. "You're here with authorisation from the person in charge - that is, me. We've spoken to Houjou and to your people and taken all our statements. Nobody is going to accuse you of collusion or anything else because we already have all the material we need from them. This whole case now rests on the judgement of the Fourth and their autopsies. Till we get that, Houjou is at my pleasure - but you can visit him. You're a Captain, and you have the right to visit an incarcerated squad member."

"I don't want to do anything that will put his case in jeopardy," Juushirou sighed. "Well, I want to help him, but the Thirteenth has to come first. I understand how fine a line I have to walk right now, but rank aside, he's my friend. I don't want him to think he's been abandoned. It's been a busy day and it's getting more and more so, but it's hard to just sit still and do nothing."

"Houjou may not be the most academic shinigami ever, but he's no fool," Kai said wisely. "He knows the situation he's in and why you've taken the actions you have. In fact, I think he expected it. He's been pretty settled and he's answered anything we've asked him without any problem. I really don't think you should worry about him. He's not worried about anything. He believes in what he did, and that means he's at peace."

"It's a characteristic of his I've often envied, but never been able to quite emulate," Juushirou groaned.

"I think we all feel a bit that way," Kai reflected. "Still, I do appreciate Thirteenth's cooperation in our investigation. I know you don't like us poking around, and I know you let me speak to Kohaku even though you weren't sure he was up to it. That's the best way you can help Houjou right now, and you needn't worry about the Thirteenth. Nobody thinks there's any kind of mutinous conspiracy going on under your auspices. Whatever happened at Eleventh was an exceptional circumstance, but it won't reflect on the rest of you."

"I'm glad to hear you say it," Juushirou looked troubled. "Enishi says I'm too protective of that boy sometimes, and I am, but..."

He trailed off, and Kai clapped a reassuring hand down on his friend's shoulder.

"Kohaku has turned into a good officer," he observed. "He wanted to help his Vice Captain, which is testimony to the loyalty to the Gotei your people have instilled in him. Mind you, when I first met him five years ago before Kotetsu's trial, I felt that he had an inner steel and resolve to him when it came to something he believed in doing. You needn't worry about him, he's tougher than you think he is. And he has a good ally in that other lad. Kayashima, was it? He made a decent witness, has a good memory for detail that means it's becoming easier to put together everything that happened. I know not everyone in Seireitei gives Kohaku due credit - some of my own officers included - but I don't see him as anything but a witness in this case and you needn't worry that it's otherwise. I'm grateful for the chance to speak to him and that you allowed me to do so without sending officers to supervise, but I'm still hoping that I'll be able to build a case that doesn't need him to testify about what he saw that night. He's a tough kid, but he was pale and I saw the shadows under his eyes. I'm going to do my job properly, but I am not enough of a hardened interrogator that I can't tell that what he saw shook him up. Without your Vice Captain, the last thing you need is Kohaku's spirit power going into meltdown, and I think Seireitei could do without that drama as well. I intend to leave him alone now I've heard his statement - unless it becomes essential in framing Houjou's defence."

"I appreciate that," Juushirou sent his friend a rueful smile. "I agree, a repeat is something we don't want - in any sense."

"I think the person least troubled by what happened at Eleventh is Houjou himself," Kai reflected.

"Well, I told Naoko that I was coming to make sure Enishi was all right," Juushirou sighed, "but perhaps the opposite is more true. Maybe it's the other way around, and I came for a dose of his no-nonsense common sense. He says I overthink things and worry about stuff I shouldn't. At the moment, there's a lot to worry about...I suppose I came to make sure he wasn't one of those things, irrational as it sounds."

"I'm doing my best to get all the details together," Kai assured his friend with a wry smile. "He's my friend, too. I know what is at stake and I won't bend the rules. It's too important that I don't. But if I was to follow hunches, I'd say that the absolute conviction with which Houjou gives his case sways me to believe his side of things. He's battle smart, and he doesn't tell lies. He's not trying to hide anything, and he believes what he's saying. That makes me believe him, because I know him. And that means that I'll hold out for whatever evidence I can find before I file this case before the Council. Even if it turns out to be impossible to prove his story - I'll do what I can within the bounds of the law."

"I know, and I'm grateful," Juushirou rested a hand lightly on Kai's shoulder, offering him a sad smile. "Do you trust me to talk to him alone, or are you wanting to be present?"

"I trust you," Kai said evenly. "I know that you bend rules sometimes, Ukitake, but you don't do dishonest things. I know you're not a risk, being here. You won't break him out, and even if you tried, he wouldn't go. And I have a lot to do, so I'll leave you. Let me know when you want to leave, and I'll come and lock up the main doors behind you."

He fumbled at his belt, producing a set of keys and removing one. He tossed it towards his companion with a smile, and Juushirou caught it deftly, sending his friend a confused look.

"This is a cell key...?"

"Like I said, I trust you," Kai returned the other keys to his obi with a shrug. "Besides, I have the key to this corridor and the main door outside. You have the key to Houjou's cell. You're a smart person. I'm sure you realise that breaking into a cell when I control the building exit is not a practical escape plan."

Despite himself, Juushirou laughed.

"I suppose not," he agreed sheepishly. "All right. That makes sense."

"This is taking its toll on you, isn't it?" Kai eyed the white haired Captain keenly, and Juushirou shrugged.

"I'm a Captain without an adjutant, and ten new recruits," he said matter-of-factly. "I have good officers and we'll manage. Naoko and Kirio have been a godsend, but everyone else is realising just how much Enishi did in terms of training drills and patrols and everything else, and adjusting to his absence has hit a lot of people hard. He's popular in the Thirteenth. I feel like my behaviour really has to be absolutely firm and absolute, because otherwise you might have a mutiny of officers coming here to protest his innocence. I might not want to break him out, but I am pretty sure there are others who might, if they thought there was any indication that I doubt the court will find Enishi innocent."

"That's one reason I had people at your gate, but I have to say, the Thirteenth have behaved impeccably, so I removed them," Kai rubbed his chin pensively. "That, and Shikibu gave me a flea in my ear about the behaviour of some of my officers. Those officers won't come to Thirteenth again, by the way. They're busy cleaning out cells in the depths of the Maggots' Nest as punishment for disrespect towards another Division. I heard what they said about young Kohaku, and about you and Houjou, too. I'm sorry, Ukitake. Not all of my officers have good sense."

"You can't help what you've got, and it's fine. It's a lesson for the recruits that not everyone is going to be nice because you wear the same uniform," Juushirou said evenly. "I'd appreciate it if they weren't within my Division grounds again, those officers, but otherwise, you can let it go. I'm not making a formal complaint - I think Naoko probably handled it adequately."

"I'd rather take your formal complaint than hers," Kai said dryly. "Because of that, the officers in question are going to be on punishment detail till my ears have stopped ringing."

He raised his hand in a wave.

"I'll see you later. Tell Houjou that I'll see he's fed in an hour or two, so to sit quietly and wait."

"I'll do so," Juushirou returned the gesture, watching as Kai disappeared back down the long, narrow hallway. He gazed down at the key in his hand, his lips thinning.  
 _  
To think it has come to this. A Captain visiting his Vice Captain in the Maggots' Nest because a bunch of officers came back from the Dangai dead and instead of looking into what horrific entity caused that to happen, everyone's busy looking for an easy solution. I think maybe Shunsui's right - and Koku too - about Katsura. It's an easy assumption to make...which means it's probably the wrong one, and we've lost time in chasing bad leads. It's already escalated from ancient war dead to current officers. Who knows what other things we've missed - and what greater tragedy we might be dealing with if not for Koku's foresight and Enishi's bullheaded intuition. But then there's the issue of Katsura's letter, and what to do about that and the warning it contained without getting Koku into trouble. Kai isn't suspicious of him, and I don't want to open other cans of worms. I hope Shunsui can find things out without creating a stir in our direction. I don't think Thirteenth could take another body blow right now.  
_  
He sighed, making his way down the corridor to the end cell and sliding the key into the lock. It turned easily, and he slid the door back, the sound catching the attention of the room's inhabitant. At the sight of Juushirou, Enishi was on his feet, surprise glittering in his dark eyes.

"Taichou!"

"Good afternoon," Juushirou brought himself into the room proper, closing the door behind him and turning the key in the lock once again. "Don't look so startled. Kai knows I'm here. He let me borrow this," he held up the key, "so that I could have some time to talk with you. Since all our statements are in and filed, now, I'm able to come speak to you - and I wanted to make sure you knew that we hadn't abandoned you."

"I knew that," Enishi smiled wryly at this, sitting back down on the thin wooden pallet and gesturing to Juushirou to take the room's stark metal chair. "It's not much hospitality, but you're welcome. I didn't want you to come here in a mad hurry, and I'm glad you didn't. If Shihouin has authorised it, it means that it's okay. I know you have to protect Thirteenth. I would be cross, if you didn't. They're more important."

"You're both important," Juushirou settled himself as best he could in the uncomfortable interrogation chair. "Everyone back home is worried about you."

"I'm sorry," Enishi looked sheepish. "I've caused a fuss. I would say I didn't mean to, but I don't think there was any 'meaning' about it. I did what I had to do at the time, but I'm sorry for the consequences. It's fine on me," he gestured to the cell. "This is not so bad, and I get fed, but I've left you in the lurch without warning. Especially after you entrusted Kohaku's missions to me."

"Well, it isn't like any of us planned this," Juushirou was pensive. "I believe in your judgement. Besides, if you've become reckless and impulsive about rushing to the rescue, it's probably my bad influence. Shunsui certainly thinks so, so I really can't complain."

Enishi chuckled.

"He would," he agreed appreciatively. "I'm all right, Ukitake. You can tell the folks back home that, too. And something else, if you don't mind. That if you break a rule, for whatever reason, there's a process that has to be followed. I know what situation I'm in and I knew the risks when I took them, if that makes sense. I don't want any of those bright sparks thinking it's all right to do as they please. I had to make a decision and I made it - but I know there might be consequences, and I want to make sure they know that too."

"Talking like that, you sound like a Vice Captain," Juushirou observed lightly, and Enishi grimaced.

"I know," he admitted. "Hard habit to break, even without the uniform. I guess I shouldn't even be calling you Taichou right now, should I?"

"You can call me as you please," Juushirou assured him. "This is an informal meeting, anyway. As a Captain, I can request access to an incarcerated squad member - which you are, even without your badge, until a court decides otherwise - but we're friends and no matter what happens, that doesn't change. You can decide whether you're reporting or whether we're just having a conversation. I don't mind. To be honest, I'm just glad to see you're in one piece."

"I'm probably a damn sight better than you, right now," Enishi owned. "I guess that's insubordination, but if I'm not your Vice Captain right now, I'll say it as your friend. You look worn ragged. Is that my fault? Because if it is, and I make you ill..."

"No...no," Juushirou hurried to reassure his companion. "I'm all right, really. My sleep has been a bit messed up since that night, but it's not really because of you or any of this. I'm worried about Kohaku. The violence of his vision and his episode that night was...of the same level as five years ago. He seems fine - he's recovered and bounced back and he's keen to do his bit for you as well, if he can. But I worry that your warning came a bit too late where he's concerned. Keeping him in the here and now has seemed easy for the past five years, but suddenly..."

"He wasn't right, that day we came back from patrol," Enishi mused. "I don't pretend I understand it. I just know that what he sees is true. But there was a shadow about him. I don't know how to explain it, but he wasn't right. That's why I took him seriously. I knew it wasn't just a flight of fancy."

"Koku's reiryoku can have that effect on people," Juushirou reminded him. Enishi nodded.

"I know, but I don't think so," he ruminated. "Shihouin asked me the same thing too, but I wouldn't know how to gauge it. I don't think Kohaku is the reason I went to Eleventh that night, Ukitake. If you want the honest truth, I think it was the Yamamoto blood that did it. I was slow to put it all together and I'm cross about that. I might not like Atsushi-dono very much, and I might have chosen not to stay with a Clan squad, but they're still my people and I didn't like it, the way they were attacked. If anything, I guess I found that little piece of Clan blood inside of me. I suppose it had to happen one day."

Juushirou eyed his friend thoughtfully, then shook his head.

"You'd have done the same for any other Division, if it had been them in danger," he said at length. "Ours, for sure. Shunsui's. Hirata's. Any of them. You know you would. I'm sure you did hate seeing your kinsfolk messed about like that. But I don't think it was Clan blood that did it, Enishi. I think it's just what you believed was right."

Enishi shrugged.

"True," he agreed. "In that moment, though, I was angry. And I knew, one hundred percent, that what I was doing was the only thing to be done. I understood the risks, but I didn't have time to hang around and get permission or wait for a summons. The moment Furuta came back and reported what had happened at the Gate, I understood what Koku had been trying to tell me with his damn hallucinations. It clicked together like a puzzle and I knew. And I knew if I didn't go, it would be worse. Even if I was too late to stop it all, if I didn't go...it would be worse. I really believed that, one hundred percent."

"And now?" Juushirou asked quizzically.

"Huh?" Enishi looked confused, and Juushirou smiled.

"Do you still believe that, now?" he asked again. Enishi's expression became sombre, and he nodded his head.

"I believe it," he said softly. "I didn't kill anyone that night, Ukitake. I'm certain of it. I stopped them, yes. I took my blade to them, but I wasn't the one who killed them. They were already dead. Just like Koku said. And it made me angry that they were, and that I had to be the one to do it, but there wasn't anyone else. So I did it. And that's all."

"Tsunemori said the same," Juushirou confirmed. "I don't think I have ever seen him so angry as when he came back after your arrest. He was not happy they took you in like this. He described Ikata and the others as like corpses undergoing autopsy."

"That's exactly it," Enishi's clouded expression lifted a little at this, and he nodded. "Tsukabishi is better with words than I am, but that's exactly it. When I cut them open, there wasn't blood. There wasn't anything. I bled," he touched his arm, "but they didn't. It was wrong. Totally wrong. Tsukabishi put it just right. That's how they were."

He cast his companion an anxious look.

"He's all right, isn't he? He and Kira both? I know I took them with me, but..."

"Tsunemori and Kira followed your orders," Juushirou said simply. "They didn't do anything else that Kai or anyone else can touch them for, and since disobeying you would be insubordination, it's my matter to deal with. If I think the order you gave them was a bad one, then that's for me to resolve with you - if and when that opportunity arises. Which, by the way, I won't be doing, because I believe your side of the story and I think the orders given were justified. In any case, neither Kira nor Tsunemori are in any trouble. Nor is Koku. Everyone else is fine."

"Then I guess we just wait till they set a date for the hearing," Enishi looked relieved. "I'm not afraid, Ukitake. I was risking my life, fighting Ikata and the others, and I risked it doing what I did. Shihouin is pretty sure, though, that I won't be facing sedition charges, since they can prove there was an uprising at Eleventh of some kind. I might be kicked out of the Gotei. I might even do hard labour like Tenichi did for a while. But I'll survive. If I end up losing my badge, then I want you to know, I'm glad I came with you to Thirteenth. And I'm sorry that it ended up like this."

"You can save your leaving speech," Juushirou scolded him firmly. "We're friends, but I decide when you leave my Division and when you don't. I don't intend on the Council taking away my adjutant, and I will be ready to argue your case irrespective of the evidence from the Fourth. In the circumstances, even if it's considered vigilante, your actions saved lives. And sometimes, in the field, that has to happen. I'm behaving myself right now, because I have to. But I can yell at the Council if need be. I have, before. I will again, if it's for something I believe in. I wanted to make sure you know that, and don't start making any long term retirement plans."

"Now you sound more like Ukitake," Enishi laughed, but nodded his head. "All right. I'll see what happens. To be honest, I don't fancy the Council's odds in a battle of words with you when you're in that frame of mind, so I'll wait it out and see."

Before Juushirou could respond, there was the sound of quickened footsteps in the hallway outside the small cell, and the Captain turned, surprised at the impatient rap that suddenly came at the cell door, followed by the familiar voice of the Shihouin Vice Captain.

"Ukitake? Houjou? Open up. It's Kai, and it's urgent."

"Urgent good or urgent bad?" Juushirou cast Enishi a troubled glance, nonetheless crossing the cell floor and sliding the key quickly into the lock. Almost as soon as the door was released, it swung open, revealing the slightly out of breath figure of the head of the Onmitsukidou. He ducked into the room, pushing the door to behind him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you both," he said frankly, holding his hand out for the cell key, and Juushirou obediently handed it over. "I was going to leave you to talk, but as it happens, I can't. Saku's gone to Fourth. There's been an urgent summons from Eriko-dono. It's not confirmed at the moment, but...well, we'll see when she gets back and has all the details, but from Eriko-dono's message, two of the Eleventh Division officers Tsukabishi found collapsed outside of Minaichi's office have come to their senses. Eriko-dono has been very proactive in helping our investigation, and she sent word here right away."

"Is it so important, knowing that, that you needed to come here and tell us right away?" Enishi looked confused. "I didn't see these people, Shihouin. Tsukabishi took care of them, but I never went inside the Eleventh. They didn't see me, either, so it's not as though they can give any kind of witness statement in my case."

"On the contrary," Kai sank down on the end of Enishi's bunk, casting his friend a weary smile. "Eriko-dono's message was short and to the point, but there was enough in it to realise that at least one of these officers remembered clearly what happened before he was taken out of action. He actually asked Retsu-sama about giving a statement to us, as soon as he became aware of how the business had ended and how badly his Captain was hurt, especially as we don't know, yet, if Minaichi will even recover. This officer seemed to think that it was his duty to make sure he dispatched Minaichi's last instructions, even though it was far too late to make a difference if he did. Those last instructions might yet save you a trial, Houjou...depending on how coherent this officer's statement is, and whether we can make it stick."

"I'm confused," Juushirou admitted, and Kai's expression became rueful.

"The officer reported that Minaichi's last command before he lost consciousness was to send someone to Thirteenth," he said frankly. "He told them to, "get Enishi." That was his last order. He sent for you, Houjou. If the witness statement holds up to Saku's scrutiny, then we have someone who can testify to Minaichi's will during the attack. Minaichi's injuries mean he probably won't remember, even if he does wake up sooner rather than later. But if this can be authenticated, then it doesn't matter. I've told Saku to try and speak to the other recovering officer as well, if she can. They are all being kept in isolation from each other in order that they can heal in peace and quiet, so if he gives the same story without being prompted to, then it's likely that we can consider it fact."

"Atsushi-dono's message didn't get to me, though," Enishi pointed out. "I don't see why it matters whether he gave the order or not, since I still went of my own accord."

"You did, which we can't change," Kai said regretfully. "But as it happens, that might not matter."

"I see," Juushirou's tired eyes lit up faintly with a glimmer of hope. "If Minaichi issued an order to send word to Thirteenth, then Enishi being at Eleventh can't be considered vigilante, can it? Even if the message was never actually delivered. Thirteenth and Eleventh were involved in this together. It makes sense that Minaichi would send to us, and Enishi is his kinsman. The only thing was that we couldn't prove he'd done anything of the sort, which would make Enishi's entry to Eleventh something he did without any justification to be there. The circumstances, in my view, give a good argument as to why he was, but if Minaichi tried to send word to Thirteenth, it changes everything."

"I still don't see why," Enishi chewed on his lip, and Kai sighed.

"Minaichi wanted you at Eleventh that night," he said softly. "He might not have been able to get that message out, but he wanted you there nonetheless. Whether it was a mutiny or the attack of the walking dead is something that the Fourth need to settle still, but in the meantime, if this witness comes through, I might be able to push through a petition to dismiss or suspend charges. Yuuichi-sama has accepted Ikata was behaving in a mutinous way, which means the charges of sedition are already unlikely to be pursued. There will probably need to be further discussion about what really happened, but with this, I may be able to get the vigilante charges removed as well. And if I do that..."

"I get to go home?" Enishi's expression suddenly cleared, as though the penny had finally dropped. Kai shrugged.

"There'd still need to be a hearing," he reflected, "and an inquest of sorts before the Council or the Captains, I imagine. And I guess that could change things. I wouldn't say you'd be off the hook till all the evidence was properly heard. But it would be a good step in the right direction - and I'd be able to let you out of here, pending any new information. I think it's as good a chance as any, Houjou. We'd still need to establish the truth of the corpse theory, but Minaichi wanting you there does more or less absolve you of murder, even if the people you took out weren't dead when you fought them."

Juushirou offered Kai a pensive smile.

"We won't count on anything until you have all the information," he said softly. "I know these things can take some time to put through. But it's the first good news I've heard since Enishi was arrested. I must make sure to thank Eriko-dono for being so attentive and so willing to help the investigation. Thirteenth badly needs its Vice Captain back on site, and the sooner that happens, the better."

* * *

"Nii-chan, get off him! He's just a kid, like me. Stop scaring him!"

The young girl's voice broke the tension that had been mounting in the small copse, and at her words, Jun'ei felt the sensation of cold metal pull away from his skin. There was a sigh, and then his assailant spoke again, this time addressing the girl in tones entirely lacking the menace of a few moments before.

"He was here threatening you with a knife. Do you expect me to just sit back and let you get hurt?"

"Don't be silly," there was the sound of padded footsteps against the grass, and Jun'ei realised the child had run towards them, grabbing hold of her companion by the arm. "He was just asking me questions. He was cutting the trees with the knife. I asked him why, but he didn't want to tell me. Apparently he's a Kuchiki person, and we're not meant to talk to him without permission."

There was a moment of silence, and Jun'ei struggled to reassert himself into the conversation.

"If you know I am from the Clan, then you should fear the retribution for treating me in such a shameful manner," he managed. Instead of inspiring his companion to release his pin hold, however, to Jun'ei's mortification he heard the stranger laugh.

"I see," the man sounded amused, rather than intimidated by this threat. "I wonder what kind of retribution that will be if I'm sitting on your back. It's not very dignified, is it, Kuchiki-dono?"

"Nii-chan, stop it." the young girl sounded impatient, and Jun'ei was aware of her pulling at her companion's arm again. "You'll get into trouble!"

"That won't be anything new for me," the stranger pointed out, but apparently the child's persuasion worked where Jun'ei's own demands had failed, and at length he felt the stranger's weight lift off his body. He wriggled around into a sitting position, pulling back against the trunk of a nearby tree as he attempted to gather his composure. For the first time he saw his attacker, a young man robed in simple clothing, with a tail of dark hair and two sapphire blue eyes that were watching him intently. In his hand he still held Jun'ei's dagger, but he didn't seem inclined to use it again in an offensive way, and Jun'ei gathered his wits, debating whether it was a good idea to try and escape. He had no idea where he was, and, from the silent way his attacker had stalked him, this individual knew the forests better than he did. More, although he could see the stranger sitting across from him, Jun'ei was not able to discern the slightest trace of reiatsu. Although he was still in training, Jun'ei's senses were keen enough to recognise that there had been more than just physical force that had pinned him down, and the interloper did in fact possess spirit power. An individual used to hiding in shadows would be hard to escape...and yet Jun'ei knew that time was ticking by, and his Great Uncle's life was still at stake.

"Nii-chan, you hurt him. Look! His leg is bleeding," the young girl's touch against his skin made Jun'ei start a second time, remembering belatedly that his assailant was not alone. The young man snorted, shaking his head.

I didn't do that to him. He did that to himself," he said dismissively, passing the dagger absently between his hands as he scrutinised Jun'ei's appearance. "Homare's right, you know. You are just a kid. What is a pampered Kuchiki prince doing here, so far from his ornate stable?"

"It's none of your business, you uncivilised ingrate!" Jun'ei was well and truly incensed now, his pride driving him to his feet, but as he tried to put weight on his grazed leg, it wobbled and gave under him, causing him to stumble and reach out to grab hold of the tree trunk in order to prevent himself from falling.

"See, he really is hurt," Homare sent her companion a reproachful look, getting to her feet and coming towards Jun'ei. "You shouldn't have jumped on him, Katsu-nii. Maybe you broke his leg or something."

"I didn't do anything to him. I'm not so stupid as to maim the local nobility, but he had a knife in your face, and I wasn't going to let that pass by, either," the stranger, who now Jun'ei knew was called Katsu, or something of that nature, objected to this, indignation glittering in his expression and making him seem altogether less threatening.

"I didn't threaten her at all," Jun'ei interjected, pushing back Homare's attempts to help him and sinking back down onto the grass. "I was notching the trees to track my path. My horse was startled and it bolted, so I was walking to the nearest settlement. I was asking the child to take me to her village, so I could send a message. I have no interest in hurting common folk in the local forests."

"I said I heard a horse in the woods," Homare glanced at her companion, and Katsura's brows knitted together.

"You did," he agreed. "All right. So say I believe you. It doesn't answer my question about what a bocchan is doing in the middle of the wilderness. This is some distance from any of your fancy manors, you know. Why are you here?"

"And you shouldn't be hurting the trees, either," Homare added. "Nii-chan and I were collecting firewood, but only from broken branches. Trees are important and living things, you know. Cutting bits out of them hurts them. You should say sorry. It's a bad thing to do."

"I don't suppose Kuchiki have respect for any tree that isn't pink and flowery," Katsura said ironically.

"I was trying not to lose my way," Jun'ei said stiffly. "I have an important errand to run. I need to get to the Coastal Province. That's all. My family's business is none of yours, so I need not tell you anything else."

"You have no idea where you are going, do you?" Katsura eyed him quizzically, and Jun'ei bristled at the patronising look in the other man's eyes.

"Will you stop speaking to me so familiarly?" he snapped. "If you are aware of my family, you should know the huge degrees of status that lie between us. One day I will be the heir to the Clan, and..."

"Oh, I see," Katsura's eyes narrowed. "So if I were to take you hostage, someone would pay a decent ransom for you?"

"Hostage?" Jun'ei's eyes widened in alarm, and Homare sighed, tut-tutting under her breath.

"Nii-chan, stop it. Stop teasing him. You know you aren't going to hurt him, and even if you were, I wouldn't let you," she said matter-of-factly, trotting across the grass to take Jun'ei's blade from her companion's grip. "He's injured and he's not that old, not really. Even if he was rude and hurting the trees."

"Maybe that's true," Katsura sighed, relinquishing the weapon and sitting back on his hands. "But the fact is that he's seen me here. Both of us. And that's far too dangerous to just let go. I should kill him. It would be the safest solution, but I don't really want to go down that path."

"Kill me?" Jun'ei's dismay was growing by the second, and Katsura grimaced, then reached out two hands to take the youth by the shoulders.

"I'm not going to kill you," he said quietly. "But you need to understand something. Inside your fine castle, you might be the king. But in the forest, it's a case of survival of the fittest. You lost your horse and you're injured. You clearly have no clue where you are, and you're spouting off threats to someone you know nothing about. That's dangerous. People die for less. Kuchiki heirs have died for less. You understand my meaning?"

"I have no idea who you are, except some strange creature who likes hiding in tree-tops to ambush law-abiding citizens," Jun'ei pulled away from his grip, snatching his dagger from Homare's unsuspecting grip and thrusting it bad-temperedly into the folds of his wide obi. "If you aren't going to kill me, what are you going to do? I could as easily have you caught and killed, you know, so you should be careful about threatening me."

"If your family were capable of catching me, they would have done so by now," Katsura tilted his head on one side, eying the youngster thoughtfully. "But you mean that, don't you? You really have no idea who I am?"

"Why would I?" Jun'ei was positively insulted by the suggestion. He glanced up at the tree, then, "I don't know any people who choose to nest in trees like birds."

"Even though you heard Homare call me Katsura?"

"I am not interested in the names of common people, especially those who do not treat me with proper respect." Jun'ei snapped back. "Although I grant you, Katsura is an appropriate name for a heathen who drops out of a tree."

He pulled himself to his feet once more, leaning up against the tree trunk as he tentatively put his injured leg down on the ground. "And the girl is right. I was quite able to walk on this leg after the horse threw me, but I twisted it when you decided to launch yourself at me. This injury is your fault. If you are not intending to kill me or take me hostage, then you can serve me instead."

"Serve...you?" Katsura blinked, then smirked. "Did you not understand what I said? You might be a Kuchiki, but that doesn't mean you can give orders. Homare and I can just leave you here. We know where we're going - but who knows what the forest is like when it gets dark. You're injured, and there are wild creatures. Maybe Hollows. You have reiatsu - you'd be a prime target."

"Will you stop baiting me!" This was the last straw for Jun'ei, and he glared at his companion, putting his hands on his hips and doing his level best to imitate his Great Uncle Guren's best intimidating Kuchiki stare. "I have to ride to the Coastal Province immediately, maybe before! Some foreign shinigami invaded my home and people there may still be killed! I have to go get help from the Coast, or...or..."

His indignant speech fragmented as the emotion of the situation overwhelmed him, and he sank back to the ground. To his dismay and mortification, he felt tears begin to trickle down his cheeks. His humiliation was only completed when Homare settled herself down next to him, patting him reassuringly on the knee.

"Katsu-nii, stop picking on him," she begged. "I don't know anything about Kuchiki, or any Clans, not really. But I know that something bad has happened. He was looking for help. Maybe we can help him."

"Helping a Clansman is a pretty big risk, Homare," Katsura looked doubtful, "as is getting involved in shinigami squabbles. You know how I feel about coming in contact with the Gotei."  
Homare shook her head, glancing at Jun'ei.

"Someone is trying to hurt the people you love, aren't they?" she asked softly. "I know what that's like, because I get scared that people will hurt Niichan. I didn't know there were so many scary things in Seireitei until I came here, but now I know that there are."

Katsura sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine," he said reluctantly. "But it's not really up to me. If the young Prince over there can't bear to accept the help of tree-dwelling commoners..."

"My Great Uncle may be slain. He may already be dead, I don't know," Jun'ei raised his gaze to Katsura's, all sense of Clan pride and defiance gone as he admitted his fear. "I promised to go to the Coast and alert my kinsman, Kinnya-sama, and summon help, but it may already be too late. My Great Uncle Seiren has no spirit power. He is brave and smart, but he is no shinigami, and cannot defend himself from this enemy. I did not see them, but I sensed their reiatsu when they arrived. I have never felt such terrifying spirit power in my life before. My Great Uncle's servant, Shibata, said that they were shinigami, but none like any ever known here before. I do not think they were Gotei. One of them had the scent of death in his aura. I can't explain it any other way, but it was as though his soul had been dragged up from Hell itself, as though he were walking death, stepping into the Kuchiki Manor to bring about destruction."

"A reiatsu that felt like death? Like being dragged back from the grave, perhaps?" Katsura's eyes had changed, and in a moment he was on his feet, reaching across to haul Jun'ei back to his. At the sudden change in his demeanour, Jun'ei shot him a startled look, wariness in his grey gaze.

"Yes? What about it? Do you know who these people are?"

"No..." Katsura pressed his lips together tightly. "No, but I have sensed something similar, recently. I've heard rumours...about dead people walking around forests in Sixth District."

"My father sent my mother and siblings away from the central manor for their safety following such an incident, in the memorial grove," Jun'ei agreed. "I do not know the details of it, and did not see it myself, but whoever attacked my home, those people weren't dead. It's just that one of them felt...like he was...bringing Death to the Kuchiki manor."

Katsura was silent for a moment. Then he frowned.

"You should have said so sooner," he murmured. "I've seen them - the undead people, in other places. I had even thought they might be controlled by a shinigami sword. But I haven't heard about this shinigami with an aura of death before. If you're right, then this...suggests something new has happened. And I need to find out what, before someone I care about gets hurt."

"What has it to do with you? This is clearly a shinigami problem!" Jun'ei was confused.

"My brother is a shinigami," Katsura said simply. "I don't much trust the Clans or their stranglehold over the Gotei, but I don't want to see my brother lose his life because he chose a different path to me. I guess that's enough to be going on with, isn't it? You want to protect your family - is it so unreasonable that I want to protect mine?"

"I suppose it isn't," Jun'ei admitted. "I'm sorry. I did not think about that possibility...that ordinary people can be shinigami too. Father always tells me not to ignore the knowledge of the Districts. Perhaps I was hasty - but you did jump on me, and that was unpleasant."

"Well, I thought you were hurting Homare, which is unforgivable to me," Katsura said matter-of-factly. Jun'ei shook his head.

"I merely sought information from her on how to leave this accursed forest," he owned, and Katsura laughed.

"Tell me your name," he said frankly. "If I'm going to help you, I need to trust you. And we need to make an agreement. I can't do that if I don't know who you are."

"My name is Jun'ei. Kuchiki Jun'ei." Jun'ei slipped the Kuchiki pendant from around his throat, holding it up so it glinted in the light. "This is the proof of my heritage. It contains the crest of my father's line of the Kuchiki main house."

"Well, I don't know anything about sparkly emblems, and I have no intention of pandering to Kuchiki pride," Katsura told his young companion matter-of-factly. "I am also not willing to take you right to the door of your kinsman's manor. It's dangerous for me to go there. I don't like shinigami, and I avoid them when I can. But this is already the edge of the Coastal Province, and I can get you close enough to make contact with his people there. In return, I ask of you only two things."

"What things?" Jun'ei looked suspicious, and Katsura smiled.

"One, the moment we part, you forget that you ever met me," he said softly. "And two, you take Homare with you, when you go."

"Nii-chan!" Homare's eyes widened with dismay at this, and Katsura patted her on the head.

"I will come back for you. I promise," he said gently. "But what Jun'ei-dono's said has me worried. I think I might have to go back and check something dangerous - and I don't want you to be hurt. I promised not to take you back into the Gate again, and so I won't risk your safety by making you come with me."

"But...if it's dangerous...Niichan..." Homare faltered, and Jun'ei sent Katsura a curious look.

"Who are you, that you talk so knowledgeably about shinigami and Gates and yet carry no sword and want noone to know your name?" he demanded. Katsura grinned.

"Sometimes it's better not to know the answers to all questions," he said vaguely. "If I help you get to your kinsman's land, I expect you to keep those two promises. Well? Do we have a deal?"

He held out his hand, and, after a moment of hesitation, Jun'ei slipped his fingers into Katsura's, grasping them and shaking his agreement.

"I don't understand your terms, but I am a man of honour and I will keep to them," he said firmly. "If I cannot talk of your involvement, you will surely not expect any reward for your actions, but that is your choice. My Great Uncle's life and other lives are in the balance, so I have no choice but to accept."

"I don't want anything from you or the shinigami," Katsura admitted, "but I do want to stop anyone else dying unnecessarily. And if what you said is happening at the Kuchiki manor relates to what I think it does, then something much bigger is going on than just a few dead people coming out of broken gates. So I'll get you to the Coastal Province, but then I'm going to do some investigating of my own."


	36. Duty

**Chapter Thirty Five: Duty**

"Guren-sama! Guren-sama!"

A shinigami hurried into the courtyard of the Kuchiki estate, hastily bowing before the most high ranking member of the Kuchiki before raising his gaze anxiously to his companion.

"Guren-sama, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have a message. It seems to be an emergency, from the main estate!"

As Shibata and Seiren had surmised, the bulk of Sixth Division was currently concentrated at the Nagoya Estate, some two or three ri from the main Kuchiki manor. Since dawn that morning, Guren, along with Shirogane and Ryuu, had been busily engaged in drill tasks and patrol details for the rest of the day, with Guren determined to canvass as much of the District as possible in order to flush out any other illicit gates or danger flash-points from which might emerge further corpses. The incident with Ikata had shaken everyone in the Gotei down to the lowest ranking recruit, and Guren, knowing that the entry point had been here, in his land, had not wanted to take any chances. Experience and instinct both told him that, in all likelihood, the incident in the Eleventh Division compound was probably not an isolated one and, although he had no way to open the damaged Gate that Mareiko's science had forced entry to some days earlier, he was not about to drop his guard. Consequently, the strongest members of Sixth Division were milling in the courtyard of the smaller local manor, ready and waiting to be dispatched across the terrain in search of trouble.

It had been into this gathering that the lower ranked officer had hastened, uncertainty glittering in his gaze as he met Guren's startled look with a frightened one of his own.

"An emergency?" Guren gazed at the shinigami in surprise. "From my brother? What do you mean? I'm sure I left you on sentry duty - who is guarding the entrance to this land if you are here?"

"Please, sir, Shibata-dono has come, and he requests an urgent meeting with you, at once," the officer quailed slightly at Guren's impatience, but held his ground, bowing his head again. "He near fell off his horse when he arrived, sir, and the horse is near ready to collapse with exhaustion, so it must have been ridden at a pace. My legs are fresh so I told him I'd come on ahead and tell you he was here. Please, sir, I think it's important. He looked worried - I've never seen him so upset before."

"Shibata?" Ryuu, who had overheard this, frowned, coming to join the conversation. "Father's manservant? He's ridden here in haste? Why would he do that? What kind of message does he bring?"

"He told me only that there's an emergency at the main house and that he needs to speak with Guren-sama urgently," the shinigami looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ryuu-dono. He didn't tell me any details. I'm not high rank enough to be told."

"My son is at the main estate," Shirogane's expression became grim. "So is Seiren-dono, and I cannot imagine Shibata leaving his side unless there was a real need. Guren-sama, with your permission, I'll go speak to him. I'll find out what he wants, and in the meantime, why he's ridden here alone. If there's danger at the main house, I want to know why he did not bring Jun'ei with him. If it's urgent enough that he's willing to ruin a horse over it..."

"Jun'ei is a poor horseman. I imagine he could not keep Shibata's pace," Ryuu said softly. "My father is there too, Senpai, and in all respects he is probably more in danger than Jun'ei is. Jun'ei is not yet fully trained, but he has spirit power, whereas my father is no longer even the sealed sword fighter he used to be. Shibata would not have come here unless it was truly urgent. I would like to come with you to speak with him - and then, with Guren-sama's permission, I should like to head to the main estate directly myself to see if I can be of assistance."

"Nobody is going anywhere until we know what the situation may be," Guren held up his hand, although his voice was also tight with sudden tension, and his companions knew that his apparent calm was nothing more than a forced front designed to prevent the lower officers from panicking. "Ryuu, Shirogane, come with me." He glanced at the shinigami who had brought the message. "You, run along and tell Shibata I will come speak to him. He is to remain where he is, as whatever it is should probably not be spoken about in front of lower ranked officers. Sakurai," he turned to the apprehensive fourth seat, as the youngster saluted, haring back across the grounds towards the manor stable. "You will take charge of drill here. We will return momentarily, but it seems this is something we cannot simply avoid."

"Do we all need to go?" Shirogane looked doubtful. "Three senior Clansmen to take a message?"

"Your son, my brother and Ryuu's father are at the main estate," Guren said evenly, and Shirogane's eyes became clouded at the faint reproach in the older man's words. "We all have reason to hear this message, and therefore we will all go. We are within reach enough to act should there be an attack - but the whole area is perfectly quiet and we have found no evidence of corpse activity anywhere in Sixth since we began patrolling. That Shibata knew to come here means Seiren probably did send him, as I told my brother we would likely coordinate from this location for patrols while we tried to get to the bottom of what happened in Ribari-sama's grove...and so I think it important we all hear whatever message it is he thought important enough to send."

"Yes, sir," Shirogane bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insubordinate."

"Sakurai, keep everyone busy," Guren did not acknowledge his nephew's words. "We will not be long."

"Yes, sir," Sakurai murmured softly, and Guren nodded. Glancing at first Ryuu, then Shirogane, he dropped into shunpo, not waiting to see if the two other officers followed suit.

The Nagoya estate, as it was still known, was technically Shirogane's family manor, inherited from his father Ginya on that man's death some few decades earlier. Shirogane had never lived there for any length of time, however, as his late mother had preferred to be at the heart of court, and, since Shirogane had been adopted and invested with the role of Guren's chosen heir, the main house had become not only his home but also his future inheritance. The Nagoya manor was therefore uninhabited, and as such had become a base for both military manoeuvres and an emergency medical triage in times of conflict. The stables were seldom used, as the manor only had a skeleton staff on duty, and as a result the only groom on site was busy with the two or three animals that made this manor their permanent home. As a result, he was not available to take Shibata's horse and rub it down, and it stood, panting, by the fence, its legs wobbling and its coat thick with sweat. At the sight of it, Guren's eyes narrowed. It had indeed been run nearly into the ground by the pace of the journey, and while Guren knew that Shibata was a skilled rider, it was unusual for him to push any beast he rode to this extreme. Whatever had brought him here, it was clearly a matter of some urgency.

"Guren-sama!" At the sight of the Clan leader, Shibata hurried forwards, anxiety in his dark eyes, and as he did so, Shirogane strode forward, grabbing the man by the lapels of his uniform and giving him a sharp shake.

"Where is my son?" he demanded in low tones. "You rode here, and your horse is near dead from the effort. You came to tell us of something important, but you left my son behind? Shibata..."

"Jun'ei-sama is quite safe, my lord," Shibata bowed his head, detaching himself as respectfully as he could from the anxious man's grasp. "I sent him to Kinnya-sama's manor. True, I sent him alone, as there was no time to rally an escort, but the horse is a good-natured one and knows the way to the Coastal Provinces. Horses follow instinct and head for their home stables in a crisis, and I have no doubt that Jun'ei-sama will be safely in Kinnya-sama's custody before long, if he is not there already."

"You sent Jun'ei away?" Guren's eyes became slits. "Then there is trouble at the main estate? Tell me, Shibata, these are my brother's orders you are carrying out, aren't they? He had Jun'ei sent to Kinnya-sama, and he sent you to me here. What did he want you to report?"

"Unknown intruders at the main estate, sir," Shibata turned his troubled gaze to the Clan Leader. "I do not know who they are, and nor did Seiren-dono. They were shinigami, but dressed in strange, old-fashioned clothing, and not Gotei uniform. I didn't know them, but one laid out a good number of guardsmen with a basic wave of what I assume is your shinigami magic. Seiren-dono instructed me to make sure Jun'ei-sama was safely evacuated from the place and then to ride here to ask you to return with some urgency. They were demanding access to the archives, and Seiren-dono went to meet them. He went to buy time for Jun'ei-sama's escape, but I feel..."

He bit his lip, then,

"Jun'ei-sama was frightened. He could sense the things we could not, and he talked about the auras as being like Death," he said unevenly. "I believe Seiren-dono is in very grave danger, and with the Senkaimon all closed..."

"Father..." Ryuu's features had gone white, and he glanced at Guren in anxiety. "Guren-sama, please, will you give me permission to head to the main estate at once? It seems Father is in considerable peril, and I would like..."

"No, Ryuu. I am not going to deploy you into unknown danger when you are unprepared and worried about a kinsman to boot," Guren cut across the man's request, shaking his head. "You must see how that would be foolish."

"But Guren-sama, Father has no way to fight an enemy!" Ryuu was agitated now. "He would go to face them if it meant Jun'ei got away in safety, because he cares a good deal for that boy, but you know as well as I that he cannot defend himself, not even with a sealed blade."

"For that reason, I won't send you," Guren sent his nephew a sad smile. "Ryuu, listen to me. Seiren would not want you in danger. If my brother did as Shibata said, there may be a good chance he is already dead. If not, then the last thing he would want to see is you charging into danger on his behalf. I have known what it is to lose a son, and if it's the last thing I can do for Seiren, I will keep you out of this fight. He sent the message to me, not you. He sent Shirogane's son away - more than anything, Seiren understands a father's bond with his son. No, I will take Shirogane, but you will remain behind."

"Guren-sama?" Shirogane's eyes widened, his gaze darting to Ryuu, who was clearly shaking now.

"Your son is not there," Guren explained. "You will have no such distraction. Even if Seiren were to be killed, I believe you could still release your sword and fight if need be. As for me..."

He sighed, then,

"I have lost enough in my life to deal with death with equanimity," he said honestly. "And as Clan Leader, I must go. I do not know who these strangers are, or what they want, but they have already demonstrated that they can be hostile with their actions towards the guard. If they pose a risk, it would be unwise for all three of us to go. I've learned from the past that it pays to be prepared. In the unlikely event that anything untoward should occur as a result of this, Ryuu, you would be needed to support Jun'ei, and in any case, I cannot leave Sixth Squad in Sakurai's command indefinitely. He is a good officer, but he doesn't have your authority."

"Then what should I do, sir?" Ryuu's voice trembled with suppressed emotion, and Guren frowned.

"Take the squad back to Inner Seireitei, and wait there for further orders," he decided. "If there is trouble in Sixth, I'd rather the squad was not in the immediate vicinity, so I am not authorising you to make any forays or deviations from the route on your way home, and you are not to attempt to run a patrol away from Inner Seireitei until I have returned to debrief you directly. We will go to the main estate," he glanced at Shirogane, who hesitated, then nodded his head, "and if we can, we will extricate Ryuu's father and deal with these impudent invaders in a way that will make them regret bothering our family. That order is final," he added, as Ryuu's lips parted as if in protest, and the younger man faltered. A look of frustration crossed his grey eyes, but he bowed his head, disappearing in a cloud of shunpo to rejoin the rest of the Division.

"Do you think he'll obey?" Shirogane asked softly. Guren nodded.

"He will, because he knows I am right," he said frankly. "I don't like it either, Shirogane, but I have learned from the past and I won't create unnecessary risk. You and I should be enough for any invading shinigami. Shibata, how many of them were there?"

"Two, sir. An old man and a younger one, perhaps your own age," Shibata replied quickly, and Guren nodded.

"Find a fresh horse and ride North, to Futsuki," he instructed. "Tell the groom this supersedes his other orders and he's to find you a mount immediately, as this one," he gestured to the still trembling animal, "is clearly not able to go any further today. I am sure you are tired, but I need you to let my brother know that under no circumstances should he attempt to ride to the main house. Tell him that I'd like him to go to Shirogane's father-in-law's manor instead, and establish a stronger guard there. Shirogane's wife and other children are currently there without protection, and I would rather be safe than sorry."

"Yes, sir," Shibata nodded, and Guren sighed.

"I know you are worried for your master, but we will do our best. If he still lives, I won't let him get killed without a fight," he assured the other man. "You did well, getting here quickly and making sure Jun'ei got away safely. I am sure we can entrust him to Kinnya-sama's care, and my Great Uncle remains a force to be reckoned with if someone crosses him unadvisedly. In the meantime, we should head home. Shirogane, make preparations. This is one of those moments where being Clan Leader means defending the whole of this family...and you and I are going to go and do just that."

* * *

The atmosphere around Inner Seireitei had fallen into an unnatural kind of calm.

Although faint red-brown smudges against the cobblestones near the Senkaimon between Twelfth and Thirteenth Division remained as a reminder that only a short time before, a Vice Captain had emerged from the black to slaughter his way through his Division, the stillness of the atmosphere might deceive someone visiting the complex that everything had returned to normal. The sense of peace and quiet that pervaded the area was somehow superficial, making Ketsui all the more uneasy. As he passed the silent Senkaimon, he paused for a moment, his sharp senses picking out the spiritual chains that sealed the Gate from public use. He was not as sensitive as Kohaku had been, and did not know whether dead reishi was still leaking out from the Dangai beyond, but even without Kohaku's perception, being so close to the site of the violent and unprovoked assault that had left one officer dead and another seriously wounded was enough to raise the hairs on the back of his neck. Not without misgivings, he turned his back on the Gate and continued on his way, hardly wanting to cast a glance in the direction of Eleventh Division. Since the assault, the Division had been under direct Onmitsukidou control, the entrance barricaded against the unwanted attention of nosy passers-by, but the smashed remains of the Division insignia was a visual reminder of Enishi's desperate blast of intense Kidou, and the Vice Captain's subsequent status as a prisoner whose life and job remained on the line. Eleventh had been completely shut down, and all surviving officers who were not being treated at the Fourth had been temporarily seconded to the First Division while their home was turned over with ruthless forensic precision. As he passed the barred entrance, Ketsui felt suddenly certain that, if it had been his Division that had been so violated, he would have found it very difficult to go back.

He quickened his pace, wanting to put the scene of tragedy behind him as quickly as possible.

Given the current state of things at Thirteenth, Ketsui had felt guilty about taking a couple of hours of free time from the barracks, but when Kirio had learned where he had planned to go, she had waved him away, telling him that they could cope and that everything was under control. As he had passed the drill yard, he had seen Kohaku and Kayashima with a gathering of the recruits, clearly preparing to go over some drill work, and, with Furuta's injury healing and everyone else bustling about completing the minutiae of Division life, he had agreed, signing his name out in the big book kept for such a purpose, and strolling out through the gates into the main thoroughfare that linked together all of the Gotei squads. Although the Onmitsukidou were still keeping guard at the entrance, they had clearly been subdued enough by Naoko's strictures not to question people, as they had barely acknowledged him and, as he had stretched his legs in a brisk walk along the cobbles, he had let out his breath in a rush. Thirteenth had been a tense place ever since Enishi's arrest, and, like all of his fellows, Ketsui was fond of the missing officer. His presence both around the barracks and the training yard was a big one. It had seemed unnaturally empty without his booming voice and heavy steps, and the sorry state of the Eleventh only made this sensation feel worse.  
 _  
Fukutaichou will be all right, though. Taichou went to see him, and if he was in really bad trouble, they wouldn't let that happen, would they? I have to just believe in Seireitei's justice and hope for the best. And I have to keep positive about it, too - because I'm an Eighth seated officer, and I can't let my juniors see me worry about something as important as this._

Ketsui exhaled slowly, stretching his hands over his head as if by doing so he could expel some of his own stress.

 _It's been a long time since I let my worrying get out of hand, but I suppose a lot has happened this time. I guess that's one reason I'm heading this way, although I really don't know any better whether this is the right thing to do or if it isn't. I promised myself to stand on my own two feet, but...maybe I'm really coming this way for reassurance, like the old days._

He frowned, gazing at the road ahead until he could fix his gaze on the distinctive sign that marked out his destination. Within a few moments he was standing there, gazing up at the ferocious bird of prey which marked the entrance of the Seventh Division compound, and at the piercing look in the creature's eye, he swallowed hard, summoning his courage before stepping resolutely over the threshold and into the courtyard beyond.

"Ketsui?"

His brother's voice accosted him as he crossed the stone towards the main building, and he paused, turning to see Tenichi striding across the stone to meet him. A foot or two from where Ketsui stood, the older Kotetsu paused, as if suddenly hesitant about the kind of greeting to give, and at the sight of his brother's uncertainty, Ketsui let out a sigh.

"I guess this isn't the best time for me to be here, is it?" he realised. "I probably should have sent a message, but..."

"Did you come on official business, or...?" Tenichi hesitated again, and the awkwardness in his phrasing made Ketsui feel guilty.  
 _  
I was in the Real World when Ten-nii was released, but even though he met and spoke to Kirio-nee, I haven't tried to make contact since my return. No wonder he's looking at me like that...I'm sure I've given him reason to doubt me and my motives a lot, recently. I said I wasn't going to burden him, but that's not the same as not acknowledging him._

He shook his head.

"I came to see you," he said aloud, "but I just realised that Seventh is probably chaotic right now as well, isn't it? I'd forgotten, but some of your officers are also in the Dangai, aren't they?"

"They are," Tenichi's eyes glittered with surprise and what might have been pleasure at this admission. "Taichou's got everyone working hard. Ohara's not much use while he's worried about Kikyue-dono, but Hajime-dono and Nakata have been overseeing drill and training. It's a lot of work, given that we're short-handed, but there's been no report that Kikyue-dono or any of the others are hurt. Just that they're not back yet. Like as not they're still investigating what they were sent to find out - in any case, we've been told not to worry and to get on with normal work as much as we can."

"If they're stretched on personnel, why are you out here like this?" Ketsui eyed his brother in consternation. "If you're skipping off your own work because I'm here, Niichan..."

"No," Tenichi scratched his head awkwardly, shaking his head. "I'm not allowed...I mean, because of what happened at Thirteenth...one of my parole conditions is that, until Taichou says so, I'm not to be involved in supervising or training lower ranked officers."

"Oh." Immediately Ketsui felt bad for asking, and his discomfort had clearly shown in his expression, for Tenichi laughed, reaching out to grab his brother by the arm and giving him a little tug.

"It's fine," he said firmly, and for a moment, Ketsui felt their old connection begin to flicker back into life. "Really. You don't have to look like that. I'm not at a loose end, not exactly, but I'm not really assigned, either. I suppose I'm informally on sentry duty, but nothing much is going on here and it's very quiet. Everyone's waiting on news but there isn't any news on anything, not so far. Fukutaichou told me to keep tabs on things here and to be ready for action if and when orders change - but that's down to the Captain, not me. In the meantime, I am glad to see you. It feels like a long time...well, I guess it has been a long time, and I don't suppose I expected..."

"I have been remiss in not coming sooner," Ketsui admitted. "It's not personal, though. Coming here...it's not really the kind of place I feel comfortable, but I know you can't come to Thirteenth and so I should have made the effort sooner. I don't want you to think I'm ashamed of you or anything like that. I was in the Real World when you were paroled, but really, time has just flown by, and...well, I also want to stand on my own feet and not run to you for help any more. I shouldn't do that - not now, when we're both ranked at Eighth seat."

"I guess we are, aren't we," Tenichi released his hold on his brother's arm, leaning up against the pillar of the Seventh gateway and folding his arms thoughtfully across his chest. "Well, I wonder what Mother would make of that. You've caught me up. I should be ashamed. First Kirio leaping up the rankings to the lofty heights of Fourth Seat, and now you. I really have my work cut out to catch up, don't I?"

"Kirio-nee said that you planned to push forward and earn your rank now you're back in uniform," Ketsui remembered. "I was glad to hear it, Nii-chan. She said you seemed more yourself than the last time she'd spoken to you. I know I came to see you in prison, but that was always..."

"Uncomfortable?" Tenichi looked rueful, nodding his head. "For me probably more than you, especially since whenever you did come, I was usually nursing bruises. I know you were worried about me, but I didn't want to drag you down, and honestly, I didn't want to talk to you too much about what went on there. I suppose I don't now, either, if you don't mind. I'm trying to find the scraps of my pride and make a positive experience of this whole thing, and I can only do that if I look forward now, rather than back. I was ashamed to be there, when you came to see me. It reminded me of the day you took my sword from me. I was and still am glad you did that," he added quickly, "but I won't forget it. I don't ever want to be that person again - but I suppose I felt like you coming to the prison was reminding you of that act as well. I let you down, and you're the one person that I never wanted to hurt...even though probably you're the one I hurt most by acting how I did. And...well, you didn't say it, but Kirio gave me the lowdown on your relationship with that Ichimaru girl. She seemed to think it was serious, so the last thing I wanted to do was make our relationship untenable because I tried to harm someone you cared about like that."

"Izumi isn't mad at you," Ketsui hurried to reassure his companion. "Nor am I. You were not well when you attacked her. Keitarou messed with you, and you weren't my brother when you released Reihahen that day. I know that. I just didn't know what prison was doing to you, and whether you would still be someone I knew when you got out. Maybe that was the real reason I delayed coming here. I was afraid to find out."

"But you're here now," Tenichi pointed out, and Ketsui nodded.

"What happened to the Eleventh Division officers put it all in perspective," he admitted. "Seventh still has officers missing, and you could've been one of them. When I realised that, I realised that you might have disappeared into the Dangai...and well, I suppose I realised leaving things up in the air was wrong. I was in the Real World, and some things happened there too, but it also occurred to me that coming back might have been dangerous without either Naoko-san or I even knowing it. We got back safely, but..."

"I see," Tenichi sent him an affectionate glance. "You're still worrying over petty details. That reassures me. You've become a competent officer and you don't need my guidance...but you still came here today because you were worried about things that might have happened, even though they didn't."

"I suppose so," Ketsui looked sheepish, and Tenichi grinned. "I did mean what I said, though. I am standing on my own two feet and making my own decisions about things, Nii-chan. You're my brother, and I do want that to matter. But I don't want you to feel you need to protect me from things. It's all right, if you don't want to talk about prison with me - or if you want to put that behind you. But please don't keep things bottled up any more. If you reach breaking point again, promise you'll tell someone. If you can't tell me, then Kirio-nee, or someone at Seventh. I don't want to see you in trouble again. It's not a good feeling."

"For me, either," Tenichi assured him. "Don't worry. I've pulled myself together and I'm resolved to only act in the interests of the Seventh from now on. I owe my Captain for sticking with me, so I'll do what he asks. I owe Kikyue-hime, too...so maybe it is a good thing you came here now. I mean, no orders have come yet, but Hajime-dono made it clear that we might have to go into the Dangai to look for her, and I won't be holding back if that order comes."

"I guess that makes sense," Ketsui sighed. "In which case, please be careful."

"I'll try," Tenichi promised, "but as I said, no orders have come yet. It all might be resolved at a higher level without our input."

He sent his brother a sidelong glance.

"Is Houjou-fukutaichou all right?" he asked quietly. "He was always good to me, and when I heard about his arrest...but we have no real details here. If you can't say then you can't, but I have wondered."

"We don't have a lot of information, either, but Taichou is certain that Fukutaichou acted reasonably and that it will all be proven," Ketsui said pensively. "He was allowed to go visit Fukutaichou in the Maggot's Nest, which has cheered a lot of people up. Thirteenth is tense at the moment, though, with our Vice Captain missing. I think Taichou believes it will be all right, but he and Naoko-san have had a lot more work to deal with, and Kirio-nee and Atsudane-san have been taking on the bulk of other chores, like patrols in the meantime. I even saw Koku setting up training with some recruits when I left, so it's been all hands on deck. I'm only here now because Kirio-nee said I'd been working myself into the ground since the Real World trip and I should take a break while I didn't have anything else immediately on my rota."

"Hajime-dono said that he thought Houjou-fukutaichou's account was probably true, as he didn't think Ikata fool enough to attack his Division," Tenichi said thoughtfully. "He also said that if Houjou-fukutaichou could have arrested Ikata, he would, so I think that he believes what came out of that Gate was dead and had to be taken down. I heard that rumour came from Kohaku - so I thought you might know a bit more about it. Kirio said he was well integrated these days into the Thirteenth as a squad."

"He is," Ketsui confirmed. "He had a nightmare that shook the whole division when Eleventh was attacked, and was sleepwalking out in the yard. I didn't see the worst of what happened, but I had to help get him to bed afterwards. Izumi used her hypnosis to put him out, fortunately, so it didn't get to a point where he was roaming around Seireitei in a state of confusion - but from what I understand, he saw some pretty grim stuff. I'm sure that probably Ikata and the others were dead, Nii-chan. Nothing else makes sense to us either. But it's just waiting for the Fourth to prove it - and apparently that's difficult to prove, since determining time of death inside the Dangai is next to impossible."

"I see," Tenichi sighed. "So I suppose there's still a risk Houjou-fukutaichou might be charged?"

"I don't see Taichou letting that happen," Ketsui shook his head. "But I don't know how long it might take to get everything ironed out. The Onmitsukidou have been swarming around Thirteenth on and off, and they are still haunting our gate. It makes it hard to relax and just get on with life."

"I've been thinking about it," Tenichi owned. "The logic, I mean. Ikata coming and attacking Eleventh like that. Why? I went to Rukongai. I saw the mess that was made there and it made me angry. But this was even more personal, and yet really specific. With Kikyue-dono still missing, it worries me."

"Worries you, how?" Ketsui looked confused, and Tenichi sighed.

"Prison made me wary and probably more paranoid than I should be about details," he admitted honestly, "but I was ambushed a fair few times when incarcerated, and I got to learn the patterns and rationales behind each assault. It helped, because it meant I could pre-empt or sometimes avoid them completely. No matter how I think on it, though, I can't see a rationale to send Ikata back to kill his Captain and decimate his Division. The Eleventh are a strong combat division, but they're don't have special political authority, and it's not like taking them out means we're suddenly without any other military force. The most powerful Captains are still here as usual. Minaichi is a competent fighter but in comparison to someone like Nagesu-sama or Taichou, he's a minor figure and not a member of the Council. He's not hugely popular, so an attack on him is probably less of a moral blow than it might be if it was, say, against Ukitake-taichou. Moreover, Ikata's worked with him a long time, and even if they did hate each other, he would have had a lot of opportunity to off Minaichi if he'd wanted to - but never has - so the idea of him launching a random mutiny on this scale in such an eye-catching way isn't something people are easily going to believe. If he wasn't under some kind of control - dead or otherwise - he'd have had to have gone on a suicide mission, and that doesn't make sense with what Fukutaichou told me and with Ikata's general attitude. He wanted plaudits, not to be killed, so attacking in this way would have been pointless, even if he did have an idea to overthrow Minaichi. Fukutaichou's belief that this wasn't Ikata's doing made me really consider the possibility that the attack at Eleventh wasn't really about Eleventh at all. Or if it was, it wasn't the bigger picture."

"Meaning what?" Ketsui's eyes narrowed.

"I suppose I am worrying about the implications for my patrol leader," Tenichi said darkly. "If Ikata's attack wasn't really an attack so much as a diversion, something to make Seireitei go crazy, then we haven't seen the bigger picture yet. And I don't really want to think that that bigger picture might involve Kikyue-dono and my missing comrades."

"I see," Ketsui's expression became grave. "You think Ikata was just a distraction for something else?"

"Possibly, or a test, or warm up, to see how alert the Gotei are," Tenichi nodded. "Ketsui, answer me honestly. What do you think about Kohaku's brother?"

"Katsura?" Ketsui looked troubled, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't ever meet him. I know Kohaku is fond of him, but they severed ties five years ago and as far as I know, that's been that. Why?"

"You haven't been in the Real World so long that you don't know the Gotei have stepped up searches for him. It can't just be Seventh who've been doing that."

"No, searches have increased and Thirteenth have been on the alert as well," Ketsui sighed. "Kohaku hasn't discussed it with me, but he hasn't been kept out of those patrols."

"Most people here are sure Katsura is involved in this business somehow. He could manipulate Hollows, and I guess my question is, do you think he could manipulate Kohaku?" Tenichi asked. "You said he was ill when the attack happened, and people have mentioned that Katsura can read Kohaku's mind. Do you think he could do...more than that?"

"I wish I knew," Ketsui groaned. "It's horribly Urahara of me, but I am beginning to dislike it when I lack all the pieces to a puzzle. All I can tell you is that I trust Kohaku. Also, that I don't think whatever he saw was influenced by Katsura. If anything, it brought Fukutaichou on the scene, thus preventing a mass slaughter."

"But it caused the arrest of a Vice Captain and a certain amount of disruption," Tenichi pointed out. "And if Ikata was a diversion, then raising the alarm would be part of the bigger plan, wouldn't it?"

"If Keitarou were still alive, maybe," Ketsui said cautiously. "I don't know about Katsura. He seems to be a bit of an impulsive hothead...not really a planner."

"Well, I wasn't here the day he attacked my Division," Tenichi said bitterly, glancing up at the shining bird of prey that hung over his head. "I was too busy plotting murder and mischief at your place, so I can't say for sure, either. But he did come at the people here in a mad frenzy. He attacked and then, when Ukitake-taichou came, he fled. I suppose on those grounds, you have a point. But...I don't know. It bothers me. If he is involved in this - and he was in Rukongai, that's for sure - then he needs to be stopped. And that might mean...violence."

"I worry about that too," Ketsui replied pensively. "If Katsura is involved, and is arrested, it will hurt Kohaku on two counts. I don't want that. Kohaku is a good kid, Nii-chan. He's been through enough, and he doesn't deserve to go through more. No matter how bad his brother is, it's Kohaku who will suffer the most if he has to see Katsura executed by Seireitei justice. And, as someone who almost saw their brother killed in the same circumstances, I don't really like the thought. It's a bit too close for comfort."

"I owe him my life," Tenichi acknowledged with a sigh. "He came and stood on the witness stand and testified in front of all those people and because of that they dropped the treason charges and believed I wasn't working for his father. I haven't forgotten, and I haven't had a chance to thank him for it, either. Knowing that debt exists makes the idea of killing his brother a bit unpalatable to me too, but...I don't know. I am probably capable of doing it now, Ketsui. I don't say I want to go kill people," as Ketsui gazed at him in dismay, "but prison made me face up to what I'd been denying before my conviction. Keitarou's meddling taught me to think more violently than I ever had before, and Taichou said that instinct probably won't ever go away. In that case, it's best I manage it and train it to be used for Seireitei's benefit. If Katsura is guilty of doing all this - and if he hurts Kikyue-dono - I would be able to kill him. Even if I owe Kohaku my life."

Ketsui was silent for a long time, and Tenichi rested a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I'm not the same person I was before Keitarou abducted me," he said quietly. "I might have been, if Souja-dono hadn't died. Whether I am guilty or not in that, it doesn't matter. It was still the trigger for everything else. Everything that happened, leading up to my attack on Ichimaru-san, has changed my outlook. It's probably made me a better shinigami, but I don't know if it's made me a better person. I suppose I wondered if you didn't come to see me because you sensed that too - that I have changed, and I can't pretend otherwise."

"Nii-chan..."

"You asked me not to keep things from you," Tenichi reminded him softly, and Ketsui sighed, but nodded his head slowly.

"I know," he said earnestly, meeting his brother's gaze with a wistful one of his own. "And I think I probably did know, deep down, since that day I took your sword. I'm not the same person either, I don't think. I don't suppose either of us could stay the same, after what happened. But...even if that's true, I do think we can still be brothers. I want us to, anyway. And because Kohaku is someone I'm close to now, I hope that it doesn't come to it that you have to kill his brother. I really hope that Katsura isn't involved, and most of all, you won't kill him at all unless it can be proven that he is."

"I will follow the orders I'm given," Tenichi said frankly, "but I don't intend to kill any innocent people. I've not lost my conscience, and I'm not about to go on a rampage. Maybe five years ago I was unstable and I don't deny it, but I've got to grips with those things now and I promise, I would never act like that again, especially not without an official command. I just wanted to make sure you knew that, if Katsura did hurt those people in Rukongai, I won't forgive him. If he is the reason my patrol leader isn't here, I won't overlook that. And if my Captain tells me to, Ketsui...I will be ready to kill him. Because one thing I did learn from five years ago. Kyouraku-taichou probably didn't want to kill Keitarou, but his doing so brought peace to Seireitei. And if this would do the same, I'd kill Katsura, too."

"I don't really like hearing it," Ketsui admitted, "but I'm not a child. I know what you say makes sense. I just can't look at it that objectively. Kohaku saved you, but you never really got to know him as anything other than a refugee. I do know him. I train with him, often, and he's our cousin. I really consider him family, now. And I can also relate to his fears for his brother. It's something you won't ever understand, Nii-chan - worrying about an elder brother who's crossed lines and whose life might be forfeit because of the decisions he made. It could have been death for you too, and Kohaku is the reason that didn't happen. So I won't kill Katsura. I won't do something to take from Koku the brother he idolises, because he saved the life of the one I always looked up to - and, probably, if I'm honest, still do."

"You do?" Tenichi looked startled, and Ketsui nodded.

"Yes," he said honestly. "So please remember that. I am not going to rely on you to solve my problems. But it doesn't mean I don't still recognise you as a huge role model in my life."

"I am not sure I deserve to be that," Tenichi sighed, sinking down onto the wall beside the gate as he digested this. "When we were younger, maybe, but..."

"I admire you now for taking the lessons of five years ago and putting your life back together. For accepting your mistakes and trying to move on," Ketsui said simply. "It takes courage to do that. To step back out here in uniform and take people's criticism and judgement. To not lie or try to hide it, but use it to go forward - that's something to be admired. But I still don't want to see it stain your blade with blood, not even to impress your Captain. So if you have to kill someone, I want you to stop and really think about it. Ukitake-taichou always taught us to take prisoners when we could, rather than lives, so that justice could be properly served. Vigilante justice may be appropriate in some situations, and if Katsura is dangerous enough to send a Vice Captain to kill his squad, then it might be that you have to act. I just don't want you to cross that line unless it's in the interests of everyone that you do. What Kyouraku-taichou did was for the benefit of everyone, and I know that. Make sure that, if you're going to kill Katsura, you're certain that the same is true this time. Because if it is, he'll have betrayed Kohaku most of all - and he'll deserve to meet Seireitei's justice."

"You've grown up a lot in five years," Tenichi observed, and Ketsui shrugged.

"I've had to," he agreed. "I've had a lot of responsibility since that day. Like I said, we're neither of us the same as we were. But I think...maybe we're able to be more honest with each other because of it. Maybe that's a good thing."

"Then you can tell me in your own words how serious your relationship is with the Ichimaru girl," Tenichi suggested, and Ketsui reddened at the forwardness of the question. "Kirio thought it was for keeps. Is it? Should I expect a wedding sometime soon? Not that I'd be able to attend, because I'm not allowed within reach of the girl, but I'd still like to know."

"There's no wedding date," Ketsui recovered himself, shooting his brother a rueful smile. "I don't know really how to define it. I didn't talk to you about it because it was awkward, but it's also because it's not really something we've defined. But...I am...I mean...we are...quite close. And probably...it is serious. Maybe...for keeps."

"You're in love with her, huh?" Tenichi arched an eyebrow, and Ketsui hesitated, then nodded his head.

"I am," he admitted self-consciously. "It came at me without warning, but yes. I guess I am. I guess...it's like that."

"Did that happen before or after I attacked her?"

"It's hard to say," Ketsui shrugged his shoulders. "I think...maybe it was beginning. It's hard to really explain, and I don't know if I even can. Just, when you attacked her, I was really angry. And I wanted to protect her. Even if it meant drawing a sword on you - or risking my life to do it. At the time, I didn't really question why that was, but afterwards...I suppose I knew that it was more than just duty. I trusted her and I wanted to protect her. And I'm sorry, Nii-chan, but I was ready that day to fight anyone who meant her harm."

"I never saw you like that before, but on reflection, I'm glad you intervened," Tenichi grimaced, running his fingers through his red waves of hair. "I am sorry, though. It won't happen again. I promise. No matter what. And maybe, if I'd seen things rationally five years ago, I'd have realised that your connection with that girl wasn't sinister, but that your interest in her welfare - and hers in yours - was something else."

"Like I said, you weren't well then," Ketsui shook his head. "I am in love with Izumi, but Nii-chan, I'm still your brother. Izumi has never been angry with you. She knew you attacked her because you thought she was working for Keitarou, and she'd thought you were. Ultimately, it was a miscommunication made worse by your paranoia and her muteness, but she was the one who pushed me to come see you in prison. Izumi only has a brother, too, and has lost a lot of close people in her life, some of whom were taken by Keitarou. She's probably the one most angry with your parole conditions, because she doesn't want to be the reason there's a barrier between us. You needn't worry about it. It's over and past. And, when your parole expires, you can tell her yourself that you're sorry. Then it will be over for you, too. And we can all move on."

"I suppose so," Tenichi looked relieved. "All right. Kirio said it, but I'm glad you've said so too. I'll keep that in mind, and wait out my restraining order, then."

His eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Just don't set a wedding date until that restriction expires," he instructed. "It would be sad if I wasn't allowed to attend."

"It really doesn't seem appropriate to be talking about that kind of thing right now," Ketsui reflected grimly, and at his words, Tenichi's own expression became grave. He nodded.

"It doesn't, but then you came here because you realised that things can change quickly and people can die unexpectedly," he said sadly. "That's the reality of the job we both signed up for."

"True," Ketsui's heart was heavy as he acknowledged his brother's words. "On which note, I ought to be heading back. Kirio-nee gave me some time when I told her I wanted to come see you, but I shouldn't outstay my welcome here, and I don't want anyone back home to think I'm shirking. I'm glad we had a chance to talk, Nii-chan. I don't know, yet, how I feel about some of the things you said - but I do feel a little reassured that, at the very least, you trusted me with them. It makes me feel like you're still my brother, whatever else has happened."

"Of course," Tenichi's sober gaze lightened slightly and he slapped a warm hand down between Ketsui's shoulderblades. "No matter how many times they throw me in chains or how stupid my judgement gets, I'll always be that. I guess you'll just have to factor in the idiot moments as some latent gene I inherited from Father's side of the family, and move on."

"Father..." Ketsui had been readying himself to go, but at this he paused, turning to glance back at his companion. "I haven't heard you talk about him that way before."

"I wasn't really meaning him," Tenichi shook his head. "I meant Keitarou. He got Father wrapped up in his mess and then killed, and I almost followed suit. I suppose some things do run in the family."

"It seems like a long time ago, since Father died," Ketsui remarked, and Tenichi nodded.

"Taichou has promised to mark his grave with a proper memorial," he replied. "When he does, I hope I'll be allowed to go pay my respects properly...and I'd like it if you came too."

"I hadn't really thought about it," Ketsui said honestly. "I don't think about Father very much. I suppose I don't know if I have enough memories to have that kind of connection."

He sighed, scratching his head, then,

"I promise I'll think about it, providing we both survive whatever it is that's going on in Seireitei lately," he said at length. "I don't know how I feel about it, but even if I don't have a bond with him, really, I do have one with you. And I'd like to make that stronger, given how much has happened...so I promise to think it over."

"That's good enough for now," Tenichi looked relieved. "All right then. I'll let you go. I have to go check on Ohara, anyway."

"Ohara?" Ketsui looked confused, and Tenichi rolled his eyes.

"He's a mad fool and in love with Kikyue-dono, so Hajime-dono's confined him to quarters. I promised to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, and since that's the only duty I have right now, I better see it through, even if it is an annoying one," he agreed. "Ohara doesn't like me very much as a rule, and even though he's been less down on District people since I came back, right now he's not pleasant company."

"Poor Ohara," Ketsui looked grave. "I guess the sooner Kikyue-hime and her companions get back from their mission, the better."

"No kidding," Tenichi said fervently. "Those orders can't come soon enough, if you want my view. But in the meantime, you play nice and do whatever you can to back Kirio and Ukitake-taichou up at Thirteenth. I think it'll be all hands on deck everywhere for a while, even if the bigwigs do get to the bottom of it all - so it might be a while before we get to speak again, but remember what I said. It was good to see you, Ketsui. Take care of yourself, so that we can talk like this again."

"Same to you," Ketsui tossed back, offering his brother a rueful smile. He raised his hand in a wave, watching Tenichi follow suit, then turned on his heel, making his way slowly and thoughtfully back towards the Thirteenth.

Although much had happened in five years, he felt strangely comforted by the familiarity of talking things out with his brother.

 _It's not quite like nothing has changed. We've both grown up, perhaps, but maybe we haven't grown as apart as I thought. At the very least, it's reassuring to know that Keitarou didn't break my brother...and that we still have common ground. And now I need to pull myself together and be the right kind of role model for my Division members, just as he said. Maybe, when it is all over, I will be able to go with him to Father's grave, too. It means more to him than it does to me, but if Keitarou didn't destroy my brother, then maybe I should try to make peace with Father's memory, too. Ten-nii is right, after all. Keitarou got Father messed up in his craziness and got him killed. And even if I don't totally forgive Father for choosing to stay behind with Keitarou instead of fleeing District Seven with us, I suppose I know now that the ties of blood can be strong. I believe in Kohaku, so I don't want to be involved in killing his brother. And my brother crossed lines too, but I still trust him. Maybe, if I think of it like that, it's easier to understand Father's point of view._

He hesitated, gazing up at the hazy white wisps of cloud that broke up the perfect blue of the sky.

 _Or maybe, just maybe, somewhere inside of me there's a bit of that misguided rebel spirit lurking too._

* * *

So Ketsui had finally come to see him.

Tenichi made his way across the courtyard towards the main barracks building, a faint smile touching his features as he did so. He had worked hard since his release, and there had been little time for socialising outside of hours, especially when he knew he was being monitored for any sign of unstable behaviour, but although he had known Ketsui had returned from the Real World, there had been no attempt at contact from the younger boy, and Tenichi himself had been unsure about how to initiate anything himself. As he had told Kirio, he had no intention of breaking his parole rules by visiting Thirteenth, and didn't really want to return to the scene of the crime, anyway, but although his old friend had greeted him with warm hugs and welcomes, the silence from his brother had cut deep.

 _I didn't know how it would be when we were both back here, and I know that his visits in prison were generally full of awkward silences from both sides, but I had begun to wonder if he'd written me off entirely. I guess not. I guess it was just that he needed a nudge. It feels better, having talked to him. Having told him...how I feel about things, and not having him reject me for saying it. Even though I attacked someone he cares for, he hasn't given up on me. I guess now I just have to make sure I live up to his confidence in me - in a better way than I did before._

Tenichi hummed a soft tune under his breath, pushing back the main door and striding through the hall towards the corridor that fed into the quarters of the Division's senior seats. As Fourth Seat and the son of an eminent Endou nobleman from Hirata's court, Ohara's chamber was a private room that boasted one of the larger amounts of personal space available to members of the Seventh, and Tenichi allowed himself a wry smile as he remembered his own shared quarters in comparison.  
 _  
Still, right now it's a good thing. Ohara's in no temper to be social. I wouldn't put it past him to rip up his quarters, the mood he was in when Hajime-dono assigned him here. I suppose I better prepare for a hostile reception. I'm dealing with an angry hunter who outranks me...it never hurts to be safe, rather than sorry._

He brushed his hands against the hilt of his weapon.

 _Reihahen, I know you aren't properly speaking to me yet, but just in case you're listening - if Ohara tries to cut my head off or insert his blade into me somehow, I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me keep myself in one piece._

There was no verbal reply, but Tenichi thought he felt the faintest hum of his sword's presence, and he sighed, hoping that that was a gesture of confirmation, rather than a continuation of his blade's petulant sulk. Since the sword had been removed from its seals and returned to him, Reihahen had been entirely uninterested in obeying any kind of release command and, on the rare occasion Tenichi had actually managed to make the weapon speak to him, the words had been cold and bitter, resentment for the long confinement clear in Reihahen's words. It was only too clear that the zanpakutou - a proud blade with an unwavering sense of honour and good conduct - had still not forgiven him for the momentary lapse in sanity that had led to him using his shikai to terrorise and almost kill an unarmed recruit in the gardens of his old Division, and even though the Gotei's punishment was now long over, Reihahen's own was not.

 _Reihahen, please. I've told you I'm sorry. How many more times do I have to say it? I can't take it back, and you're not being very helpful._

Tenichi touched his hands to the wall of the corridor, then,  
 _  
What use is it my being here if I can't even use you to defend myself? If someone were to attack Seventh, this whole place is made of wood. You're the ideal weapon to launch a tactical offensive - what happens if you don't answer me, and people get hurt - like at Eleventh?_  
 **  
If you had cared so much for your duty, Kotetsu Tenichi, you would have attended your commander's orders instead of defying them to attack an unarmed girl.**

Reihahen's cutting reply made the red-haired officer flinch, a rueful look entering his greenish gaze.

 **You earned my trust to fight with you once, and you can earn it again. If you get slightly maimed in the process, so be it. It is your lesson to learn. I will not have my commands used in such an ugly way a second time, so keep that in mind.**  
 _  
Great. Fine. Whatever. I guess I'll just have to hope Ohara's not feeling like taking my head off my shoulders today, then, won't I?_

 **I don't know what you're whining about. If you'd been paying attention, you'd know that nobody is going to attack you from that room.  
**  
Reihahen sounded scornful, and Tenichi bristled with annoyance.  
 _  
Oh, and you know, do you? What makes you so sure of that? You're really starting to tick me off now, you know that? Do you read minds, now, as well?_  
 **  
No, only yours, and it's not much to look at.**

Came the blunt reply.  
 **  
Prison clearly dented your intelligence as well as your senses - or you were so desperate to reunite with your brother, you stopped paying attention. Your superior officer is not here. He's long since left this place.**

 _"What?"_

Tenichi's eyes opened wide and, all thought of a potential hostile onslaught forgotten, he dived forward, throwing back the door of Ohara's chamber with a growing sense of dismay. As Reihahen had said, the room was empty, though the shutters had been pushed full back from the window, and, as Tenichi hastened inside, he quickly saw that Ohara's zanpakutou was also missing from the room. He swore softly under his breath, hurrying to the window and gazing out across the rear yard, but there was no sign of the other man, and although he tried to pick up Ohara's reiatsu, he could not.  
 **  
Apparently you should have sealed him in with Kidou. You're good at doing that, remember? Or is that only useful when you want to commit a vigilante action, not when you want to prevent one?**

"You knew he had gone, didn't you? You sensed it - you felt him go! Why didn't you tell me?"

Angry now, Tenichi made the demand out loud, and Reihahen snorted, the hilt of the weapon prickling slightly with indignant reiryoku.  
 **  
It's not my job to fix your messes. You had the order, not me. He's probably gone to find his missing Princess. I wonder how you'll explain this to your Vice Captain. Detecting another shinigami's reiatsu should be childs-play to an Eighth seat - but maybe not to one whose spirit power has been sealed in cuffs for five years, huh? Or were you just so happy to see your brother that you derelicted your duty? Tsk. At this rate it's going to be a long time before we fight together again - that is, providing you don't end up in chains again for this.**

With that, the sword's presence withdrew pointedly from his thoughts, and Tenichi groaned, dropping down bad-temperedly onto Ohara's bed.

"Damn you, Reihahen. Damn you, Ohara!" he muttered. "I didn't notice. I'm sure that a high ranking Endou probably has some good concealment Kidou, but I should have. But Hajime-dono gave him the order to stay here, and I don't suppose either he or I thought he'd disobey, not since the command originated with Taichou."

He buried his head in his hands.  
 _  
Now what? Do I go report this to Hajime-dono? I guess I have to. Ohara's not in his right senses right now, but I don't know where to begin looking for him. The Gates are all sealed, so there's no way into the Dangai, even if he wanted to enter. Only a Captain with special clearance could override that, and Ohara's not that. He'll get into trouble if I report him, though - and so will I, but that's beside the point. Maybe I did let Ketsui coming distract me, and if so, I probably deserve the disciplinary, but..._

He raised his gaze, his lips thinning as he considered his options.  
 _  
If Taichou finds out Ohara's deserted and gone off on some crazy mission of his own, he'll probably flip out. If I take this to Hajime-dono, he'll have to take it to the Captain. It could end up really messy, and it's not going to help bring Kikyue-hime home any sooner. Moreover, this is my mistake. I should've been more attentive to this as a possibility - but I really didn't think he was that crazy. Although..._

 _ **"When you attacked her, I was really angry. And I wanted to protect her. Even if it meant drawing a sword on you - or risking my life to do it. At the time, I didn't really question why that was, but afterwards...I suppose I knew that it was more than just duty. I trusted her and I wanted to protect her. And I'm sorry, Nii-chan, but I was ready that day to fight anyone who meant her harm."  
**_  
He faltered, suddenly recalling Ketsui's words about Izumi.  
 _  
I've never been in love, so maybe I underestimated its thrall. But Ketsui said it himself, didn't he? He was ready to fight anyone and do anything to protect Ichimaru-san, even if the person attacking her was me. Even if he didn't know anything about her, he was still ready to risk his life to keep her safe. I've been slow, but I should have realised it sooner. Ohara doesn't care if the Captain is cross with him or if he gets punished or even killed. He's gone to try to find Kikyue-hime, even if it kills him. Which means that, if I report him, the chances are they'll have to try and drag him back by force. He might release his sword, and there might be a violent scene. He might fight it out and end up dead. I can't let that happen. Not because I didn't take it seriously enough, how deep his feelings for Kikyue-dono ran. We've always considered it something of a joke, but I guess it isn't a joke. I guess it matters, when the chips are down and someone is in trouble._

He got slowly to his feet, clasping his hand around Reihahen's hilt momentarily, before releasing it again.

And I don't even have a zanpakutou who will answer my call right now, so going after him and challenging him myself is probably not the smartest idea I've ever had. But I need to do it, anyway. I need to find him and try to bring him back. Reihahen is right, I derelicted my duty - and I'm on probation, so I'm probably in trouble either way. But if I can stop Ohara from getting killed then that's what I'll do. If I can persuade him to come back...promise to back his cause with Fukutaichou over further action, or something...then it stays out of the Taichou's attention and hopefully, nobody gets hurt. I'm sure Sekime-taichou will have something figured out soon, so it's just a case of buying some time to keep the peace until those orders come. I can do that, surely?

He clambered up onto the sill of Ohara's window, pausing for a moment to scour the ground for any sign of disturbed grass or mud, but he could see nothing.

 _Well, if I can't trace him by reiatsu, and I can't follow footprints, then I'll just have to track him down the old-fashioned way. By process of elimination._

Tenichi set his teeth, launching himself out of the window and onto the soft ground below.  
 _  
I'll begin with the most obvious place he's likely to head and work back. The last time Kikyue-dono was in Seireitei, she was in Sixth District, and she went into the Dangai through that broken Gate. Since she didn't come back to Seireitei with Ikata and the others, then I don't suppose Ohara'd be too interested in checking out the Gate near Twelfth - but the one in Sixth seems like as good a place as any to begin.  
_  
He tapped Reihahen pensively.  
 _  
You want me to earn your trust back, Reihahen? Well, I don't know if that will happen or if it won't. But I'm taking responsibility for my error, anyway. We're going to find Ohara and drag him back, if need be - and I'd appreciate your help if it comes to the crunch. In his current state of mind, who knows what he might do - and I'd quite like to be able to return to Seventh Division alive, even if I do get court-martialed afterwards._


	37. Scout

**Chapter Thirty Six: Scout**

The first thing Kikyue noticed as she slowly returned to consciousness was how cold and hard the floor was on which she lay. For a moment she could not place why she should be lying on the ground, and she blinked a few times, struggling to bring the gloomy chamber into clearer focus. With difficulty, she forced her heavy body onto her back, gazing up uncomprehendingly at the ceiling over her head. In the low light, it was impossible to make out the intricate details, but it was clear that wherever she was, the ceiling was a similar cold grey stone to that on which she lay. The walls, too, were the same granite shade, with no indication of either windows or doors to let in any kind of light. Such a chamber ought to be plunged into pitch blackness, but in the centre of the ceiling, a single, flickering Kidou lamp had been illuminated, casting a feeble yellow haze into the chamber. In the shadows cast by the lamp, she could make out other shapes sprawled on the floor around her, each one dressed in the same black and white shihakushou of a Gotei shinigami, and dimly she recalled that, whatever she had been doing, there had been others with her. It was not a familiar location, and she groaned, pulling herself into a sitting position and rubbing her brow as she tried to bring her memories back into a coherent order.

"Kikyue...hime?" A voice from her left made her turn, realising that one of the other still shapes had also begun to move. As it dragged itself into a crouch, Kikyue recognised her companion.

 _Hashimori._

"Where are we?" Slowly the other officers began to struggle back to life, clutching their heads and gazing around them at their surroundings in confusion and dismay. "What is this place?"

Kikyue closed her eyes, recalling the white sand outside, and the strange building - the Dome - into which her comrades had disappeared. Ikata had been with them, she remembered absently. He had been annoying her, so she recalled clearly that he had been with the party. That meant that, probably, other officers from the Eleventh had also been present, but try as she might she could not clearly recall any of their names or faces. Instead she found herself remembering the stranger that had approached them, dressed in old fashioned robes and with an eerily melancholy aura. He had apologised to her, she recalled now with a jolt, as if he hadn't really wanted to hurt her and, as her wits began to return to her more quickly, she ran her gaze over her body, realising that while she may have been knocked out, she had not been injured in any way.

"There was a guy outside," one of the other Seventh officers, a man called Taizaki put in now. "He did something to us."

"Something with Kidou," another officer, Itou agreed. "Is anyone hurt? Kikyue-hime, are you all right? Whoever he was, I saw him grab at you before I passed out."

"I'm not injured," with some difficulty, Kikyue got to her feet, dusting her aching body down with a sigh. "Sluggish, as though I've been drugged - like the rest of you. Is everyone else all right?"

"He doesn't seem to have hurt anyone," Hashimori cast his gaze over the gathered officers with a frown. "Wherever this place is, though, it doesn't look as though he intended us to get out. I don't remember how we got in, but it doesn't look like it's going to be easy to find a way out."

"But there's nobody here watching us," Taizaki reflected. "That has to be a good thing."

"Is everybody here?" Kikyue asked.

"Takasugi isn't," Hashimori shook his head. "Everyone else is, but Takasugi's missing."

"I sent him...to do something. To scout, I think, before that man accosted us with his ugly aura and his spells," Kikyue rubbed her brow again, trying to dispel the dull, throbbing ache that had begun there. "I'm not sure, but I don't think he was with us when that guy - what was his name? decided that he wanted to interfere with our mission and get in our way."

"Tokitori...Tsuneyoshi." Itou said slowly. "I've never heard of it before. I don't know any family called Tokitori, but he was dressed in formal clothing. Clan clothing, almost - but..."

"Old fashioned and strange, like out of one of the ancient tapestries or an archaic text," Kikyue sighed. "I'm remembering it more clearly now. I think he said he'd been exiled here - a miscarriage of justice? Something like that. He and probably the other guy, too. The old guy...the one who fought the Hollows."

"The one that Ikata-dono and his men went into the Dome with?" The final member of the group, a young officer called Sanetaka grimaced. "Do you suppose the same thing happened to them as to us?"

"You mean, are the Eleventh officers also locked in a room like this one?" Hashimori had got to his feet, running his hands along the walls with a sigh. "It's possible. We were separated, and I suppose it's a viable tactic, to divide and conquer. Tokitori said something about names, too...but I don't think I fully understood what he meant."

"Me either, but if he'd meant us harm, we'd be dead by now. None of us had any way to defend against his kidou," Kikyue groaned, squinting up at the wavering kidou lamp with a frown. "Someone must have put us here, and I am guessing someone activated that," she pointed up, "but I can't see any switch, so I don't know how they did it."

"Maybe it's just reacting to us being here," Itou suggested, and Kikyue sent him a startled look.

"Reacting to us? You mean, automatically?"

"Maybe," Itou nodded his head. "I've heard about them, before. In the past, a long time ago, they hadn't worked out how to fit switches to turn lamps on and off using specific reiryoku. Instead they used some kind of substance that reacted to the presence of reiatsu. I think they used Sekkiseki in some way, because it reacts and rejects reiatsu, but I don't remember all the details. My Great Uncle's always been interested in all this stuff, and he's a bit of an eccentric in a lot of ways. He can talk on and on about it for hours and I don't really listen to him, but I remember when the mines began to re-open, he got very excited and started talking about buying stone to do experiments of his own."

He looked sheepish.

"I hadn't thought that anything he ever said would be useful to me," he added, "but the old guy is convinced that where he lives is the site of the original Endou manor. He has a bee in his bonnet about it and likes to get actively involved in digging up random patches of his land looking for bits of old pottery and stuff to prove it..and he's always talking about how life used to be in the old days."

"How old is 'the old days'?" Hashimori frowned. "We're not in Seireitei, and if we're right about those shinigami we met having been put into the Dangai as a punishment, then we're talking a long time."

"My great Uncle is about eight or nine centuries old now," Itou said thoughtfully. "I call him that, but it's probably missing a few more 'greats', as he's not my Dad's actual uncle - more like some relic from an earlier generation. He's been around forever, apparently. I imagine its probably older than that, but maybe he remembers it too."

"Well, if Kunimori-dono and the other guy were exiled here as prisoners, that would've been a longer time back than eight or nine centuries," Hashimori was thoughtful. "I suppose it's possible that one of them is responsible for this space. If they were here for that length of time, then they must have spent it doing something. Maybe they even built that Dome - and maybe they built this room too. Maybe there were originally more of them - just they're the only ones left."

"We assume," Sanekata shivered. "We don't know that. I hope Takasugi-san is okay. We didn't know Tokitori-dono was there until he came to speak to us. We don't know how many others there are."

"Would you have the technology to build something like that into a room like this? And would you, if it's essentially a prison?" Taizaki looked doubtful.

"I don't like this," Kikyue admitted. "There's too much that doesn't make sense. Sanekata is right, too - we don't know if there are others, or what threat they pose. What have we stumbled into? We came here looking for Aizen Katsura, but instead we found...what? A hidden oasis of exiled shinigami from the ancient past, lurking here with abilities and technology and spells we don't understand...to do what? Why did Kunimori-dono help us escape the Hollows? Why did he let us wander around unsupervised? Did he plan for his companion to ambush us? They didn't seem like friends. The way Tokitori-dono spoke didn't make it sound that way to me."

"I don't suppose it matters," Hashimori leaned up against the wall thoughtfully. "There's characters carved into the stone here, but I can't properly make them out. They look like they've been here a while, too - which would suggest that this room has a purpose other than being a prison. Unless it's graffiti from a previous incumbent - but it doesn't look like it to me."

"Let me see," Kikyue came to join her companion, running her fingers across the patch of stone that he indicated. "It is very badly worn. I'm not sure if it's a proper word - at least, not necessarily in kanji script. Itou, did your crazy uncle ever say anything about a different kind of writing style in the time period folk were mad enough to live in houses with Sekkiseki lighting panels?"

"I don't remember," Itou admitted. "I found his rambles kind of boring, to be honest. I don't think he mentioned it, though. Haven't shinigami always used kanji for documents? I mean, there are some old archaic characters that we don't use any more, but I've never heard of any other kind of writing system."

"Whatever it is, it's not legible enough to tell for sure," Kikyue gave up with a sigh. "And I suppose it isn't important. We didn't come here for a history lesson, and we should be thinking more about getting out than anything else. We're kind of stuck and we don't have a lot of options to work with. We are alive, but we're shut in here. Tokitori-dono might not have killed us, but I am not sure that matters. It probably means us being alive isn't that important, as we're not going to be able to do anything or raise any alarms so long as we're entombed like this."

"Takasugi's outside, though, Kikyue-hime." Hashimori pointed out. "Do you think he saw what happened to us? He's not here, so it doesn't look like he was caught."

"He could have been killed," Taizaki shivered, looking nervous, and Kikyue grimaced.

"He's not that stupid." she said cuttingly. "And if we're not dead, there's no reason to suppose he is, either. Whether he saw what happened or not, though, I don't know. And even if he did, if we don't know where we are, or how we got in here, it's going to be difficult for him to find us on his own, let alone manage to get us out. We have to find our own way out of here - if we can. And we need to make contact with back home, because clearly there's more going on here than we thought at first."

"Do you think those guys were working with Aizen Katsura, _hime_?" Itou wondered, and Kikyue chewed on her lip.

"Kunimori-dono said he didn't know him, and so did Tokitori-dono," she admitted reluctantly at length. "I don't like it, but I think I believed them. It doesn't mean he hasn't been causing trouble, but...I don't know. They've been here a long time, if they really were exiled here, and Katsura...he's not that much older than I am. Maybe thirty summers - no more than that. Maybe we're wasting time, looking for him here."

"Can we make contact with Seireitei from inside this place?" Taizaki looked doubtful. "The walls seem pretty thick, Kikyue-hime, and we don't know where we are. It's not on the Dangai map."

"True enough," Kikyue reached into her obi, pulling out the small Key device that Mareiko had given her and gazing at it pensively. "Sekime-taichou said that this would connect from the Dangai to the Gate near Twelfth, and that it would resonate to a person with a zanpakutou - but it looks like it's deactivated. When we left Seireitei, I could feel the connection resonating between it and the Gate network, but I don't feel it now. Wherever we are, we're out of range. I can't open the Senkaimon from inside here - which means that anything else, including a Hell Butterfly, is also out of the question."

She slid the Key back into her obi.

"We don't know if Ikata and the others made it back, or if they're even in any danger," she added. "Kunimori seemed more interested in them than us, so it's possible that they escaped this kind of indignity. If they've already managed to get back to Seireitei somehow, then perhaps they'll raise the alarm. In the meantime, we can't just sit here. Whatever is going on, it's not normal and we need to get to the bottom of it. And we can't do that from inside a stone box, so we're going to have to find a way to get out."

"I don't think there is a way out," Hashimori looked defeated, but Kikyue snorted.

"Nonsense. We got in, and so there must be a way out," she said matter-of-factly. "It's just a matter of figuring out how."

"Do you suppose we're under that Dome building?" Taizaki wondered. Kikyue nodded.

"It seems the most likely," she agreed. "There wasn't anything else on the horizon for miles around, and the Hollow Forest was on the levels beneath the sand. I think we're probably somewhere inside that complex. Though it would help to have a clue. There's literally nothing here, except an ancient lamp and some illiterate wall scribblings."

"A stone box is a good description," Taizaki said ruefully, kicking absently at the wall. "Do we even know if there's a proper air supply in here? What about nutrition? I don't know how those shinigami managed to live here, given that there's no sign of water and everything is covered in sand. Are we sure that they didn't just leave us in here to starve?"

"Maybe they eat the Hollows," Sanekata's eyes widened in dismay at this thought, and Hashimori grunted, giving the young officer a warning cuff across the back of the head.

"Calm down and stop talking nonsense," he said brusquely. "It isn't helping."

"Not to mention, it's gross," Taizaki screwed up his nose at the thought. "Eating Hollows? Ew."

"Well, there's nothing else here," Sanekata rubbed his head, eying Hashimori reproachfully. "It was just a suggestion, sir. It's not like there's anything else. Taizaki-san is right."

"Instead of dreaming up wild fantasies, let's use our energy in a more practical way, shall we?" Kikyue said pointedly. "Otousama...I mean, Taichou, is relying on us to find out the information we came here to get. Whatever that information is, we can sit around here and whine hysterically, or we can act like proper Endou and do our duty. They must have got us in here somehow. There are five of us, and if we work together and canvass the chamber between us, we must find something to tell us how to get out. Any small crack, crevasse - anything at all. There must be something, so let's get looking."

"It's hard to see in this light," Itou reflected. "Do you think it would matter, if we used Kidou? I mean, just to see what we're doing."

"We don't know if this atmosphere is flammable...although it feels pretty sterile in this place, and Kunimori-dono used a spell without any trouble against the Hollows," Hashimori frowned. "Hime, what do you think? We're in a confined space, so if it goes wrong..."

"I think we shouldn't use Kidou. Not right now," Kikyue's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But you did give me an idea, Itou. Maybe a spell would be risky, but..."

She paused, reaching down to grasp the hilt of her zanpakutou.

"They didn't disarm us before dumping us in here," she continued, as her companions exchanged confused looks. "That's kind of insulting, because it means they really don't think anything of us as potential opponents. However, the fact I still have Kaisoushu may be a good thing. If I release my sword, maybe my kestrel can find what we can't."

"Kaisoushu's shikigami!" Hashimori's eyes lit up with comprehension, and Kikyue nodded.

"It's worth a shot," she agreed. "So long as I don't try and release any spells into it, I don't suppose it'd set off any kind of chain reaction. I've never used it to do anything but hunt before - but in the circumstances, I think I should risk it. Kaisoushu can get into places I can't, and if there's any kind of crack or opening, I think she'll find it."

"I've never seen Kaisoushu released before," Sanekata murmured. "Hashimori-san, did you say it was a...shikigami?"

"It's exactly that," Hashimori agreed. "I've only seen it a couple of times myself, in training, but I think Kikyue-hime's right. Whoever locked us in here probably didn't think of that possibility, but if Kaisoushu can find a way out..."

"Well, no harm in trying." Kikyue shrugged, pulling her blade from its sheath and holding it out. "I suggest everyone come back behind me, though. It might get a bit gusty in here, and if you don't want a face full of stone-dust, it's better to be out of Kaisoushu's immediate line of fire."

"Yes, ma'am!" Hurriedly the Seventh Division shinigami hastened to do as their leader commanded and, with a wry expression on her young features, Kikyue tapped her fingers gently against the blade of her sword.  
 _  
This isn't a battle, Kaisoushu, so gently, if you know what that means. I need you to do something more intricate than rip an enemy to shreds - at least, right now I do. I need you to find a way out, if there is one. Do you think you can?_

There was no answer, but deep inside her soul she felt a whoosh of energy and the distinct sensation of a bird, flapping its wings. She smiled faintly.

"All right then," she said softly. " _Mezame, Kaisoushu!_ "

Immediately the words passed her lips, the blade of her weapon was engulfed in a miniature tornado of energy, sending dust and any other stray particles flying around the small chamber. Though it was a much more subdued release than the one she had unleashed on Katsura some five years before in the Seventh Division compound, the sudden flurry of predatorial energy that whipped out around her caused a couple of her companions to gasp, and Sanekata let out an exclamation of surprise. Little by little the hazy burst of energy began to take form, the shadowy shapes lengthening into distinctive, spectral wings, and the sharp beak of the bird of prey glinting in the dim light. Kaisoushu wheeled around the chamber once, swooping low over the gathered Seventh Division officers before pausing to hover above Kikyue's head, her own beady gaze fixed on her mistress as if awaiting her next command. In Kikyue's hand, the gleaming weapon she now hold had a jagged tip, as though a fragment of it had broken off, and the edges gleamed ominously in the dark chamber.

"It's beautiful," Sanekata whispered, and Hashimori nodded.

"Kikyue-hime's kestrel is a unique sword in the Endou," he agreed. "Just hope you never have to fight against it. It may be beautiful, but it's a weapon of war as well."

"I'm glad you realise it," Kikyue shot Hashimori a wry smile, then, "Kaisoushu, we're trapped in here. Can you find a way out?"

The kestrel's beak parted as if letting out a screech of agreement, though Kikyue knew that only she could hear the bird's high pitched hunting call. It swept through the chamber once and then twice as if searching for any sign of a break in the stone wall. Kikyue twitched the blade in the direction of the ceiling, and Kaisoushu soared as high as it was able, its beady, ghostly eyes examining every inch of the carved ceiling. At length it paused alongside the curious glowing lamp, letting out another cry - though this time it was a call of warning, rather than obedience.  
 _  
You don't like that panel, huh?_

Kikyue got to her feet, peering at the light thoughtfully.  
 _  
If it is Sekkiseki related, I suppose it's not comfortable for you to go there. Maybe the panel's hiding something, though. Perhaps behind it is our way out - maybe that's the point.  
_  
Kaisoushu flapped its wings a couple of times, then circled the room again, hovering away from the lamp and casting its gaze down instead onto the floor below. Then, without warning, it dove down towards the ground, as if hunting an unsuspecting mouse or vole who had scuttled out of the shadows in search of food. Instead of latching its claws onto something, however, the bird seemed to plunge into the stone itself, disappearing as it made contact with the ground.

 _Kaisoushu?_

Kikyue gazed at her sword in confusion.

"Where did it go? Hime, did you call it back?" Hashimori came to Kikyue's side, and she glanced at him, shrugging her shoulders.

"I didn't," she said softly. "And I can still sense her, but I can't see her. She's somewhere below us...but..."

"It was like she went through the floor, but there isn't a crack or a gap that I can see," Taizaki crawled over towards them, putting his hand tentatively on the place where Kaisoushu had disappeared. "It's almost as if...woah!" For at that moment the ghostly hunter surged back up through the floor, opening its beak once more to let out a silent cry of triumph. It hovered above Kikyue's head, circling a couple of times and Kikyue glanced at her weapon, and then up at the shikigami.

"There's something below there," she said slowly. "For Kaisoushu to be able to penetrate it means that this whole floor can't be made of stone, and it's not Sekkiseki. This is going to sound crazy, but I almost wonder if it's even really there."

"It seems there to me," Taizaki objected, hitting the stone with his fist to prove his point. "It's right here, and I can feel it."

"Yes..." Kikyue frowned. "but we don't know how this world works. Kaisoushu thinks it's not stone at all. She thinks it's a barrier - a spell of some kind. That;s why we can't see any way in or out. This chamber isn't really here...it's just an illusion inside a Kidou barrier, intended to hold us in one place."

"So we might still be out in the desert?" Itou asked doubtfully. Kikyue shrugged.

"Kaisoushu doesn't think so," she said pensively, twitching her sword in the direction of the bird, who spread her wings and obediently flew back into the blade. She sealed her weapon, returning it to the sheath at her side. "The ceiling...that's real enough. The lamp, too. Kaisoushu sensed Sekkiseki around it, just as you said, Itou. Whatever that is, it's part of a chamber. It's just this...below us. Whatever this is," she tapped the floor, "it's not what it looks like."

"Do you think Tokitori-dono made it?" Sanekata wondered. Kikyue shook her head.

"I don't think so," she admitted. "When Kaisoushu went through the stone, I couldn't hear her any more. I could sense her, but I wasn't aware of the things she was seeing. Whatever made the barrier must have made it to protect something on the inside, not to keep us trapped on the outside. This room has probably been here a while, with this false floor...hiding whatever is underneath."

"So how do we get out?" Taizaki wondered.

"I think the way we came in is probably hidden behind that Sekkiseki panel. Kaisoushu didn't like it, but she still alerted me to the fact it was strange," Kikyue sat back on her haunches, considering. "It would also be a logical place to hide a door. If this was some kind of cell or storage chamber, even, the ceiling itself is smooth and unbroken except for where that panel is. It makes sense that the way in is behind there, and it also means it's more difficult for us to get out. We can't use any kind of spirit power to blow open a Sekkiseki door, so it's also a pretty good lock. But..."

She turned to glance back at the floor.

"If this below us is a barrier, then that's different. We might be able to break through that. If Kaisoushu could penetrate it, then maybe it's not all that strong. If it was just meant to distract people, and stop them from finding something, then it really wouldn't need to be."

"So we need to use Kidou in here after all?" Hashimori asked. Kikyue was silent for a moment, then she sighed.

"I wonder if a normal spell would break through it," she admitted. "We don't know if Tokitori-dono or Kunimori-dono put this here, but we do know Kunimori-dono can use good Kidou, and clearly Tokitori-dono can too, if he laid us all out so easily. But if they knew something was down there, would they have put us in here? Kaisoushu can't tell me anything about what she saw down there...but that makes me think that whatever it is, they don't know about it. That might mean it's a way out we don't know about. And we're not here to steal anything, so hopefully we can sneak out through a different exit and back up to the sand outside."

She touched her hand to the hilt of her sword once more.

"Since Kaisoushu was able to penetrate the barrier, I suggest that we try using her again," she added. "Kaisoushu can carry spells and she might have luck where a normal incantation won't. But it might be a bit violent...there's a chance, if it works, that the whole floor will break up under us, so be ready, all of you. We don't know what we might be landing on, so be prepared for a sudden jump into the unknown."

* * *

"This is as far as I go."

As the motley trio stood at the edge of a thick cluster of fading cherry blossom trees, Katsura sighed, then turned to his companion, sending Jun'ei a glance.

"This is the edge of the land belonging to the Kuchiki manor in the Coastal Provinces. I've seen people in the local uniform in towns hereabouts, and this is the only estate big enough to belong to your family for miles around."

Jun'ei let out his breath in a rush, moving to put his hand lightly against the trunk of the nearest tree. As he did so, a couple of lingering blossoms blew loose from a hanging branch, fluttering to the join their fellows on the ground. Although the delicate pinks had clearly reached the end of their brief blooming period, Jun'ei knew that there was a difference between these trees and the ones he had seen in the forest. Whilst those grew wild and untamed, these had been carefully cultivated for maximum blooming potential, a clear sign that they did indeed belong to the perimeter of a Kuchiki estate. Relief bubbled up in his heart as he realised that his enigmatic companion had indeed kept his promise.

To begin with, he had not been sure what Katsura had intended to do. Although the stranger had promised to help him, he had not expected to be summarily grabbed and then pulled into a sudden flash-step which, for all its impetuosity, had shown clear signs not only of good reiryoku but proper spiritual training. Jun'ei had only experienced shunpo a few times before, when his father had demonstrated it to him the previous summer during a rare family gathering, and the sensation of being dragged through light at speed had disorientated him enough to not even realise Katsura had taken both him and the child together. He had been unable to voice any questions, and, as he turned to glance at his companion now, he realised that this was perhaps deliberate. Whoever Katsura was, and however little he feared the power of a family like the Kuchiki, his simple attire masked a deeper spiritual ability that again made him think of shinigami.

 _But he isn't one of those. He has no zanpakutou, and his aura doesn't feel that way. It's not that I think he could be like Father or any of the others from the Gotei - but you don't just learn to shunpo without being taught it. Not to this level. And especially to such a degree that you can take others with you and still safely reach your intended destination. Still, whoever you are, you did bring me here, and at a faster pace than I expected. I am in your debt. I don't know why you seek to hide your abilities and why you want no credit, as my family would surely reward you handsomely for your help. Clearly you have little money, as Homare has bare feet and your clothes are worn and threadbare in places. I feel like there are a thousand questions I should ask - but somehow asking them feels like it would be a betrayal of some kind._

"Well?" At the prolonged silence, Katsura arched an eyebrow at his young companion. "I thought this was an urgent errand? I brought you here as quickly as I could, but I have no intention of meeting your kinsman. You'll have to figure it out from here, but I've fulfilled my half of the deal. I'd like it if you'd take Homare and go now."

"I don't want to go, Nii-chan," Homare pouted, folding her arms defiantly across her chest, and Katsura crouched down to her level, meeting her gaze pensively with one of his own.

"I know, but I promise I will come back for you," he said softly. "Jun'ei-dono has said he's a man of honour, so I trust your safety to him until I can do so. That's right, isn't it?" he asked, turning his attention back to the Clansman, who nodded his head soberly.

"You are good to your word, and so I will be to mine," he said quietly. "I do not understand any more about who you are or why you helped me come here. You know shunpo, and you speak about shinigami as though you were once one, but I can tell by your lack of sword that you were not. I don't know who you are, but I will trust you because you did as I asked. I remember Father once saying that Kinnya-sama loved the cherry blossom and encircled the whole of his estate with the trees so he could enjoy them in Spring. I know that this is indeed the place I seek, as these trees have clearly been planted deliberately and carefully cultivated to bloom as long as possible. They are much like the trees at the main house, not wild like the ones in the forest. Only a Kuchiki manor could manage trees so well - and so I know we have arrived."

"You Clansfolk really do focus on strange things. Your education is seriously skewed," Katsura said bluntly, but there was a faint smile on his lips and Jun'ei found himself returning it. "All right, then. Homare, I promise. I will come back. I will find out what I need to know, and it will all be well - but I may have to encounter more Hollows in dark tunnels, and that isn't a place you should be."

"I don't want to meet any Hollows," Homare sighed. "All right. I'll wait for you. But you do promise? You really mean it? You will come back to get me, won't you?"

"I promise," Katsura said solemnly. "You have my word. I will come back."

He patted her on the head, standing.

"Your crisis has helped me with one of mine, in that now I know I can keep Homare safe while I investigate the disturbances," he told Jun'ei frankly. "If I can, I will get word to my brother about the things I find, and then he can pass them on to his superiors. I don't care much about the Kuchiki family, or any of the Clans, but I suppose it is to everyone's benefit if people who stink of death stop turning up and attacking others at random intervals."

"District or Clan, I believe we can agree on that," Jun'ei said firmly, reaching down to loop his fingers through the reluctant Homare's. "Come, Homare. A promise is a promise. Let your brother go do whatever it is he feels necessary. I must raise the alarm and you have my word that I will keep you safe from harm until such times as you can be reunited."

Homare glanced at Katsura, a mournful look in her eyes, but she did not resist, and Katsura offered her a wink before disappearing in a faint cloud of reiryoku. At his smooth disappearance, Jun'ei sighed.

"I almost feel he was sent as an angel to help me find my way," he murmured, more than half to himself, "except that no angel would leap like a robber from the trees or speak to me with such a turn of phrase. I truly believe he fears nobody, not even the wrath of my Clan."

"I think Katsu-nii is afraid of the dead people," Homare said slowly. "I haven't seen them, but I know he is."

She glanced at him anxiously.

"Can you walk, Jun'ei-niichan? Your leg is still swollen and it looks very red. Katsu-nii's magic step brought us here quickly...I didn't know he could do that either, but I'm glad he could. But I can't do any magic like that, and I can't carry you. Will you be all right?"

"I have to be, so I will be," Jun'ei said resolutely, putting his foot down tentatively against the ground a few times. It twinged with pain and he flinched, but set his teeth, determined not to show further weakness in front of this child. "Come. I have never visited this manor before, but Father has, and he has told me much about its layout. It is a very old manor, and the cherry blossom surrounds it on all sides. If we follow the path through the trees, I believe we should find our way."

"But someone might see us!" Homare looked anxious, and Jun'ei smiled.

"We want them to see us. Otherwise why have I come here for help?" he asked her gently. "You should be careful, Homare. You should not follow too closely your brother's example. He may seek to be a tree-dwelling ninja, but that does not mean you should think that way, too."

"Katsu-nii is a good person, you know," as they made their way along the pink-speckled pathway, Homare cast Jun'ei a glance. "You might not see it, because you don't know him, and he's not always good at talking to new people. But he is a good person."

"He helped me come here, so I can't say otherwise," Jun'ei admitted. "Although I would prefer not to again experience his greeting ritual."

"He thought you would hurt me, that's all," Homare frowned. "He wouldn't let anything happen to me. That's why he left me with you. I understand it, Jun'ei-niichan, but I'm not stupid. I understand that he left me behind because it's dangerous and he might get killed. He left me here because he might not be able to come back."

"He's your brother, isn't he?" Jun'ei looked surprised. "I would not abandon a sibling of mine, and he gave you his word."

"Yes, but..." Homare faltered, then, "Katsu-nii and I aren't really brother and sister," she admitted. "He sort of...adopted me, because I haven't got a family of my own. He doesn't really have a family either. Just his brother. His brother is nice, but he's a shinigami. Katsu-nii doesn't like shinigami. I don't know all the details of what happened, but I know it was something bad. He doesn't trust them, so he can't even see his brother very often. Not at all, really. So then he just has me. And I know he wouldn't let me get hurt because of him, so I know that, if he could...he'd think it best to leave me somewhere safe. I don't think he cares if he dies, not really. But he cares if I do. I'm worried he'll take more risks now...because he doesn't have to worry about me."

She sighed heavily, suddenly seeming older than her years.

"I see us as real family," she added, "but I don't know, sometimes, if he feels that way, too."

"I see," Jun'ei looked thoughtful. "Perhaps your bond is stronger for that lack of blood connection. It was a bond of choice, not one of kinship. I don't really understand, but I will keep my word to him. I will make sure you are safe, for as long as need be. I think he will keep his promise. He kept his word to me, so I believe he has honour. And if he does not come back because he cannot - I will make sure no harm comes to you. I am only a child, as you pointed out," he added self-effacingly, "but I am almost an adult and my father is the heir to the Kuchiki Clan. If I asked him, I am sure that he could get a message to Katsura's brother in the Gotei. You have my word I will not let you be abandoned."

"I think you're a good person, too," Homare offered her companion a faint smile. "How old are you, Jun'ei-nii?"

"Fourteen. Fifteen, come the summer," Jun'ei frowned. "Father left me at the manor to continue my training, but I understand now that I know very little about anything. And I do not even know if I can save my Great Uncle. He is a close person to me and I want to help him - but more, I hate that he risked himself to get me away. I must repay that by summoning some kind of help - and as I am too weak yet to fight, I must find someone else who is not."

"Who goes there?"

At that moment they were accosted by a guardsman, dressed in the uniform of the local Kuchiki retinue, and Jun'ei pushed Homare behind him, fumbling at his throat for his crest and holding it out.

"Kuchiki Jun'ei, eldest son of Kuchiki Shirogane, heir to the Kuchiki Clan begs an audience with Lord Kinnya, with some urgency," he stated, his words clear and carrying despite the fear still curling up inside his heart. "The main house is under attack and I was dispatched here to summon assistance. Please, take me to my kinsman immediately. There is no time to waste!"

* * *

Somehow they were all still in one piece.

Kikyue ruefully sealed her sword, returning it to its scabbard and dusting herself down. Her warning had been opportune, although there had been little time or opportunity for her companions to brace themselves before Kaisoushu's claws had penetrated the barrier once more, this time carrying a powerful charge of Kidou which had split the reishi floor beneath their feet into a morass of spiritual energy. The protective seal broken, they had found themselves tumbling a good ten or twelve feet onto a hard stone surface. Glancing around at her companions, Kikyue felt relieved that, since the events five years ago, her father had insisted on stepping up the endurance training of his shinigami. Several trips to hostile locations within the rocky terrain of District Seven, including the occasional foray around an abandoned and collapsing mine shaft and quarry had become commonplace parts of the curriculum, and, as such places were prone to collapsing floors and ceilings, the reaction time of Seventh Division's shinigami had improved exponentially. True, a few bruises and broken bones had been taken by junior officers in such training rituals, but the worth of that regimen had clearly paid off. All four of her companions, though dusty, had managed to land safely following the explosion of energy - although where they now were was even more of a mystery than it had been before.

"That was not as smooth as I had hoped," She admitted aloud now, "but it did the trick. I guess I won't use any more kidou in here, though, if I can help it. All this dust suggests that the blast seems to have done some damage to the walls and ceiling as we fell - so everyone be on your guard. We don't know how strong this chamber is."

"I think it's pretty substantial, _hime_ ," Hashimori brushed the thick greyish dust from his own uniform, pausing to gaze up at the grey stone wall that loomed up above them. "This is actually a very high chamber, isn't it? The cell was just an illusion - it was a false floor, as you said, concealing something beneath."

"But what exactly is it concealing? What is this place?" Itou wondered. "I can see more of those weird engravings on the walls. Do you think it really is some kind of ancient writing?"

"Unless the Hollows have a language, I don't see what else it could be," Kikyue admitted, and Sanekata let out a shiver.

"You think Hollows come here, _hime_?" he asked anxiously, and Kikyue shrugged.

"I have to admit, it doesn't look much like the kind of place you'd find a Hollow," she admitted. "I am not sure, though. If this is under the Dome, then maybe not. But we can't be sure that if we find a way out, it won't lead us into the Hollow Forest we came through originally. Who knows how long that spell had been in place here. It's possible the point of it was to keep Hollows from getting to the upper levels...we just can't be sure."

"Don't you think it seems convenient, though, that the barrier was so easy to break through?" Taizaki murmured softly. "If it's been here for a long time, then it must have been put here by someone strong."

"It's like Kikyue-hime said," Hashimori reflected. "It was put here to protect something from the inside. Not so much to create something on the outside. Kaisoushu is a spirit, not a person. It disrupted the energy and dispersed it enough for us to break through. Probably, if it's been here a long time, nobody's thought about trying to break through it. It's not as though it was obvious from the start that something was here."

"Nothing is here, though," Itou pointed out. "The room is empty. There may be carvings on the walls, but there's no furniture and no pictures, nothing to suggest anything of value is kept here. Why would you put a barrier over an empty chamber? What would the point of that be? There's nothing here to hide."

"Maybe Kikyue-hime's right. Maybe it was just to keep Hollows out," Taizaki suggested, and Sanekata shivered again

"I hope not," he admitted. "I don't mind fighting Hollows, not as a rule, but there were a lot of them in that Forest, and there aren't many of us."

"And we're no closer to finding Takasugi," Kikyue agreed. "If this is just another, bigger room, then we're...wait a minute," she paused mid-sentence as, beneath the thick layer of dust, her sharp gaze caught sight of something glinting on the ground. "There's something here. I don't know what it is, but the dust almost covered it so I didn't see. Hang on a minute,"

She took a few steps forward, kicking off her sandal and using the toe of her tabi sock to wipe the dust away carefully in the area she had noticed. As she did so, she registered that it was some kind of metal, set into the stone, and, as Hashimori and Taizaki hastened to help her, she realised that it was not an object but a door - a narrow trap door embedded in the stone. The colour of the metal was so similar to that of the ground it would have been easy to miss, but Kikyue had always been sharp of wits, and she got down on her knees, clearing the last of the dust away until the trap door was entirely exposed.

"A way out?" Itou and Sanekata exchanged looks, and Kikyue shrugged.

"There don't seem to be a lot more options available," she admitted. "Whatever this is, though, it's going down. Down is where the Hollows are. If this leads out into the Forest, we might have a fight on our hands before we can get back to the top level and find Takasugi. I also don't know what area of the Forest it might come out into. We don't know where we are...but we can't stay here. Getting this open seems our best option - but we'll need to be on our guard."

"It's been a while since we've had any Hollows to fight. It'll be good practice," Hashimori reflected.

"There were an awful lot of them," Sanekata looked doubtful.

"But we don't have any other option. There's no other way out of here - the walls are solid stone," Taizaki pointed out. "Kikyue-hime's right. It's risky, but we need to take the options we have available to us."

"Can we get it open?" Itou asked, and Kikyue shrugged.

"There's a handle, and I can see hinges, now we've cleared the dust away," she replied. "It might be heavy, but if we all try, I don't see why not. It's probably not been open for a while, so it might be stiff - but I think this is our best chance. We need to take it, because who knows how long we've already been here. Taichou will be worried...or worse, annoyed - if we don't get back and report to him on our findings soon, and personally, I think that Father angry is worse than a whole Forest of feral Hollows."

"Seconded," Taizaki grinned ruefully. "Let's get this thing open."

* * *

 ** _Author's Note_**

 _Hello everybody :) As I guess you've noticed, I've uploaded a few new chapters over this week. Some people are eager to get to the action. I will say only this. Be careful what you wish for - sometimes those things don't turn out well...;)_

 _So this chapter finally brought some clarity to Kikyue's situation. Because who doesn't want to randomly explore Hueco Mundo?_

 _Right now I am juggling a rough draft of my thesis, working out where to move to next year and a bunch of other things. I'm not really writing much at the moment for that reason, so basically while there is stuff planned and written, it will be according to my real life time schedule. That means expect chapters randomly. Reviews are also greatly appreciated. :D_

 _Expect also one more chapter after this to be posted as part of this early summer update, probably quite soon. Of course, it has a cliffhanger, so be prepared._


	38. Knowledge

C **hapter Thirty Seven: Knowledge**

 _Training with the recruits is not my ideal way to spend the afternoon. Especially not after last night._

As he and Kayashima made their way down to the Thirteenth Division drill yard, Kohaku let out a heavy sigh. The anger and disappointment in Juushirou's tone and expression, coupled with the harried and anxious prickles of reiryoku in the Captain's aura that morning had told him that no matter how uneasy he was about the instruction, it would be better not to argue. When a message had come to the mess hall for him and Kayashima to assemble any recruits not occupied with other tasks in the yard that afternoon, he had not made any attempt to demur. The weather that day was warm, the sun breaking through the clouds as though announcing the onset of summer, and in the bright daylight, the horrors of the night before seemed hazy and unreal. But the absence of Enishi's aura from the Division compound, coupled with the injuries that Furuta had taken were clear reminders that, while Thirteenth seemed calm, it was a false calm, edged with an unspoken tension that had spread through every member. The day had passed slowly, as though creeping through every minute as they waited for news, and Kohaku knew that it was the least he could do now, to bow his head and take on the extra responsibility, because the Division needed him to. But despite knowing that, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right.

 _ **They're here.**_

A voice whispered indistinctly against his senses, barely more than a breath of air. It was as though it had never been there at all, but somehow, Kohaku knew it had. Suddenly he felt as though he were being watched, and not by any of his comrades, but by something else, old and powerful. Although the sun was shining warmly over the yard, a chill ran down Kohaku's spine and he shivered, glancing up instinctively. The clouds seemed to writhe and undulate against the blue, taking on the form of a white dragon, and at the sight of it, Kohaku's breath stilled in his throat. He rubbed his eyes, sure that he must have imagined the dragon and when he looked again, all he could see was the clouds themselves, drifting lazily across the heavens. Although common sense told him that there had never been a dragon there at all, the sensation of two piercing eyes boring into his soul would not go away, and he bit his lip, shifting his gaze back to the Thirteenth Division drill yard.

A short distance away, a group of five recruits were gathered around the asauchi racks, each one selecting a sword amid light-hearted and merry banter. Kayashima was with them, giving them an occasional word of advice about a particular blade, and as he heard his friend laugh at something Takahashi had said, Kohaku glanced across towards them, feeling suddenly very separate from their lighthearted mood. Although the Division was still reeling from the aftermath of the events at Eleventh, there was something surreally mundane about the gathering. It was as though nothing had happened at all, although that impression just made the conversation seem more distant and surreal. Running drill with recruits was a punishment, he reminded himself grimly, and while Kayashima was clearly at ease with training the juniors, he was more than a little apprehensive.  
 _  
I'm just on edge. Last night, I wasn't well. Last night, I lost my wits, hurt Kayashima and worse, I let Taichou down because I didn't tell him about Katsura's message. I know I deserve to be punished - but I can't help but feel uneasy about this. Training with the recruits isn't my forte. Kayashima is a natural leader, and makes friends and allies as easily as breathing. I don't have that skill - and after that patrol..._

He glanced up at the sky again uneasily.  
 _  
There isn't a dragon there now. There couldn't have been. But for a moment, I felt like there was. I felt like it was trying to tell me something - but I have no idea what._

"Kohaku-san!" Hiroshi's voice startled him from his reverie and he turned, offering the recruit a sheepish smile as the younger man came to join him, asauchi in hand. "You're still not training with us with your _zanpakutou_? Kayashima-san has his, so I thought...but..."

"This is a drill practice. Even if Kayashima uses his _zanpakutou_ , he won't be releasing it," Kohaku said evenly. "I said it before, I think, but my sword isn't really for training purposes. I don't want to risk any accidents...I'm still getting to grips with some of its skills."  
 _  
And I don't want it out here, near me, when last night I was so close to losing control._

"I see," Hiroshi sighed, glancing at the asauchi that his companion held in his right hand. "I suppose that makes sense. I'm just curious, that's all."

"You don't want to train against Koku's sword, Naniwa," Kayashima came up behind them at that moment, making the edgy Kohaku jump and almost drop his weapon. "Hey! Wake up, dozy! You'll have someone's fingers off if you're not careful!"

"What's wrong with Kohaku-san's sword?" Takahashi joined them, curiosity in his expression. "You had it on patrol the other day, and it looked normal enough to me. I mean, I've heard about Kyouraku-taichou and his two blades, but..." he faltered, as if remembering the conversation on that fateful patrol, and Kohaku sighed, pulling himself together and meeting the recruit's gaze with an even one of his own.

"It's all right," he said frankly. "What was said the other day, it's done with. And it doesn't bother me, if you talk about Kyouraku-taichou. On the contrary, I'd prefer it if that conversation was forgotten."

"Yes, sir," Takahashi looked relieved, inclining his head in acknowledgement of the other's words. "I'm glad. We didn't mean to be rude or anything. Just got carried away. I thought about it a bit and realised that we're still fresh out of school, so sometimes it's easy to forget that we're not students now, but recruits and that's different. It won't happen again."

"Everything about being in a division is learning, for us as well as for you," Kohaku smiled at the sincerity in the other's tones, his anxieties momentarily forgotten. "And as for my sword, it's like I said. I don't have perfect control over its reiryoku all of the time. It's a very proud, determined spirit and...well, it knows what it wants. It takes a lot of my focus sometimes to establish who is boss - and at times like this, it's easier to train without it."

"I think we've all had moments when we've accidentally blown up a hedge or a fence," Katou selected his sword, coming to join the throng. "I don't suppose we really want to be blown up, though, so I guess it's better this way."

"I think so, too," Kayashima said fervently, meeting Kohaku's gaze with a knowing one of his own. "In which case, we should begin. Yatsubashi, Tanemura, are you coming? I know you want to pick the best blade you can, but if you spend the whole time doing that, the sun will set."

"Sorry," Shinobu looked sheepish, grabbing a weapon and hurrying to join the group, Tanemura quickly following suit. "I guess I got a bit bogged down in choosing. I'm a bit of a perfectionist with stuff like this - drill, I mean. I'm fussy about the weight of my blade."

"He used to drive Minabe-sensei crazy," Takahashi looked amused, and Hiroshi laughed, nodding his head.

"She'd fuss and fume about it," he agreed, "but Shinobu always topped her class list, so ultimately, she couldn't do much about it."

"Well, I don't think it's a bad thing, being precise over a weapon," Kayashima looked thoughtful. "So long as you remember that this is real, and not just training. I mean, right now, we're training - but if we were to come under attack..." he slashed his sword experimentally as if to make a point. "There's not time to be fussy about weapons. If you didn't have your sword to hand, you might have to grab something nearby. It might even be your comrade's sword...you never know."

"I hadn't thought of that," Shinobu looked startled, then glanced down at the blade in his hand. "You're right, though. In an emergency, you fight with what you have, right?"

"Right," Kayashima nodded approvingly, and Kohaku's lips thinned as he observed this exchange.  
 _  
Yatsubashi seems different today. Better? I don't know. Maybe I imagined it, what happened on patrol. Maybe something upset him before we left. I thought he didn't like being scolded, but he responded to Kayashima's advice without any issue. I'm overthinking things, as always. Taichou is right. I'm just not used to this, and need more practice._

He sighed, glancing at his companion.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked quizzically. "There are two of us and five recruits, so that's not going to divide up equally. You've led drill before - I haven't. I've only done one to one training, and that's easier, so I'll follow your lead."

"Well, then I suggest we see how quick everyone's reflexes are," Kayashima suggested. "Koku, how confident are you of holding that blade? I mean, are you up to it? Because if you're not..."

He trailed off, and Kohaku frowned.

"I'm fine," he assured his friend. "Why? What have you in mind?"

"Well, we're the seated officers," Kayashima swung his sword again for effect. "So what if the recruits were to come at us, one at a time, and see if they can disarm us? You can use any strategy or skill you've learned from Minabe, or anything else you want to try, but no kidou," he added, glancing at the recruits. "You can take advantage of another's attack to strike, but if you get in each other's way, you forfeit. If you manage to touch one of us on the arm or upper body - and I mean touch, not stab! - that's a point to you. If we touch you with our blades, then it's a point to us. If you disarm us, then its your victory. If we disarm you, you're out of the game. Let's see who can keep the challenge going longest, shall we?"

"Are you sure?" Takahashi looked doubtful. "I mean, I'm not doubting your skill, but if we're all coming at you..."

"It's a test of teamwork," despite himself, Kohaku smiled. "When Kayashima and I were recruits, we did a similar exercise with Fukutaichou and Kirio-san. I remember, now. The idea is to see how well you can work your teamplay to bring your enemy down - in this case, disarm them."

"I see," Hiroshi pursed his lips. "That means it isn't going to be straight-forward, doesn't it? I mean, I haven't seen Kayashima-san spar," he added, "but I've trained with you, Kohaku-san, and you're quick. It's like you know what's coming, before it does - and Kayashima-san is a seat up on you, so I guess neither of you are going to be easy to disarm."

"But that's the challenge," Kayashima said sweetly, flexing his sword arm. "Well? You can have two minutes to discuss it, and then we'll begin. But remember - if you get in each other's way, or we disarm you - you're done. No exceptions. Got it?"

"I had forgotten we did this," as the recruits hurriedly huddled together to discuss a strategy, Kohaku shot his friend a rueful glance. "I'm not sure we're quite the opposition Fukutaichou and Kirio-san were."

"I know," Kayashima looked nostalgic. "I don't think anyone's ever scored a point from Fukutaichou in that kind of game, let alone taken his sword from him, and even working together, we didn't manage to take down Kirio-san either."

"I got disarmed really quickly," Kohaku recalled. "Let's not tell them that, though. I want them to think it's a challenge."

"It was also five years ago. You're better, now," Kayashima assured him.

Kohaku frowned, then,

"Thinking about what happened with Fukutaichou at Eleventh made you think about it, didn't it?" he asked softly, and Kayashima's lips thinned. Slowly he nodded.

"We need to be ready for an attack. Even an attack by our own people, given what happened there," he agreed sadly. "They haven't asked - the recruits, I mean - but I get the feeling they know something's up. I almost wish they would ask - but they haven't. They're pretending like everything is normal, which puts me on edge."

"Me too," Kohaku admitted.

"You're really all right? You are still pale, but Taichou did say..."

"I'm all right," Kohaku said firmly. "I need something to take my mind off things. I didn't want to train with Kyouka Raigen, I think it's better I don't have my sword nearby today, not with the recruits here - but I need to do something normal. Something in this world, that's tangible and real. I'm not used to training recruits, but Taichou's right. I need practice, and it's better that it's the two of us. You're a natural at this teaching thing, but maybe I can follow your lead more easily and learn something from it too."

"Then I guess we better get ready," Kayashima offered him a rueful smile, readying his blade, and Kohaku nodded, doing the same with his asauchi. "All right, recruits! Come at us and try your luck - if you dare!"

Before long, the training exercise was in full swing and, focused on deflecting and diverting the attacks of the eager recruits, Kohaku forgot about his earlier apprehension. Ever since he had been a child, he had found that focusing on something routine and mundane helped him steady his spirit and his thoughts and, although then he had mostly resorted to rereading the same books over and over to establish a familiar and predictable pattern, he found that concentrating on the drill was just as effective at doing the same task. Though he had only trained with Hiroshi so far, Kohaku quickly realised that all of the recruits had a decent standard of sword ability and, as they had come to the squad together, they were also capable of cooperative action. On more than one occasion, one of them would feint or dummy an attack, only to give way to one of the others, and there was no room for distraction if he was to keep hold of both his blade and his pride. Unlike Kayashima, who had six years of Academy education and five years of military service behind him, he had not learned to properly hold a sword in Rukongai, but despite that, he had no intention of allowing one of the juniors to disarm him. Allowing his spirit power loose just enough to perceive the direction or swing of an attack before it landed, he managed to meet and push back every foray into his space, although this only served to heighten the recruits' determination. Tanemura and Katou were the first to be disarmed, then Kayashima had taken Hiroshi's weapon with a whoop of triumph, leaving only Shinobu and Takahashi still in the game. Takahashi was a strong fighter, and managed to brush his blade against Kayashima's sleeve before ultimately being disarmed, leaving Shinobu the last recruit standing. He paused for a moment, gazing between the two seated officers as he struggled to catch his breath, and Kayashima shot him a playful smile.

"Well?" he challenged lightly. "Are you giving up, Yatsubashi?"

"No," Shinobu shook his head, determination glittering in his dark eyes. "I'm just trying to work out a strategy. It's two on one, now, and if I attack one of you, I don't know if the other might attack me and take me by surprise."

"We haven't been fighting that way thus far," Kohaku pointed out, and Shinobu nodded.

"I know," he said seriously, no edge or reserve in his tones, and once more Kohaku felt that the incident on patrol had simply been a one off abberation. "But Kayashima-san said it was real. That in an attack, you might have to do things, or deal with something unexpectedly."

"True enough," Kayashima looked approving, "but if you stand around, we might attack you. Like this,"

And before the recruit could react, the Eleventh Seat had darted forward, bringing his blade across at a difficult angle. With a yelp, Shinobu hopped back, just about managing to swing his weapon up to meet the strike, but it was all he could do to keep his footing. Still he clung on, resolution glittering in his gaze, and Kayashima laughed.

"Your reflexes are not bad," he acknowledged, meeting Kohaku's gaze, and Kohaku nodded, darting in with his own blade. Shinobu cursed, somehow pushing back Kayashima's weapon to meet the fresh attack, but as the two weapons clattered together, Kohaku felt a flicker of energy stir inside of him. Momentarily distracted, he faltered for the briefest of seconds, and Shinobu let out a yell, charging in to exploit the other man's weakness. At the last minute, Kohaku realised the danger, and swept his blade across with more strength than he intended. It cast the asauchi out of Shinobu's grip, sending it careening across the yard with a clatter. Shinobu gazed at his hands in dismay, and Kayashima came forward, resting a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"As you said, you have to be ready for the unexpected," he said pensively. "Koku is the unexpected, in more ways than one. It's not easy to disarm him, not if he's serious. But don't look so dismayed. You did well. You all did," he added, glancing at the other recruits. "Especially with working as a team. It sounds like an easy exercise, when numbers are on your side, but it's as Yatsubashi said. You have to be ready for a surprise attack."

"But we didn't manage to disarm you, and we only managed to snatch a few points," Takahashi reflected. "I guess we've still a lot of work to do to reach the level of seated officers, don't we?"

"It's like Kohaku-san said," Hiroshi said thoughtfully. "Being in a squad is always learning."

Shinobu slowly retrieved his weapon, glancing at it and then shrugging.

"I don't mind," he admitted. "That was fun. Although I didn't expect it, at the end."

He glanced across at Kohaku, then,

"I didn't anticipate that last move at all," he added. "Hiroshi was right. You are quick at reading your opponent."

"I'm not as good a swordsman as Kayashima," Kohaku said slowly. "I don't have as much experience as he does, and there are a lot of gaps in my technique. So I try to play to my strengths. That's all."

He offered a faint smile.

"You are strong with a blade," he added. "The first time I did this exercise, when I was a recruit, I was disarmed very quickly - but you managed to hold on for a long time. If you work hard, I think you'll be able to disarm me quicker than you think."

"I wouldn't count on that," Kayashima interjected, as Shinobu's eyes widened in surprise at this admission. "You can do yourself down all you like, Koku, but you're not that much of a pushover."

"I'd like to spar you again. Properly, some time," Shinobu cast Kohaku a thoughtful glance. "I think it might help me...if you don't mind, of course. I know you've trained a little with with Hiroshi, but it's the first time I've seen you fight. I like a challenge...so I'd like it, if there's time at some point, if you'd spar with me properly and help me develop my skill. I want to be able to fight the unexpected, as Kayashima-san put it, and I think...fighting with you would help me do that."

"If you like," Kohaku was startled. "I don't mind, depending if there's time."

"We should put the blades away," Takahashi decided. "It's our loss, this time, but I don't feel like we wasted any effort. Yatsubashi's right, it was fun. Come on, Tanemura, Katou. Let's go pack up."

"We'll help," Hiroshi offered, and Shinobu nodded, bending to pick up Tanemura's discarded weapon. As the five newcomers gathered once more around the asauchi rack, Kohaku let out a sigh.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kayashima sent him a glance. "And I don't think you have anything to worry about. Maybe you clashed horns with them a bit the other day - but they clearly don't hold a grudge or anything, so you were overthinking it. Yatsubashi seems fine. He wants to spar with you. You need to have more confidence in yourself."

"I guess I do," Kohaku frowned. "He seems fine today, you're right. But...I feel a bit guilty, about that last swing. I didn't mean it quite like that."

"Something bothering you?" Kayashima asked, and Kohaku shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Just...it's probably nothing. Just last night catching up with me a bit, maybe."  
 _  
_ _ **They're here.**_ **  
**  
The words echoed suddenly around his skull, making him jump, and he glanced around him, suddenly certain that those glittering eyes were once more fixed in his direction. His gaze shifted back up to the sky, but all he could see were clouds, drifting lazily across the blue.

"Koku?" Kayashima's voice seemed suddenly far away, as the blue sky twisted and warped, making him feel momentarily dizzy. Where a moment before it had seemed like a normal sunny day, now the clouds began to darken as though fortelling a storm. Droplet by droplet, the rain began to fall, but as the cold liquid splashed against Kohaku's arms and face, he realised that it was not water at all, but blood, pooling at his feet and seeping through the thick fabric of his shihakushou, creating seeping stains on the pristine white of his obi. He drew his breath in sharply, fear flooding his senses. Suddenly the training ground and the merry chatter of the recruits seemed very far away, and even Kayashima, who had been right there with him moments before, seemed to have abandoned him as the blood rain began to fall.

 _ **They're here. Wake up.**_

The voice was deep, resonating against his senses, but he could not see a speaker. Instead a flood of images paralysed his senses - fragmented pictures that made no kind of sense. He saw a man with a sword, long brown hair flowing out in a wavy tail behind his head. There was fighting, and then, the dark yawning hole of a Dangai gate. A young man becoming old in the blink of an eye, a spectral book clutched in his wizened hands. Cherry blossom began to scatter all around them, stained red by the blood rain that continued to fall, and then there was a blast of blinding light from which emerged a sinister silhouette. At length, he saw the dragon, weaving and twisting its spectral form over the figure of a man, lying asleep in a bed, and for a moment he thought he could make out Edogawa Mitsuki at the stranger's side. The dragon flicked its tail, and then plunged deep into the stranger's chest, disappearing from view.  
 _ **  
Harumizu.**_

The word was soft, barely more than a whisper.  
 _ **  
They're here.**_ **Remember** _ **.**_

"Koku?"

Kayashima's voice suddenly broke through the morass of confusing sounds and sensations, and Kohaku started, as if emerging from a stupor. The blood rain that had soaked through his hakamashita and covered his body in red was gone, and the sun still shone overhead, demonstrating that nothing he had seen had been real. He was on the ground, he realised dully, huddled against the stone and hugging his arms around his body as though by doing so he could protect himself from the things he had seen and heard. Kayashima was crouched at his side, concern clear on his features, and Kohaku drew a deep breath into his lungs, struggling to regain some composure. His heart was beating at a rate of knots, he realised, and as he forced himself to calm down, he realised with some dismay that the recruits were also still nearby, all of them staring at him with a mixture of confusion and alarm.

"Kohaku-san?" It was Hiroshi who spoke. "Are you all right?"

"It's getting pretty hot," Takahashi glanced up at the sky. "Maybe he overheated."

"Shall I go get water?" Katou suggested anxiously, and Kayashima nodded, casting the recruit a smile.

"Good plan," he agreed. "Thanks, Katou. I guess you're right, Takahashi. It's a hot day, and we've been fighting hard."

"He looks like he's going to faint," Shinobu murmured, and Kohaku could hear concern in the recruit's tones. "Are you sure that's all it is, Kayashima-san? I mean, we've all been training out here in the sun, but..."

"Koku wasn't well last night," Seeing that Kohaku was still lost for words, Kayashima answered, getting to his feet and holding a hand out to his friend, who took it wordlessly, allowing himself to be pulled carefully to his feet. "Taichou asked us to do this, and nobody wanted to let you guys down, especially not Koku, but I guess he's still not totally on form."

"Kayashima-san, what really did happen last night?" At last the question came, Tanemura fixing Kayashima with a worried expression. "We've tried not to ask...I mean, we're only recruits, and I guess, we don't have any right to know things, but there have been things said. Some of the Onmitsukidou said things about Fukutaichou, and Eleventh," he glanced at Shinobu, who nodded gravely, "and well, everything feels kind of strange."

"Last night it felt like we were under attack," Hiroshi shivered. "But whatever it was, nobody wanted us to see it."

"Thirteenth wasn't attacked last night," Kayashima said matter-of-factly. "But as Tanemura just said, there was an incident at Eleventh. The attack was there. Fukutaichou went there to help and he's still involved with their enquiries."

"One of the Onmitsukidou said that he'd gone mad and killed people," Shinobu murmured, and Kayashima snorted, shaking his head.

"Fukutaichou? Don't be stupid. Do you really think something as minor as a skirmish in a foreign squad barracks is enough to drive a guy like that over the edge?"

"Well...no...but..."

"Well, then," Kayashima cuffed Shinobu lightly around the head, and despite himself, the recruit offered a rueful smile. "I'm pretty sure Fukutaichou didn't kill anyone, and you shouldn't listen to Onmitsukidou. Unless it's Kai-dono, they're best off not trusted, as some of them are nasty pieces of work. They don't mind lying or causing trouble in other divisions just because they think with all their fancy training they're better than the rest of us. They're known for stirring it," he added frankly, "and they like to wind up recruits in particular. I know - I know a couple of folk who went to Second after graduation, and they turned out that way too."

He punched his fist contemplatively into the palm of his other hand, then, "The best thing to do is just don't pay them any attention. They want to get a reaction, and it's not a good idea to start a fight unless you want endless punishment chores handed out your way."

"That sounds a little like the voice of experience, sir," Takahashi observed, and Kayashima sent the recruit a wry smile.

"I'm admitting nothing," he replied evenly. "But I suggest you follow my advice and just try to ignore them if you can. As for the incident, I don't know what we're meant to tell you, if anything, but last night something bad came out of a Senkaimon and launched an assault on Eleventh Division. That's as much detail as I'm going to give you, as Taichou hasn't given us clearance to say anything else - but I don't want you spreading lurid stories because of a few stupid Special Ops with a penchant for causing trouble. The Gate involved is the one by Twelfth, which is near our Division - and what you felt last night was all related to that."

He glanced at Kohaku, who swallowed hard at the mention of the Gate, wetting his lips.

"Koku's super sensitive to reishi changes," he added seriously. "And a lot of foreign reishi came out of the Gate when it opened. Whatever you thought you sensed, he felt it ten times worse than you. It upset him and it made him ill. That's all."

"I'm all right, now," at length Kohaku gathered his composure, grateful for the few extra minutes of time Kayashima's explanation had bought him to bring his thoughts back into some semblance of control. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I brought some water," Katou returned at that moment, holding the gourd out to Kohaku who hesitated, then took it, offering the recruit a sheepish smile.

"Thank you, Katou-kun. I'm sorry. I thought I'd be all right. I was feeling a lot better when we came down here, but maybe sparring like that in the sun was a bit much."

He shrugged, sipping the water gingerly.

"I was really not well last night," he added sadly, "but because Kayashima got stuck looking after me, I wanted to be of use to him and to Taichou in training you all this afternoon. Maybe it was too soon to be running around - you guys are all good with swords, and you kept us both on our toes."

"So basically, you both disarmed us all when one of you was half fit and the other had no sleep?" Tanemura's expression became incredulous, and despite himself, Kayashima laughed.

"Second key lesson of survival and emergency drill," he said simply. "Enemies don't care. There are no excuses when lives are in danger. You have to be able to fight no matter what. And Koku did," he clapped a reassuring hand down on his friend's shoulders. "You should all be glad that he was sub-par, because otherwise you might've been disarmed more quickly."

"Stop it," Kohaku grimaced at his friend, but inwardly he was glad at the light-hearted banter, as little by little the world around him began to feel safe and normal once again. "At this rate you'll raise my sparring reputation to a level I'm not going to be able to live up to - not least since you know full well that you are still much better than me with swords."

"I guess we won't be finding that out today, though," Kayashima pursed his lips. "I'd thought about moving from swords to sticks and doing some technique work, now, but I guess you guys are off the hook. Don't worry about Koku. I'll see to him."

The recruits exchanged looks, but Kayashima's words had been firm, and one by one they bowed their heads, leaving the training yard. Only Hiroshi remained behind, hesitating, and Kayashima cast him a quizzical look.

"Naniwa? Is something wrong?" he asked. Hiroshi frowned, then shook his head.

"No, sir," he said honestly. "I just...I suppose I wondered if you needed any help. I mean...Kohaku-san...you looked like you might pass out, and..."

"I'm all right, Naniwa-kun," Kohaku offered the recruit a faint smile. "It's just catching up with me. I'll go in out of the sun and I'll be fine. We worked hard today. You recruits really pushed the limits."

Hiroshi pursed his lips.

"Ketsui-san told us not to listen to the Onmitsukidou, too, and I'm not," he said slowly, "but they said bad things about you and Taichou as well. I know it's none of my business, and I don't want to be impertinent, but Shinobu and the others said you weren't well coming back from the patrol the other day, either. That patrol went past the Gate, didn't it? The Senkaimon at Twelfth. And I guess I wondered...if whatever it was we sensed last night...whether it was there then, too."

"Koku?" Kayashima sent his friend a look of consternation, and Kohaku sighed, running his fingers through his thick dark hair.

"I wish I knew the answer to that," he admitted. "If I'd known then...but I didn't. You're not wrong, Naniwa-kun. It did make me feel unwell, coming back from the patrol. But just because it did...it doesn't mean I understood what was causing it. I wish I had known what was going to come out of that Gate last night, but I didn't."

"We shouldn't talk about it," Kayashima murmured, and Hiroshi frowned.

"I'm sorry. It isn't my business," he admitted. "And of course you couldn't have known what would happen, I wasn't saying that. It must suck, if you pick up stuff that easily, especially when an attack goes down, but it's not the same thing as being able to see the future. Nobody can do that, and I'm not suggesting what happened was your fault or anything like that. But I guess I wondered...if something like it happened again now, you'd know, wouldn't you? Now this thing at Eleventh happened, you'd recognise it and know if the Gate opened a second time? I mean, if Thirteenth was to be under threat like that..."

"I'd report it to the Captain," Kohaku said grimly. "But I reported what I sensed to Fukutaichou after the patrol, and now the Onmitsukidou are spreading rumours about him and about me, so who knows if it did any good. All I can do is report it, though. I don't sense things on purpose, and mostly I'm useless anyway. But what I sensed from that Gate last night - I don't sense it now. I'm just hot and tired and I pushed myself too far, that's all. Thirteenth isn't about to be attacked by anything...and really, I'm all right. You should go join your fellows - and try not to worry too much. What happened at Eleventh was a one off. There's no reason to assume it will happen anywhere else."

"I suppose I know that," Hiroshi looked sheepish. "I'm sorry. Last night spooked all of us - and none of us really knew what was going on. But I guess you're right. I guess Fukutaichou will sort it all out with the Onmitsukidou and everything will get back to normal - right?"

"The Onmitsukidou are already gone from the yard," Kayashima agreed. "And I can manage Koku now, so you go check the chores board and see what your rota is. Everything here is pretty much as normal, so don't worry. Fukutaichou will be back soon, and then things will settle down."

"I wish I was so sure you were right," as Hiroshi saluted, hurrying off across the cobbles to join his fellows, Kohaku sighed, rubbing his temples. "Thank you for covering for me, and for giving me time to get my head straight. I guess "unwell" is a good euphemism in the circumstances, and you made it sound very normal. I don't suppose Taichou would like it if we started telling them stories about me sleepwalking around the Division causing hallucinations, and as for what really happened last night..."

"If Naniwa knew you could see the future, he'd probably be more freaked out than he already is," Kayashima reflected. "And believe me, you were unwell. We didn't lie, we just didn't tell them that I spent the night chasing you, restraining you and then sitting guard over you to make sure you didn't try to escape again. Besides, you _are_ super sensitive to reishi, so that was true too, and it doesn't hurt if they know that. If anything, it means they're less likely to be curious. Besides, I understand their reaction. They're holding up well, considering, but it's natural to be spooked by what happened, not least when you've been in uniform such a short time. And Taichou hasn't had a chance to give a formal, official version of events yet, so rumours are spreading like crazy. We only know as much as we do because of your visions and what Furuta said, but I imagine there are plenty of others in the Division with questions too. Hopefully by making out it's no big deal, they'll settle and just get on with things. You meant it, didn't you, when you said you didn't expect Thirteenth to be attacked?"

"I did..." Kohaku said slowly, and Kayashima's gaze narrowed.

"But you saw something else just now?" he asked. Kohaku shrugged.

"I wish I knew what it was," he said helplessly. "A voice in my head, telling me, 'they're here'. It wasn't Kyouka's voice. A dragon in the clouds, and then...a whole bunch of images that don't make sense."

"They? Who's they?"

"Not a clue," Kohaku grimaced. "Who knows. Maybe it's just fall-out from last night. The air is still thick with something, and I guess I did push myself. But...I don't know. Even though it didn't make sense, there's something about it that bothers me all the same."

"Which is?" Kayashima looked apprehensive, and Kohaku sighed.

"It was raining," he said simply, touching his fingers to the sleeve of his hakamashita where, moments before, he had felt the cold, wet sensation of the downpour. "Raining blood."

* * *

Katsura dropped out of a cautious shunpo, shifting his slender form into the shadow cast by the leafy branches of one of the broadest trees as he surveyed the area. The sound of birdsong in the boughs above his head gave the impression of a peaceful, tranquil location, far from both the bustle of the local markets and the military clashes of shinigami and Hollow that occasionally erupted around local settlements. There was nobody here - no shinigami standing guard, and no Kuchiki retainer waiting to report any suspicious activity up the chain of command, and the emptiness of the place put Katsura on edge. It was somehow easier to manoeuvre in hiding around visible sentries than it was to evaluate a scene without knowing if anyone was watching him or not.

 _I've taken a risk, now. I used shunpo, to take Jun'ei to his kinsman's home._

Katsura gazed up at the branches, debating whether to scale the tree in order to get a better view of the grove.

I don't know, yet, if that was too big a risk. It will have probably left a trace behind, even if I tried to do it as subtly as possible. I also let someone from the Clans see me, and Homare let him hear my name. I hope I can trust him - it's hard to know. He didn't know who I was, but if he were to put the pieces together, he might feel compelled to break his word.

He sighed, resigned.  
 _  
I took a risk sending a note to Koku, though, already. It's risks all round at the moment. But I believed the boy when he said something dangerous was at the main estate. I don't intend to go near that - doubtless his Kuchiki kinsman will see to it and it's not somewhere I want to go - but I am concerned about the implications of what he said. First the shinigami they found in Fourth District, frozen to the bone, and now this. The shinigami only know about corpses coming through Gates - but I don't think it's just about that. Telling Koku about it was the right thing to do - and warning him about the Gates, as well - though goodness knows how he'll explain to his Captain where the intel came from. It's probable they'll put pieces together and realise it was me - in which case, worrying about leaving spiritual traces right now is probably futile. If there's something dangerous at the Kuchiki manor, the quicker the Kuchiki deal with it the better - but getting Jun'ei to his kinsfolk means they'll be preoccupied with that, and not with me. If there ever was a time to come investigate this place without them watching over me, probably this is it._

He took another glance around, then stepped cautiously out into the grove. In the height of the blooming season, he reflected, it was probably an extremely pretty place to be, although the mud and debris underfoot indicated that it had been a well-trodden area in recent weeks. There were few if any blossoms still lingering around, fading and half-dead relics of a brief and beautiful floral display, and Katsura ruminated on the irony of this as he moved carefully between the trees, keeping close to the edge at all times in case a quick escape was necessary.  
 _  
This is the place that Kuchiki bocchan died. This is where Okaasama killed him, before I was even born._

He looped his fingers absently in his obi as he walked.

 _A place where flowers bloom bright and then decay seems a fitting epitaph for a murdered child. I never did understand why Father wanted to kill him, or what he'd done to deserve it. When I asked Mother, that one time, she snapped at me and told me that I didn't understand anything about Clans or Seireitei. I think it was a sore point, somehow...I don't really know. But I know that because of it, there's the relic of a Gate in this area. A Gate Father basically destroyed through overusing it, and a Gate through which now dead things are forcing themselves into this world. Because of the Gate, I know where this place is, and what happened here...but I find it difficult to envision. The more I ask questions, Father, the less I understand the things you did and what their purpose really was. In the last five years, Hollow attacks have dropped, and Shinigami have worked hard to improve things in Rukongai. I may not trust them, but I can't avoid the obvious conclusion. The shinigami behaved worse when you were provoking them, sending me to cause unnecessary emergencies and destroying people's homes. True, some shinigami didn't stop and help the people they left behind, but now I realise things I didn't know then. Having lived among the people in these villages, however transient that residency, I've understood. I was the one who destroyed their houses. The shinigami didn't always rebuild them, or give them shelter, but if I hadn't destroyed those settlements on Father's orders, they would never have needed the shinigami at all.  
_  
A bittersweet smile touched his lips.  
 _  
Mother murdered a child in this grove, for no reason that I can understand. Father ordered me to make Hollows attack ordinary people, and he made Sakaki and I kill shinigami. He said that I was naive, and one day I'd understand - but I don't. The older I get, and the more I see...the more I feel that the Seireitei Father always talked about really didn't exist. Maybe it did, once. Maybe, when he was a child, it was like that...but if Koku and I, and maybe even Sakaki, if we'd had a chance to decide for ourselves from the start...I don't know. Maybe I wouldn't have caused such trouble. And maybe I wouldn't now feel compelled to atone for things I can't erase. I'm here, putting my life in danger, because I owe the Gotei a debt that I can't repay. And it's not that they want me to repay it, except with my life, and nor is it the case that I want anything from them, except to be left alone...but here I am all the same. I helped a Clansman and I risked my cover being blown because all of this worries me...and maybe it is because Koku is a shinigami now, but I can't pretend that telling him to warn his colleagues about the Dangai was designed to protect the local villagers. The Dangai is space that only shinigami can enter. Sometimes I realise how at odds my actions are with my words, and then I understand all the more that Father's actions made no sense, either._

He bent down to examine some recent prints, clearly made by shinigami sandals in the mud around the grove.  
 _  
Koku was right. Father's death was the only thing that could make this world peaceful. The shinigami aren't heroes, and they're capable of terrible things - but if nobody's provoking them, they aren't villains, either. Father caused the things he said he wanted to prevent. I just wish I'd understood that before he made me kill for him. Then, maybe, I'd have a chance at a proper life too, instead of recklessly deciding to throw myself into the path of some enemy or other because I can't forget the healers in the Spiritless Zone or the sight of Mitsuki-san, trying desperately to save her friend's life in front of me.  
_  
He touched the prints lightly, but the mud had mostly dried, telling him that they had been made a few days prior to his coming. He stood up, rubbing the dirt from his fingertips as he processed this. Kohaku had mentioned a skirmish between shinigami and corpses in this area, he remembered, but although he could pick up threads of reiatsu he did not know here, it was the subtle undertone of something else that gave him greater concern.

 _Jun'ei described it as being like Death was coming. And now I'm here, I feel it too. Death came out of this Gate...even though that should be impossible.  
_  
He ran his fingers speculatively through the air, then,  
 _  
The Gate is broken. Something forced it open - maybe something scientific, as I don't think it would be able to open on its own. Not even with a zanpakutou. It was already wrecked beyond repair when Father last used it, and he only told me about it to warn me that it was an unstable exit on the Gate map he gave me - a dead end I should leave well alone._

He fumbled at his obi, pulling out the small stone that he used to resonate to the network, but, although it shimmered faintly as though registering the presence of an opening in this vicinity, it did not make a connection. Like with the previous Gates that had seen corpse incursions, opening it was no longer possible, and Katsura frowned, returning the stone to its usual hiding place.  
 _  
Koku's account seems accurate. This was where the corpses attacked, at the same time as I was destroying that one outside the border camp and saving his life. Corpses coming out renders a Gate wrecked beyond response - but it has been opened, and by force. The trouble is, there's too many different reiatsu signatures here to know how or by what method. If Death came out of the Gate, somehow, then that's one thing, but I have a bad feeling..._

He touched the air again.  
 _  
I have a bad feeling that what I'm sensing means someone already tried to go in. And they did so before whatever is at the Kuchiki Estate came out. Maybe my warning came too late. Maybe shinigami already tried to go in here - in which case...in which case..._  
 _  
_A prickle of something at the edge of his awareness made him stiffen, tensing and darting back from the Gate entrance as he tried to work out where the sensation was coming from. The next moment, a barrage of kidou flame came barrelling out from a gap in the trees, and he cursed, grabbing a low-hanging branch and pulling himself instinctively up into the bough to avoid the explosion. He had allowed himself to become too engrossed in his investigation, but he was clearly no longer alone and, although he could not currently see his assailant, the potent colour of the red flame and the accuracy with which had been fired told him that whoever it was who had found him, they were well trained.  
 _  
A shinigami of some kind - which is not good, whether they're from the Gotei or from places unknown._

"To think that, after all our searching, this is the place I should find you."

A voice broke the silence of the grove, and as Katsura watched, a tall, slender young man stepped out from behind the same broad tree he had used himself only a short time before. He was robed in the black and white of the Gotei, his dark hair held back from his face by a silver clasp that suggested he was from one of the Clans, but from that distance, it was impossible for Katsura to make out which. His hair was dark, and his eyes, a pale, hazy blue that glittered coldly with anger like pebbles in the bottom of a stream. His right hand was clasped around the hilt of his sword, while his left hand was raised, as though preparing to fire a second spell.

"Aizen Katsura. Well. Returning to the scene of the crime, no doubt. And I would say seeing you was a pleasure, except the only joy will be to finally put an end to you."

The man's tones were cultured and even, but there was a hard edge to them that Katsura didn't like. These were not idle words, he realised. There was killer instinct emanating from the other man's body, and, although he had not yet drawn his sword, that did not mean he was not prepared to do so. Katsura's eyes narrowed, as he debated the chances of escaping through the trees and losing his companion in the undergrowth. It would be a risk, not least because he had been seen, and any use of shunpo would simply leave a spiritual trace for his enemy to follow. A Clan shinigami in uniform probably had a good enough level of shunpo to cut him off, and he had no way of knowing how well his opponent knew the surrounding terrain. Though Katsura was a good navigator, he did not know this area of District Six as well as a native shinigami might. Five years ago, he might have acted on instinct and fled anyway, but time and experience had taught him that sometimes the impulsive choice wasn't necessarily the best one, and he pressed his lips together, gauging his situation more clinically. The stranger appeared to be alone, he realised, making the possibility of him overpowering the other man and escaping a real one - but still he hesitated.  
 _  
I promised Koku I wasn't going to fight shinigami any more. This is a shinigami, and he clearly wants to fight me. I don't want to make my situation worse by showing hostility to the Gotei, not right now when everything is much more serious than just finding me - but I have no intention of being killed here, either._

"Come down from the tree, you coward, and stand before me like a man!" the stranger was clearly getting more annoyed with each passing second, and he drew his weapon from its sheath, waving it in the direction of the tree. "I have no desire to vandalise the Kuchiki forest just to bring down a wretch like you."

"I don't want to fight you. I don't even know who you are," Katsura leapt down from the tree branch, facing his companion stoically as he looked for any sign of weakness in the other's stance. "If you know me, you surely also know that fighting me is a dangerous prospect. You don't seem to have brought any friends - isn't that a bit of a risk?"

"You don't know who I am?" the man was taken aback, then the pale eyes narrowed and Katsura felt a prickle of reiatsu spark from the other's aura. "I see. So the events of five years ago mean nothing to a criminal like you. I am wasting time challenging you in the way of honourable warriors. I thought you once claimed to have Endou blood - but clearly you are just a bastard born stain on the family tree, and thus require pruning away."

"Endou?" Katsura's mind flitted back to the encounter in the courtyard of Seventh Division five years earlier, and then the subsequent flight through the trees that had followed. This wasn't the man who had shot barbs mercilessly through his chest, leaving him to bleed until Mitsuki had come to his aid. Nor was it the young girl, who, with hate in her eyes, had attacked him with the spirit of a kestrel. It was not the silver haired killer of his sister, who he had sought so hard to slay - but, as his recollections came more clearly into focus, he recalled other officers in the compound - other reiatsu traces that had chased him through the trees, before finally being called off from the hunt. His lips thinned, then,

"I don't know who you are," he repeated. "But if I met you five years ago, you know already the range of my spiritual arsenal. I laid you and your fellows out on the cobbles then. Do you think me weaker now?"

The stranger bristled, then,

"I think you should be dead," he hissed, anger glittering in his eyes. "Hajime-dono should have finished you off then. He should have cut your head off and displayed it from the Gate of the Seventh as a warning to your father not to mess with our Clan. But here you are, an insult to the Endou just by your continued existence."

Katsura let out his breath in a heavy sigh.

"I didn't come to fight with you," he tried. "I have no interest in attacking shinigami, or repeating what happened that day. I have nothing to do with that family. It's not in your interests to fight me here, alone. I might kill you this time - is that a risk you want to take?"

"How dare you!" the other man's eyes flashed with pure rage at this, and Katsura saw the blade of the _zanpakutou_ glitter slightly as if the wielder was preparing to release it. "How dare you think that you, a worthless byblow of a traitor without even a weapon to your name could hope to take me down! You may be no weaker than five years ago, but that doesn't mean I and my comrades are no stronger. If you are so powerful, fight me - else surrender and let me kill you."

"There's not a lot in that for me, though," Katsura pointed out reasonably. "I'm not interested in fighting you, especially not if you came from the Endou."

"Then you should not have laid hands on Kikyue-hime," the man retorted stiffly. "You have taken her and are holding her somewhere inside that cursed Dangai and I will speak for you! If it takes every level of torture that my sword possesses, I will pull the truth out of you, word by word if I have to!"

Katsura stared at the other man blankly.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.

"Don't tell me you can't remember Kikyue-hime?" the other's words were thick with sarcasm, and Katsura frowned, shaking his head.

"I remember," he said briefly, the image of the ghostly kestrel flitting across his thoughts. "I remember, but I don't know what you mean. What do you think I have to do with her or any of your people? The Endou are a family I work hard to keep far away from. What would I want with her?"

"Don't lie to me!" incensed, the shinigami lunged forward, swinging his blade at Katsura, who hopped out of the way, ducking to avoid its swing. Despite his hot-tempered words and threats, though, it was clear the attacker was not fighting to kill, at least not yet.  
 _  
He thinks I know something. He wants information. He thinks I've done something - but if I don't know what he's talking about, I'm going to have trouble persuading him otherwise.  
_  
"I'm not lying," he said out loud. "I've not seen Kikyue-hime since that day five years ago when she launched her sword spirit at me and tried to make it claw out my heart."

"You _are_ lying," the man spat back. "We all know it's you...you causing all this trouble, opening Gates, killing peasants, sending the undead roaming around Seireitei! I know you're the reason Ikata and the others are dead, and I know you are the reason Kikyue-hime hasn't come back from the Dangai! Don't try and act innocent! I know you're the one behind it. I'll give you one last chance to tell me where she is and to return her unscathed - or I swear I will torture you limb by limb until you confess your misdeeds!"

"The...Dangai?"

Alarm flooded Katsura's expression, and the other man let out an exclamation of bitter triumph.

"You see? Your expression says it all! You are guilty! Confess, and release Kikyue-hime and my comrades, or else!"

"Kikyue-hime is in the Dangai? In there? Through _this_ Gate?" The threats were becoming more theatrical, but Katsura ignored the man's rising indignation, waving his hand through the area where the Senkaimon had once operated. "Is that what you're saying to me? That the shinigami forced open this Gate and she went in? And you think that's _my_ fault? Are you crazy?"

"If you don't want your head sliced from your body and your tongue cut out into pieces, I suggest you refrain from insulting me," the stranger said coldly. "I am displeased at present, and while I would rather take you alive to my Captain for justice, if you do not oblige me with the information I seek, I may lose my temper."

"It sounds like you already lost your mind," Katsura said bluntly. "If shinigami opened the Gate and went into it, what has that to do with me? I haven't seen your _hime_ or any other shinigami, and I certainly haven't opened the Gate here. It's broken. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. If your kinswoman entered it, that was at her own risk. You're yelling at the wrong person."

"You're still lying," the shinigami was unmoved. "Who else can move around Gates so freely? Why else would you be here, in Ribari-sama's grove, in the exact place where Ikata and Kikyue-hime's patrols entered? What kind of coincidence is that, if you are not involved?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but you can see for yourself," Katsura gestured to the Gate. "See if my reiatsu is on it. Though surely if your shinigami opened it, they'd have already found any traces of my reiatsu, if they were there. I can't open this Gate, I told you. It's dangerous to try, and I never have. So whatever has happened to your _hime_ , it wasn't to do with me. And I might be your enemy in your eyes, but I'm not your scapegoat."

"I am not fooled," the man snapped back. "It's well known that you can conceal your reiatsu. Right now, standing here like this, I cannot detect your presence, but I know you are there."

"But to open a Gate, I'd have to leave traces of spirit power behind," Katsura said sensibly. "And while most of the time you people don't look for me in those places, this Gate has apparently been examined by the Gotei. They're looking for me. Are you saying your scientists are so stupid they'd overlook that?"

" _Bakudou no Yon. Hainawa_."

Before the infuriated shinigami could respond, a trail of goldish light snaked out across the clearing, taking both men completely by surprise. It wound its way between them, looping itself around Katsura's wrists and ankles before he could react and then, with a jerk of energy, it pulled tight, causing him to stumble to his knees with a curse. As he struggled to get his hands free, sparks darting from the tips of his fingers as he summoned his own _reiryoku_ , the stranger spun around, clearly trying to discern the origin of the spell. For that moment, his attention was distracted away from Katsura, but try as he might, the fugitive could not break himself free from the persistent Bakudou. The strange shinigami raised his weapon as if preparing for an unknown attack, but, as a second black and white clad figure emerged from the trees, he lowered his sword, letting out an exclamation.

"Kotetsu?"

 _Kotetsu?_

Katsura's eyes widened, his struggles momentarily abating at the sound of the familiar name. He gazed at the new arrival in consternation, taking in the lean and rangy build of this individual. Waves of reddish hair were tied back from his face and green eyes glittered with a mixture of frustration and determination as he surveyed the scene. Although he had never met this man before, Katsura knew immediately who he was.

 _Kotetsu Tenichi. Daisuke-sama's son. The one who bore his spirit, if not his looks - or so Father used to think. Father believed him our ally, but he doesn't seem particularly friendly right now. I was taken off guard and this spell is firm - and two against one reduces my odds of a viable escape. It seems I haven't learned very much after all - it's never safe to step out in the open on Shinigami land._

"What are you doing, Ohara?" The newcomer brushed the spell dust from his fingers, pausing a foot or two away from where the stranger - who Katsura now knew was called Ohara - stood. "Fukutaichou gave us both orders and you know they came from the Captain. You're in defiance of duty and you're going to get us both into trouble. We're not supposed to be here - and you don't have permission to chase wanted fugitives around the groves of District Six. What if you had released your sword or damaged one of the trees? I don't think even your father could sweet-talk Guren-sama on that subject."

"This is none of your business. I didn't ask you to follow me," Ohara bristled. "And nobody gave you leave to either address me so familiarly, or scold me as though I were not your superior officer."

"I was assigned to keep watch over you," Tenichi was unmoved. "I'm the one on parole, and I can't risk not obeying those orders. Even if it means following you here."

His gaze flitted to the apprehensive Katsura.

"What are you doing? I assumed you'd come here to look for Kikyue-hime, but I didn't realise you were tracking prey."

"You know who this is?" Ohara seemed surprised, and Tenichi's expression became rueful.

"I've never met him before in my life," he admitted frankly. "But you seemed to have forgotten all your stealth training. I could hear you yelling at him. Everyone in the local vicinity probably knows you're here - and who he is. That's why I came to intervene. I thought you might need back-up. You can't release your sword here - you know what would happen if you did. And I didn't suppose you wanted him to escape while I upbraided you for disobeying the Captain's commands, so I used the element of surprise. Apparently _my_ stealth training hasn't dulled any from my absence."

"You have become decidedly more cocky since you left prison," Ohara's expression became sullen, but he sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, I didn't ask you to follow me. You could have reported me. I am not responsible for your being here, as well you know. Moreover, I am not going back. I did come here to try and trace Kikyue-hime's trail, as you surmised - but I found this," he waved his blade at Katsura, "lurking with intent in the area. They say criminals revisit the scene of crime - Kotetsu, you're more expert on that than I, so perhaps you can enlighten me as to its truth."

"If I go back to Thirteenth, I violate my parole," Tenichi said darkly. "So no. Not in my case. That was a low blow, too. You shouldn't be sniping at me. I am trying to keep both of us away from a disciplinary."

"Taichou's orders are that Aizen Katsura is prey," Ohara reflected. "I intended to kill him - but I wanted information from him first. You might have cast the spell, Kotetsu, but he's not your kill. He's mine."

"I don't mind," Tenichi shrugged. "I promised the Captain I'd kill him if it were necessary, but I promised my brother I'd only do it if he were guilty. Taichou would probably prefer us to drag him back to Seventh to be interrogated first...which means he's probably the Captain's kill, not yours or mine. Even if we're breaking bounds by being here, you've found Aizen Katsura and I've restrained him. Now we have to take him back...and you can explain to Fukutaichou why we were even here in the first place."

"I am not intending on going back until I know what happened to Kikyue-hime," Ohara said flatly. "I intend to interrogate the fugitive myself. If he is forthcoming, then perhaps it will not be necessary to submit him to the Captain's justice."

"You're going to overrule the Captain's orders on this?" Tenichi clearly looked worried. "O...Masayuki-dono, please, think about this. This isn't just about breaking bounds any more, but we're talking about a wanted felon - someone Taichou is specifically looking for. If you take matters into your own hands after defying his original orders..."

"I am prepared for that," Ohara said simply. "If you are not, I suggest you leave. Return and report, if you like. I shall not stop you - but I am not returning home without Kikyue-hime, and I will question this ingrate until he tells me where to find her. This is for the Captain's sake too, after all - and I am quite prepared to submit my life if it means bringing my patrol leader back safely."

"I don't suppose she'd want you to get killed recklessly," Tenichi reasoned, and Ohara snorted.

"This is an Endou matter," he retorted. "You may be a member of Seventh, but you are not an Endou and this doesn't concern you. Even that," he gestured at Katsura with his sword again, "has more Endou blood than you do...disgusting as I find it to admit."

"You know, this is starting to sound like a game of which family member is going to slit my throat," Katsura had had enough of listening to the shinigami squabble, and he drew together his spiritual energy, forcing it through his limbs with a burst of Kidou energy that finally broke through the tight threads of Tenichi's spell. "Did you think that was going to hold me indefinitely? I told you already. There's nothing in it for me if I sit quietly while you torture or kill me, and there's nothing in it for you, either, because I haven't a clue where your _hime_ is. I have had nothing to do with her or any of you in five years. If you don't believe me, it's your problem - but I can't tell you something I don't know."

He gazed at Tenichi pensively.

"So you're Kotetsu Tenichi," he added, and the redhead looked startled and a little discomfitted at the sound of his name. "Father talked about you. You, your brother, and your father, too. Koku thought you would be an ally...but I guess not, huh?"

"I'm _Kohaku_ 's ally," Tenichi recovered himself, his hand gripping Reihahen's hilt as though debating whether to draw the weapon. "I was never Keitarou's. He might have been close to my father, and I might remember him visiting our home when I was a small child - but I haven't forgiven him for what he tried to do to me five years ago. If you think you're going to pull the ties of kinship on me, then you can forget it. I'm loyal to my Captain and the Seventh Division. Kohaku is a shinigami, so he's on the same side that I am, but you're a wanted murderer and I owe you nothing at all. If my Captain tells me you're to be killed, then I'll kill you. That's all there is to it, so don't think you can sweet-talk me. Not even if you are Kohaku's brother."

"But your colleague thinks I know where your _hime_ is," Katsura pointed out. "He came here looking for her, isn't that what you said?" He glanced at Ohara. "She went into the Dangai, here, from this wrecked Gate that I can't open. He won't hear reason, but maybe you will. The Gate is too damaged for me to do anything with it. It would take science or skill to let anyone in or out - and I don't have either."

"I'm not really interested in science," Tenichi was matter-of-fact. "As for skill, I don't care if you can open this Gate or not. You can open other Gates, so that's immaterial. Gates connect together. How do we know you didn't take Kikyue-hime? How do we know you didn't manipulate a bunch of corpses to dance into Seireitei and attack people indiscriminately? How do we know you didn't kill Ikata Jintarou and his fellows and send them to attack their Division? How do we know you're not the one we're looking for? Masayuki-dono is right. We know you're a murderer and that you attacked Seventh before. You have everything to gain by hurting the Endou family. Your sister killed Souja-dono. Why should we believe you aren't involved in this?"

"Answer him," Ohara added, light glittering around his fingers as if preparing to fire another spell. "If you flee, we will catch you. There are two of us, and we can trace your shunpo. Ah, but you've realised that, haven't you?"

He smiled coldly.

"Here, so close to the Kuchiki manor, it would be too risky if you were to make a show of yourself. You've already taken a gamble in breaking Kotetsu's spell, because it proves you were here. You can't risk being pursued through the forests like five years ago. Hajime-dono might not be here, but Kotetsu's blade splinters trees and uses them to impale its victims. There are enough trees in District Six to take you down without touching the Kuchiki's sakura, even if this clearing is mostly cherry trees. In proper woodland, you would not survive long - and your father isn't here to patch you together like the last time."

 _They don't know about Mitsuki-san healing me._

Katsura's eyes narrowed as he processed this information.

 _That's interesting. Nor did Koku's friend Kayashima, but Koku clearly knew. I wonder what other things they don't know...and whose influence, exactly, is keeping such things secret. I didn't realise Mitsuki-san was such an influential person - but maybe she is. She is a Kuchiki, I remember that...maybe that connection had more political pull than I realised. I really still don't understand the Clans as well as I might. Unfortunately, though, it's influence I can't call on for help. She made it clear, that last time - she wouldn't protect me again, after that day, and I would have no right to ask it of her anyway._

He glanced at his two companions warily.

 _I don't know if that story about the sword is true or not - but Jun'ei's words at the Coastal Province indicates how seriously Kuchiki take the cherry blossom. That means launching an attack here might be further fuel to the fire hunting me down, and if I destroyed them, Jun'ei would guess and might think twice about keeping his promise to stay quiet. Just, I'm not sure I can slip the pursuit of two trained shinigami with zanpakutou - and if one of them really can manipulate wood, being in an area surrounded by trees is not going to help me. I can't tell them anything about Kikyue-hime, but they clearly don't believe that, either. So at the very least, running away will mean I'll get myself maimed and dragged back to face Hirata-dono. No, an impulsive attack and flight isn't going to work here. I need a better plan. I need to think it out...what would Koku do, if this were him? Koku was always better at strategising, at keeping a cool head and detatching his feelings in a crisis. How would he deal with these people? I still haven't found out all I need to know about the Gate and the shinigami Jun'ei mentioned. It's too soon for me to risk being taken into shinigami custody, as there's nothing I can tell them which might make a difference and stop something really bad from happening. I need to remember how Koku handled difficult negotiations - how he handled Father. Koku was always a better manipulator than I was, back then. How would he persuade these people that there are bigger things at stake than taking me back to Seventh in chains?_

His eyes narrowed, glancing again from Tenichi to Ohara, and then back to Tenichi.

 _Kotetsu Tenichi is Koku's ally, is he? And his resolve is to kill me if I am guilty, not just to kill me on sight, because he promised his brother. He has good reiatsu. Possibly higher than the other man's, even if his rank is lower. If I were to fight him, I'm not sure who would win...but he didn't choose to fight me, although he had the element of surprise. Even if he wanted to spare the Kuchiki trees from his sword, he could have attacked me with stronger kidou, but he bound me instead, so that promise to his brother matters. Without proof of my guilt, he isn't willing to go for the kill. That suggests his brother's opinion is important - his brother is valuable to him, just as mine is to me. Maybe I can appeal to him on a different level. I'm sure that's what Koku would have done - tried to appeal to him by relating to him on a familiar level. Maybe I can use that parallel...at the very least, it's worth a try._

He sighed, sinking back down onto the grass and folding his arms across his chest.

"I can probably still outrun you," he reflected aloud now. "But you're right, I don't really want to try. It would attract attention, and it would waste time. I didn't come here to fight shinigami. You can hate me as much as you like, I don't mind, but I'm not going to let you kill me - not yet, anyway. There's bigger things to deal with right now than your petty squabbles with my Father and my family."

"You call Kikyue-hime's fate a petty squabble? Souja-dono's death a mere inconvenience?" Ohara was angry again now, and Katsura grimaced, holding up his hands.

"I didn't have anything to do with Souja-dono's death. I never met him, and I certainly had no idea my sister was going to kill him," he said quickly. "Even Father didn't give that instruction, and Sakaki already paid for her actions. As for Kikyue-hime, yes, I came and attacked her five years ago. You too - some of you," he amended, glancing at Tenichi. "You weren't there. If your sword truly can splinter trees like that, I'm sure I wouldn't have made it as far into the woods as I did before your colleague struck me down. But then, I was angry. I'd seen my sister murdered. My father wasn't interested in avenging her, and so I did. It was foolish. I don't deny that. But she was my sister, so I won't apologise for it. I may be an enemy and a rebel in your eyes, but I still have a family and I still understand what it means to be an older brother."

"Spare me," Ohara rolled his eyes, but Tenichi frowned.

"I wasn't there, that day," he acknowledged. "I was also making a foolish decision in an attempt to protect my younger brother from harm. But I was wrong and I accepted the consequences. You've fled from yours for five years. It makes it hard to view anything you say with any sense of sincerity."

"Well, that's your problem, not mine," Katsura shrugged. "I'll remind you that my sister is dead, but my brother isn't. If he wants to be a shinigami, then I won't interfere with that. If he considers shinigami friends, I won't attack them. I decided not to fight them, because doing so would hurt him and I don't want that. I'm not a coward, Kotetsu Tenichi. I'm not afraid of being caught or punished, even killed by your people for the crimes I committed. But seeing me put to death would upset Koku. It might even break his trust in your organisation. And you won't understand this, but for the first time in his life, Koku has a place to belong. It might not be a place I understand, and it isn't somewhere I could ever live, but if my brother is happy, then I want to protect that. If I can do that by disappearing, then I will. I am not running from your justice. I am trying to ensure that my brother finally gets a chance to live his life, without constantly being dragged back down by Father's ghost."

"You expect us to believe that?" Ohara arched an eyebrow. "You are wasting time and you are not going to soften our stance. Whatever your reasons, you are a criminal. As Kotetsu says, criminals require punishment."

"Perhaps that's true," Katsura countered, as the seeds of an idea began to formulate in his mind, "but if you kill me, then you're no closer to finding your _hime_. If you take me back to your Captain, how will you get her out of the Dangai?"

"So you do know where she is!" Ohara exclaimed, and Katsura shook his head.

"No," he replied. "I don't. I haven't lied to you about that. I didn't know shinigami had gone into the Dangai. It was foolish, and dangerous, because the tunnels are unstable and I've seen Hollows there of late, too. I don't know what is happening, but it worries me. I've been trying to get to grips with this since I met that corpse in Rukongai, and blasted him apart with my _reiryoku_ \- though unfortunately that made you all eager to find me again. I didn't kill anyone there - I haven't killed anyone since Father died, and I only ever killed on his orders, anyway. I don't really like it, whether you believe me or not. But I know there have been corpses coming out of Gates all over Seireitei. I also know that a Gate that a corpse has come out of can no longer be opened."

"None of this is proving you don't know where Kikyue-hime is." Tenichi pointed out. Katsura nodded.

"I know, but I really don't," he said simply. "When the corpses came out here, I was at the border camp. I came here because I heard about another attack in Sixth, and I wanted to investigate it. On my journey here I heard about strange shinigami appearing in Seireitei - one in Fourth, and now two here, in Sixth. I helped a young boy get to the Coast with a message that these strange shinigami had marched on the Kuchiki main house. There are no Kuchiki here right now, I assume, because they're preoccupied with that. I came here to see if they came from this Gate - and it seems like they did. It seems like these shinigami opened it right up for them to walk on out into Seireitei unnoticed."

"The Dangai is locked down, though. No shinigami can use it," Tenichi objected, and Ohara shot him a sharp look.

"You aren't saying you believe his story, are you, Kotetsu?" he demanded. Tenichi sighed.

"I don't know," he said cautiously, "but I promised Ketsui that I'd kill Katsura only if he was the one behind the deaths in Rukongai and the disappearance of my patrol leader. We know there was a corpse in Rukongai, and there were also people killed by a blade. Katsura couldn't do that, he doesn't have a sword. I didn't really realise that till now, but he doesn't. I can see it, and more, sense it, too. So I think...his version of that incident makes sense. And if he's telling the truth about that..."

"If he doesn't know where Kikyue-hime is, then we should take him back to answer for his other crimes," Ohara observed. Katsura offered a humourless smile.

"I'm not as smart as my father," he said evenly, "but I am smart enough to know that's not a good ending for me, or for my brother, too. He'll be affected by association and that's not my aim. No, I have another idea. I haven't taken escape off the table, yet - but I'm gambling on the fact that, if you destroy the Kuchiki trees, you'll be in a lot of trouble. I've spent enough time in District Six to know the sakura are sacred. No, I think there's a better way to resolve this."

He sat back, extracting the small stone controller from his obi and holding it up to the light. He surveyed the two wary shinigami pensively.

"I was going to go into the Dangai," he admitted. "I didn't know that shinigami had, but I was going to go in anyway. The Gates are on lockdown and your swords can't open them - and even if they could, you can only open the Gates on your network. But I am not bound by any lockdown. I can't open this Gate," he gestured, "but I can open others. Including the Zaimon Gates which link to this one, and may link to wherever your comrade is. Trusting me is risky, I know that. You don't know if it's a trap. But this was made by Father, and it isn't reliant on needing a zanpakutou to operate the Gate. Right now I'm your only chance at getting in there. If your _hime_ is inside the Dangai somewhere, I'm the only person who might be able to get you to her. So instead of making threats about killing me, how about we make a deal instead? I'll help you get inside the Dangai, and you spare me the meeting with your Captain for a little while longer. I'll help you try to find Kikyue-hime - I probably owe that from five years ago - but I'm not going to become an Endou prisoner. It's up to you. Take it or leave it, but remember that this stone," he tossed it up in the air, "is tuned only to me, and if you kill me, it becomes useless."

Ohara and Tenichi exchanged glances, and Katsura could see the mix of emotions that crossed their faces. At length Tenichi shrugged, resignation in his eyes, and Ohara sighed.

"I do not trust you," he said archly, "not even if what you just said is true. But remember, even if we agree to your terms within the Dangai, any subversive behaviour and we will still strike. If you turn out to be involved in this, we will still kill you. And once out of the Dangai and safe, it will not stop us hunting you. Even if you escape this time, we will still find you."

"I can live with that. I have done, more or less, for five years," Katsura said flippantly. "Kotetsu Tenichi? What about you?"

Tenichi was silent for a long while. Then he frowned.

"I don't have a choice," he said reluctantly. "It's probably in breach of my parole, but so is letting Masayuki-dono gallivant off into the Dangai on his own with a wanted felon. Besides, I have a debt to Kikyue-dono too, for keeping faith with me after everything that happened. I don't know if I can trust you, either, Katsura. And as Masayuki-dono said, if you betray us in any way inside there, we will kill you and find our own way out. But we've come this far, and letting you go without at least trying to find Kikyue-dono would be worse. Whatever the consequences turn out to be...I guess we have a deal."

* * *

The Kuchiki manor was eerily quiet when Shirogane and Guren arrived and, as they approached the main gate, Guren reined in his horse, holding up a hand to indicate for Shirogane to do the same. Although the Captain had not said anything, Shirogane understood his uncle's caution. The atmosphere was heavy with the remains of a powerful soporific Kidou spell, and, interlaced within the fragments of unfamiliar energy was something else - something darker. Although it was just a presence on the wind, it was distinctive, and Shirogane knew that he had felt that sensation before. It had lingered around the corpses that day in Ribari's grove, and his eyes narrowed as he processed this.

Guren had quickly dismounted, looping the reins of the horse around the branch of a nearby tree. Shirogane hesitated, then followed suit, his fingers already touching the hilt of Ginkyoujiki as the two men cautiously approached the manor grounds. The main gate hung open, but did not appear to have been damaged, as though the strangers had simply walked in unopposed. As they stepped into the main courtyard, Shirogane could make out the huddled shapes of unconscious figures dotted here and there about the cobbles, each one dressed in the retinue of the family. In the midst of these individuals was another, robed in finer Clan attire, and Guren had immediately hastened to this man's side, the tension in his body language expressing all too clearly his concern.

 _Seiren-dono._

Shirogane's lips thinned, and he cast a cautious glance around the yard to ensure that the unknown visitors were nowhere in the immediate vicinity. The area seemed deserted, however, and only the persistent traces of foreign reiryoku told him that the danger had not abated yet. It was a false calm but, as he darted around the yard, checking each fallen guardsman for a pulse, he realised that all of them had merely been knocked out. A couple bore bruises from their fall onto the stone, but all of them were breathing, and he stood up, casting a glance across to where Guren was kneeling by his brother's still body.

"None of the retainers are dead, sir," he said softly. "Just out cold. Is Seiren-dono...?"

"Unconscious too, but I cannot see that he has been harmed. Put down by Kidou, perhaps, but not with enough intent to kill," Guren got to his feet, dusting his robes down and casting his nephew a faint smile. "Whatever force came here, it seems that they have waited to negotiate at the higher level before taking life."

"To force their way into the Kuchiki manor and behave in a hostile way demonstrates a level of concerning arrogance," Shirogane murmured, and Guren nodded his head.

"It does, but also the ability to decide whether or not to kill," he replied. "Given recent events in Seireitei, I admit I was somewhat afraid of what we might find here. Shirogane, your first aid Kidou is better than mine. I am entrusting Seiren's safety to you."

"Trusting...? But sir..?" Shirogane looked anxious. "Where are you going? It might be dangerous. We don't know what kind of enemy is here, and..."

"I am certain that it's an enemy I need to have words with," Guren's eyes glittered faintly with intent, and he tapped the hilt of Tenkyourei meaningfully. "I would rather you weren't in the fallout, but most importantly, I would rather Seiren avoided it too."

"He seems to have been put to sleep," Shirogane reluctantly came to kneel at his uncle's side, brushing the grey streaked strands of dark hair from the man's brow. "I can stop bleeding and apply basic healing magic, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him that I can fix. It's just magic - it will wear off. I'm not sure I can move him on my own, though, and the other men too - I'm not sure I can wake them up, Guren-sama, so if you're going to bring down parts of the house with Tenkyourei's vibrations, it will be hard to shield everyone from harm."

"I am quite sure that your Bakudou is competent enough to project a barrier strong enough to prevent projectiles from hitting anyone," Guren had begun to draw his weapon from its sheath at his side. "I don't suppose we have time to move anyone, or change the site of the confrontation. I can sense movement from within the manor - can't you? It seems that our unwanted visitors have been exploring our home uninvited, and are now coming out to greet us in person."

Shirogane's eyes narrowed at this, and he raised his head, spreading out his senses to scan the surrounding area. Sure enough, above the morass of separating spell traces and spiritual energy he could detect the shifting reiatsu of two unfamiliar individuals, moving closer to their location. He frowned.

"One of them has the scent of death about them," he murmured. "Like the corpses in Ribari-sama's grove."

"Not quite like them, but close," Guren said grimly. "Those people were dead, but this one, I am fairly sure, is very much alive. They may be hostile or they may not. Keep Seiren safe and do not try to engage them unnecessarily. I will speak with them first. If I have to use my sword, then I will. If it is to be a fight, I will try to move the confrontation elsewhere - but it may not be possible, so be aware."

Shirogane inclined his head sombrely, spreading his hands out to encompass Seiren's still body in a protective barrier spell, before casting two similar spells over the fallen groups of Kuchiki guardsmen.

"Your orders are understood, sir, and I've taken precautions," he said softly. "But I am ready and willing to back you up if need be. This is our home and they should not be here. I suggest we instruct them on the correct way to behave when visiting the Kuchiki."

"Kuchiki Guren-sama, I presume,"

Before Guren could reply, a voice cut across the yard, and Shirogane raised his head, seeing an elderly figure shuffling towards them, hands clasped together in front of him as he approached. In the man's shadow was another individual, his own expression unreadable, and, as Shirogane's gaze darted from one invader to the other, he realised that it was this, younger man whose aura was emitting the dark shreds of energy still potently lingering in the atmosphere. Guren was right, he realised. The sensation was not quite the same as that which had emanated from the decaying corpses, but it was unmistakeably cloying and unpleasant - and Shirogane felt certain that this was the individual whom Shibata had described, then one whose presence had felt like the coming of Death to the Kuchiki manor.

Despite himself, he shivered.

 _Thank goodness Shibata got my son away safely. Whoever that man is, his aura is exactly as Jun'ei told Shibata. Moreover, the way he's dressed...the way they're both dressed...reminds me of the corpses we fought in that grove. These men are not dead, but I begin to think they came from the same place. They came from the Dangai...somehow._

"If you know who I am, you know that I am not disposed to look warmly on people breaking into my estate," Guren was every bit the Clan leader in his response, and although he was robed in haori and shihakushou, his demeanour was that of an indignant Kuchiki whose pride had been attacked.

The old man had paused some feet away from where Guren stood, bowing his head meekly in an apologetic gesture.

"Forgive our presumptiousness and intrusion into your land and property, Guren-sama," he murmured. "We mean you and your people no harm. We come seeking information, and that is all."

"Seeking information from the Kuchiki does not usually result in laying out my men cold on the cobbles of the yard," Guren glanced across at the unconscious figures, then back towards the intruders impassively. "I am not in the habit of granting favours to people who have no respect for the greatest of Seireitei's noble Clans. Not least because of the insult given by your assault on my brother...I take a very dim view of those who attack my family, and I am not a person who most want to displease."

Shirogane felt a ripple of energy go around the courtyard, as if supporting Guren's annoyance, and the old man held up his hands in a gesture of conciliation.

"I am sorry. We come from a violent place and have little experience treating with men of your stature," he said self-effacingly. "We are clearly not gifted with etiquette, and have caused you great offence. In fact, we did not know that man was your brother, and nor did we intend any mischief in his direction. He seems a frail man, in poor health. Unfortunately he was overcome by our reiatsu on our arrival...and I am an old man, not skilled in healing or other like skills."

Shirogane's lips thinned at this, and from the tension in his Captain's body, he felt sure that Guren was not fooled by this claim of innocence either.  
 _  
Seiren-dono was knocked out with kidou. No matter how potent someone's reiatsu, my uncle is a soldier, and not the kind of person to falter easily, not even with his physical frailty. Given all the challenges he has overcome in his life, he headed into danger knowing that these were powerful individuals. No, there are the traces of a spell about his body - and I know Guren-sama knows it too._

"Enough of the pleasantries," Guren had clearly had enough as well, for he drew Tenkyourei from its sheath, tapping the blade tip against the leg of his hakama. "Whatever your reason for coming here, and whoever you are, your entry here is a declaration of war and an invitation for me to release my sword and take your lives. I am not in a good mood at present and," he swept the tip of the sword in the direction of the younger man, who had thus far remained silent, "your companion's reiatsu troubles me. It reminds me of an encounter with undead soldiers in a cherry grove not far from here, and I think it unlikely that was a coincidence."

Reiatsu prickled at the Clan Leader's aura, then,

"That grove is a particular site of memorial for the Kuchiki Clan, and such an incident despoiled it," he added ominously. "If you had anything to do with that incident, then I have yet another insult to add to your name."

"We really don't have a fight to pick with the Kuchiki Clan," the younger man spoke now, inclining his head slightly, and Shirogane frowned, trying to make out this individual's demeanour. In spite of the dark aura hovering around his body, there was no indication of hostile intent, and these two things sat at odds with each other. He slid his gaze back towards the older man, but found it impossible to read what this other stranger intended or what nature of power he had.  
 _  
But I think he's the one who cast the kidou spell. The spell is clean and I'd know, if that death aura was behind it. The old man is the one who laid people out here...but the other one smells of death and reminds me of the corpse attack in the grove. There's something wrong with this picture, but I can't see for the life of me what it is._

"We came for information on how to reach the places known as Districts One and Eight," the young man continued. "We have business with Clansfolk there - and the Kuchiki are known for their extensive archives of information."

"Districts One and Eight?" Guren repeated suspiciously. "And? Do you really think that I would meekly pass on such intel and send you on your way, when you have insulted my family so completely in coming here in this manner? I am not in the habit of tolerating insults against my people, as I told you already. Nor am I in the habit of sending unknown individuals to the lands of my comrades in order that they might cause further disruption there to other families."

"The Kuchiki Clan I remember did not make alliances with other Clans," the old man's eyes glittered slightly at this, and Shirogane was aware of the first glimmer of a potent spiritual reiatsu from the elderly frame. Guren's own reiatsu bubbled up to meet it, and Shirogane frowned, glancing down at the unconscious form of his uncle.  
 _  
I really hope this isn't about to become a battleground. I am not sure if I can protect everyone with my kidou, not if Guren-sama releases Tenkyourei. Even in shikai, the sword is dangerous - but in Bankai, it could kill everyone here, myself included. I hope it isn't going to come to that. Guren-sama seems in control of the situation, but there's something...something in the air, something in that death aura...that I just don't like. It might take that top level of Guren-sama's power to stop them - which means I ought to be looking for a means to evacuate whoever I can at speed if the need arises. Ryuu won't forgive me if I let his father be killed in the fallout of Tenkyourei's sonic boom._

"A man who does not even have the courtesy to introduce himself cannot presume himself to know or understand the ways of the Kuchiki Clan," Guren snapped back, and the old man smiled, a strange, benign kind of smile that nonetheless put Shirogane on edge. He nodded.

"True," he agreed evenly. "I haven't introduced myself, and I agree, it's rude of me. My name is Kunimori...although I don't suppose its a name you know. Young people now have little knowledge of the past, which is a shame. The Kuchiki I knew were powerful, proud and ruthless individuals who would cut down an interloper where he stood in cold blood without asking too many questions. They had no alliances, and certainly no sentimental attachments to runts and weaklings like _that_ ," he gestured in the direction of the unconscious Seiren, and Shirogane could feel Guren's aura ripple with anger at the further insult to his brother. "The Kuchiki I knew would have stifled _that_ at birth, and now, having met you, I realise how much this family must have fallen. You are clearly a powerful man, Guren-sama, and I am sure that sword is deadly when in release. But you have not released it - because you are worried that it's fallout will kill your people here, even as you make threats to hunt us down. It seems your family has become soft over time...a regrettable reality but one which, I think, will work in our favour."

"Kunimori-dono?" the younger man cast the elderly intruder an apprehensive glance, for Kunimori's hands had slipped to his waist, wizened fingers wrapping themselves around the hilt of a sword which, until then, had been concealed from view beneath the heavy robes of his attire. Slowly he drew it from its sheath, and Shirogane felt Guren's aura tense, the reiryoku rising once more to meet the challenge of battle should it be necessary to release. Tenkyourei glittered faintly with light across the blade, and Kunimori laughed.

"I see. So you _are_ willing to fight me? How interesting. You'll fight an old man to defend your runt of a brother, and your young companion - who I grant you, is a handsome Clan specimen, but a pale imitation of you and your antecedents."

This time he met Shirogane's gaze, and it was all the Kuchiki heir could do not to allow his own pride to rise up in choler at this obvious insult to his own ability.

"Shirogane, I have commanded you to take care of Seiren and I will not countenance disobedience," Guren did not even turn around, but from the tightness in his voice, Shirogane knew the older man was only just managing his own temper. "Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Shirogane forced himself to calm down. "You can rely on me."

"Kunimori-dono, you said that you weren't going to hurt the Kuchiki," the younger of the two intruders sounded anxious, and Kunimori shrugged, his eyes now glittering with the intent of a warrior, rather than a senile old man.

"I came for information. So did you. If they will not give it willingly, then there are other ways to extract it," he said simply. "You know that. You and I have come too far to back down because some pampered Clansman is insulted by the truth. You don't have to do anything, if you don't want to. You're as soft as they are - leave it to me, unless you want me to start creating you an army of your own from the small fry littering the cobbles."

At this cryptic threat, the younger man's eyes clouded, and he sighed, stepping back as if accepting his companion's decision. Kunimori's lips twitched faintly with apparent amusement at this, though there was no humour in his dark gaze.

" _Yomasete_ ," he murmured. " _Shodoku no Maki_."

" _Hibike_ ," even as the old man's sword began to ripple and glimmer with ghostly energy, Shirogane heard his Clan Leader's voice penetrate through the courtyard, echoing slightly as Tenkyourei began to resonate to its master's commands. " _Tenkyourei_."

"I see. A sword built on sound waves?" Kunimori looked interested. "A powerful weapon, perhaps, with limitless possibilities - however, in this enclosed environment, can you really use it without causing harm to your kinsfolk?"

"My kin don't require my protection. You, however, require elimination," Guren's words were cold, and they rippled around the yard as Tenkyourei's spiritual energy reached out to absorb the sound into its vibration. "Shirogane, I am entrusting Seiren's life to you. Don't let me down."

"Yes, sir," Shirogane's heart leapt in his throat at the implication of this order, but he knew that now was not the time to argue. Already preparing to grab Seiren into a hasty shunpo out of range of the estate grounds, he almost didn't see the old man raise his sword up before his face, releasing his hold on the hilt with an eerie smile on his features.

" _Hirake_ ," he whispered, and despite himself, Shirogane found himself transfixed by the glow of spectral energy that enveloped the weapon. It grew brighter and brighter, until the whole of the sword appeared to have been swallowed up inside the light, and then, after what seemed like an age, Kunimori spoke again.

"I did try to ask you nicely," he said softly. "Don't resent me for your own foolishness.. _.Kuchiki Guren_."

What happened next, Shirogane was at a loss to understand. A moment before, the Clan Leader had been standing there ready to attack, his weapon released and his reiryoku rippling out around his body in powerful sonic waves. Almost as soon as Kunimori had spoken the syllables of Guren's name, however, that burgeoning reiatsu had flickered and disappeared into nothing. Shirogane's uncle had dropped like a stone to the cobbles, his sword clattering free from his grip and sealing itself harmlessly back into its original form. As Shirogane watched, horror paralysing his body, something eerie and green hovered briefly around Guren's limp form. Where Kunimori had been holding a sword, he now held in his hand what could only be described as a book, translucent and glittering with ghostly energy. The green light swept up into the pages of the book, and from where Shirogane was crouched on the ground, he was sure he could make out words, extending across the pages in columns of emerald ink. It seemed as though the whole courtyard was about to be swallowed up in the green haze, but, as soon as it had come, it was gone, and Kunimori snapped the book shut. When he did so, the volume disintegrated into fragments of spiritual energy and, as Shirogane's heart almost froze in his chest, he saw those fragments begin to pull together into a solid form, building together bit by bit until they once more resembled a blade.

 _That was...his...zanpakutou? But...how? What?_

Shirogane scrambled to his feet, anxiety for Guren overriding his orders to keep Seiren safe. The Clan Leader was pale and still on the stone, faint specks of blood around his lips and his ears, as though something had been forcibly drawn out of them. To all intents and purposes, he looked grey and dead, yet Shirogane could still not reconcile the proud figure of his uncle, Tenkyourei in hand, with his sudden collapse and apparently instantaneous defeat. Guren had not even had a chance to strike a blow, nor release one of Tenkyourei's sonic attacks, while Kunimori's weapon had not touched the other man directly. And yet, there was no shaking the reality that somehow, the old man had brought Guren - this powerful and, as Shirogane had thought, virtually invincible Clan Leader, to grief. Something in the man's sword, in the strange spell and the spectral book had robbed the Sixth Division Captain of his senses and his ability to fight - and, at that moment, Shirogane truly thought it had also robbed him of his life. He could not see any sign of Guren's chest rising and falling with breath, and he scrambled down at the other man's side, panic making him blind to the fact Guren's assailant was still very much on site.

" _Guren-sama!_ "

Guren was not just an uncle or a Captain, but the father figure Shirogane had never really had, and in that instant he was not a shinigami Vice Captain or Clan heir, expected to pick up the pieces and react with composure to beat a tactical retreat. Instead he was just a young man, whose close family member lay helpless on the ground before him. All he could think of was the medical training he had learned from Mitsuki and the Fourth Division so many years earlier, his one concern to somehow do something to help, although right then, his limited knowledge made it seem hopeless. Fearfully he fumbled for a pulse, but before he could ascertain whether or not his uncle was alive, Kunimori was at his side, reaching down a wrinkled hand to grab him by the throat of his shihakushou and throwing him back down onto the cobbles.

"You seem to have forgotten the danger you're in, boy."

Now the old man appeared more of a predator, and despite himself, Shirogane stared up at the interloper, fear momentarily freezing his vocal chords.

"The Kuchiki have really fallen," Kunimori glanced across at Guren, then tut-tutted. "Such a nusiance."

"Kunimori-dono," the younger intruder was reproachful, and Kunimori sighed.

"I told you. You're soft," he said wearily. "And I've expended unnecessary energy because of a peacock prancing around his yard. You forget, Tsuneyoshi-dono, that I can be killed here, even if you can't. That," he gestured to Guren's still form, "has a poweful end game in his sword. I didn't fancy meeting it. I don't take gambles when I don't know all of the possible parameters - and a weapon of that calibre is not one worth facing without the Knowledge to handle it properly."

"What did you do to my uncle?" At last Shirogane managed to speak, reaching towards his waist for his own _zanpakutou_ hilt. "Tell me now! What did you do to Guren-sama?"

"Your uncle?" Kunimori eyed Shirogane pensively, then sighed again. "Really, the Kuchiki are a mess, if you're the best the family can produce."

"I am the heir to this Clan, and you _will_ answer me!" Shirogane was incensed, but Kunimori merely snorted, shaking his head pitifully.

"To think, that runt was his brother, and you're his nephew," he said scathingly. "Worse, his heir. Are you the runt's son? Maybe you are - though I grant, you do not look like him. You are far to fancy and pampered, with that curly hair and fine complexion. To think that the Kuchiki obsession with aesthetic would mean leaving their family heritage to a weakling like you. Your ancestors would be turning in their graves at such poor specimens. I just dropped your Clan Leader to the cobbles with two words, boy - do you think that you can do any better?"

" _Answer my question,_ " Shirogane demanded, and Kunimori tut-tutted, his sword once more beginning to hum with energy.

"Kunimori-dono!" the other man, whose name was clearly Tsuneyoshi, protested, reaching out a hand to try to stop the older man from releasing a second time, but Kunimori pushed him away, fixing his gaze on the shaken and angry Shirogane.

"It's not my fault if they keep wanting to fight me," he said matter-of-factly. "They had the option to tell me what I wanted to know."

"You already took the Clan Leader's Knowledge, didn't you? We have no reason to stay here!" Tsuneyoshi objected, and Kunimori grimaced.

"If it were so simple as that, we'd be gone by now," he said bitterly. "However soft the Kuchiki have become, though, and however weak their progeny, that one," he gestured to Guren again, "is pureblooded and, damn him, strong. It's not a Royal Sword, but I'd wager it's the child of one, and maybe even trained by one. That makes it more resilient to my persuasion than most of the fodder weaponry held by ordinary shinigami. I can only take so much from him - not enough to tell me all the things I want to know about this reality we've found ourselves in. And, now we've come this far, I need a little insurance. Since this one wants so much to fight me," he turned to smile at Shirogane, a smile that sent ice chills down the young Vice Captain's spine, "there's no reason to not oblige. That runt Seiren may be insulted by his life being spared, but it's rude to deny a soldier a battle, even when he's hopelessly outmatched."

His lips twisted into a mocking grimace.

" _Hirake_ ," he whispered, and the sword began to glimmer once more with eerie light, dancing and flickering towards his chosen prey. "If you want to fight, then you can give me the Knowledge I seek instead... _Kuchiki Shirogane_."


	39. Void

**Chapter 38: Void**

It felt as though they had been walking along the same endless tunnel forever.

Kikyue let out her breath in a rush, running her fingers idly along the cold stone walls of the corridor as if searching for some clue as to where they were and whether they had even made any progress at all. For all she knew, she reasoned to herself bleakly, this might have been some kind of a trap, designed to send unsuspecting visitors round in circles for all eternity, and yet, with the room behind them now little more than a memory, they had no choice but to continue going on.

The trapdoor had been stiff and, on opening it, a huge cloud of dust had filled the room, causing them all to cough and choke. It had clearly not been opened for a long time, but, on examining what lay below, Kikyue had been able to make out a set of steps that led down into apparent blackness. They were old, but sturdy, as though they had been crudely fashioned but little used since their creation. It had been easy enough for them all to descend, one by one, but, as they had explored the gloomy space in which they now found themselves, the trapdoor above them had juddered and fallen shut, removing the last vestiges of light from their surroundings. Kikyue had been hesitant to light a kidou flame, aware that they had no real knowledge of their surroundings but, in the circumstances, she had seen no other choice. Consequently, she had charged Hashimori to take the head of the procession, as of her companions, he ranked the highest and had the best control of spells, while she would bring up the rear in case of any kind of surprise attack. The dim glow of blue flame made the tunnel even more eerie, and it had definitely narrowed as they had walked, but it had funnelled them in one direction, and so they had seen nothing for it but to travel the way it led. At first they had talked, comforted by the sound of each other's voices even in the echoey darkness, but as the trek had gone on, one by one they had fallen silent, each of them doubtlessly considering the same situation, yet not wanting to voice their worries aloud in case of affecting the morale of their companions.

"Kikyue-hime!"

At length Hashimori's voice broke the steady sound of footsteps on dusty stone, and Kikyue was aware that the group had halted, stepping out into a slightly wider area of stone. Here the path divided, and clearly unsure about what to do, Hashimori had waited, allowing his leader to catch them up.

"Which way do we go?" he asked, as Kikyue gazed at the two tunnel openings, chewing down hard on her lip. Choosing the wrong pathway could be a deadly mistake, she knew that, and yet, to divide her forces to scout out both paths would be foolhardy when they were so small in number and trapped in an unknown space. This was no longer like the survival missions in the mines beneath District Seven, for Kikyue realised she understood the properties and conditions in her own world, but this was something completely different. This was not Seireitei. It was not Rukongai. It was not even the Real World. It was a place in which Hollows made nests and floors of sand could hover above a forest of crystal. It was a place that made no sense, and yet somehow, they had to make sense of it if they were ever going to get out.

"How far do you suppose we've come?" Taizaki wondered, and Kikyue frowned.

"It's hard to say," she admitted, moving to peer into the first of the tunnel exits, and then stepping across to examine the second. "It felt like a long time, but I'm not sure how time passes here. If it even passes at all. If we've been here days, weeks, months - I can't tell."

"The weirdest thing is that there's nothing here. No resources. No food. Nothing," Itou reflected. "But I'm not in the least hungry or thirsty. Is anyone else?"

"Come to think of it, no," Sanekata frowned. "We talked about it, earlier - what someone might eat here. But I'm not hungry or thirsty. Why would that be?"

"Maybe you don't need to eat or drink here," Hashimori suggested. "The air is really very pure, and it's felt purer, the deeper we've gone. Have you all not noticed it? Even though we're underground, it's not hard to breathe and we seem to have been walking for a long time, but I don't feel even slightly out of breath or tired from doing so. It's like my body's somehow absorbing from the atmosphere...if that makes any sense."

"I wish we had an Urahara here to explain whether it did or not," Kikyue clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Though maybe you're right. I mean, those shinigami were here a long time, if we're right about their origins. But they managed to live here when there's nothing here at all. We've been here and we've clearly used reiryoku - but like Hashimori, I don't feel particularly tired from being down here. In Seireitei, the atmosphere is fairly pure, too - but it's also cluttered and full of things our society have created. Maybe also things like Sekkiseki, and even Plus Souls, taking away from that purity. But here, there's nothing. Just...well...nothing."

"There are Hollows here," Sanekata pointed out forbodingly, and Kikyue nodded.

"Yes. In the lower levels," she agreed. "Down there, it didn't feel like this. This may be under the Dome or it may be not - I don't know. But there wasn't purity in the forest. However, on the upper level..."

"Are you saying the Hollows can't go there because of the purity?" Taizaki's eyes widened, and Kikyue shrugged.

"It's possible. I mean, you'd have to have a good level of spirit power to exist there," she agreed. "Like Plus Souls without reiryoku can't survive easily in Seireitei - I guess a weak Hollow couldn't deal with that level of spiritual purity either. They're tainted beings. Probably they'd just be purified on entering."

"Pity it doesn't work on rogue shinigami from several milennia ago," Itou murmured, and Kikyue smiled wryly.

"True enough," she agreed. "But something must be making it pure. And Hashimori is right. Down here it feels even more strong than it did before. These tunnels look mostly the same to me, but they don't quite feel the same. This one looks clearer, in terms of the floor and everything, but that one..." she pointed to the second, " _feels_ clearer. I didn't know how to explain it, really, till Hashimori mentioned the atmosphere - but I think that's what it is."

She drew her sword from her sheath, hesitating a moment to rein in her spirit power to the ultimate level of control, then,

" _Mezame, Kaisoushu_ ," she whispered, and with a whoosh of spiritual energy, the kestrel once more took form above her head. It's projection was less firm than it had been in the previous chamber, but the bird still flapped its wings, circling a couple of times around Kikyue, waiting for instruction. Kikyue gazed at it for a moment, then gestured towards the second tunnel.

"Can you scout out there for us?" she asked softly. The ghostly bird spread its wings, opening its beak with a silent cry as it obediently tried to push forward to answer Kikyue's command. As it approached the second tunnel, however, the feathers at the edge of its wings began to fragment into glittering particles of light, and with a jolt it drew back, letting out another screech.

"No good, huh?" Hashimori frowned, and Kikyue's eyes narrowed.

"Return, Kaisoushu," she murmured, and the bird bowed its head to her, obediently plunging down into the blade once more. Sealing her weapon, she returned it to her waist with a sigh.

 _I'm sorry, Kaisoushu. I'm afraid I used you as a guinea pig. Please don't be mad at me later, but I needed to know._

Out loud she said,

"That's the path we take. Kaisoushu can't enter it easily, so that's definitely where we need to go."

"Erm, _hime_ , please don't take this as criticism or insubordination," Taizaki said slowly. "But if Kaisoushu can't go in there, is it safe for us to do so?"

"We're going to find out," Kikyue said evenly. "What it means, Taizaki, is that spiritual entities like shikigami can't penetrate the purity of the atmosphere. Kaisoushu was already weaker down here - when I released her, she was already more ghostly than she usually is. What we were saying about Hollows made me think of it. Probably they can't come here, either. If we assume all those barriers and such were designed to keep them out - then this must be the path we take. But it might be rough going - and I don't guarantee kidou flames are going to work, either."

She smiled ruefully.

"Everything here is contrary," she added. "But if we're getting closer to the core of whatever it is, we're more likely to be able to find a way out. And yes, we don't know what might lie ahead, but it's better than encountering Tokitori-dono or Kunimori-dono again. While we still don't know if they are hostile, locking us in is not a great sign and they managed it far too easily for me to be confident that even with these numbers, we could beat either one of them. So I vote we take our chances going deeper. If nothing else, it will make a more interesting report to give to Father when we get back."

"Are you sure, hime?" Hashimori looked hesitant, and Kikyue nodded.

"I'll lead, if you like," she replied. "But it strikes me that the density of spiritual energy in Senkaimon tunnels and the Dangai to the Real World isn't totally different from this. This is pure and that is definitely not pure, but the intensity of it is the same. There are rules for that reason about who can open it, who can use it, and what is safe to use within it. There's reason for rank limits and restrictions going to the Real World, as it requires much higher spiritual control than just travelling within Seireitei. Everyone here has a zanpakutou, though, and nobody is lower than Fourteenth Seat,"  
She offered Sanekata a smile. "The official final cut off for Real World transit is Fifteenth seat, even if some, like Taichou, prefer to limit it further. Fifteenth seat and up are safe to enter Real World Dangai Gates, therefore I'm working on the premise that if we can go through those, we can go through here. But I would never go into one of those gates with Kaisoushu released - she just wouldn't stand it."

"I suppose that makes sense," Hashimori put a tentative hand into the tunnel, then nodded. "I think you're right. I'm sorry, Hime. I'll lead, just as before. It does feel a bit like a Real World Gate, now you mention it - except that its impossibly pure by comparison. But you're right. This is about spiritual control, and Taichou wouldn't rank us at all if we didn't all have that."

"It might be dark," Kikyue warned. "We'll have to feel our way, as I don't think there's a point using Kidou. If Dangai gates can react to spells, maybe this atmosphere can too. Chances are we'd struggle to control it, and it might put us in danger. So no spells...rely on your other senses, and let's go on."

"Yes, ma'am!" With one voice the officers answered her command, Hashimori leading the way into the tunnels. As the last man, Sanekata, disappeared into the gloom, Kikyue sighed, resting her hand lightly on the hilt of her sword.

 _I hope I'm right. Whatever else, I've learned that, in this atmosphere, you're not going to be able to do anything much in my defence. That means relying on the others - if they have better luck. You rely so much on control and spiritual projection that I'm not surprised this pure air doesn't suit you - so I won't be releasing you again. I don't know if it might have permanent effects on you if you were to be purified...so I suppose I'll have to hope it's easier to manage Kidou spells than I think it will be, if the need arises._

The tunnel, though narrow and dark, appeared to have been cut smoothly out of whatever stone surrounded them on all sides, and, as they progressed through it, Kikyue let out a breath of relief that, in spite of the increasing purity, it did not seem as though anything was impeding their movement. If anything, she decided, feeling her way cautiously along, step by step, each breath gave her fresh energy, making the long trek seem ever more easy to manage. It was impossible to know how long they had been walking but, at length, glimmers of light filtered out from the tunnel ahead, and Hashimori's exclamation told Kikyue that they had reached another chamber of some kind.

But unlike the previous chamber, this one was not empty.

And unlike the previous chamber, this one was not decorated across the walls with text in an unfamiliar, outdated script. This chapter, instead, was devoid of any decoration, except for one. The large, unmistakeable black swipes of the kanji for "void", burned into the wall with what appeared to have been some significant level of spiritual power. Perhaps it had even been done by a blade, Kikyue thought, her breath momentarily taken away by the boldness of the strokes, for it looked as though some magical implement had stolen away the stone itself, leaving these marks gouged deep into the bedrock.

In the centre of the chamber, encased by tall walls of more of the same stone was something long and rectangular in shape. It too bore no markings, nor any indication of what it might contain, but, as she drew closer to it, Kikyue was suddenly aware of an oppressive sense of spiritual energy, dormant and unmoving, even dead - and yet potent and real all the same. She faltered, holding up her hands to stop any of her companions drawing any closer.

"What the hell is that thing?" Itou whispered, and Kikyue shook her head.

"Whatever the barrier was hiding," she said softly. "And it's nothing to do with us. Whatever it is, we didn't come here to examine or disturb it. We came here looking for a way out. And there doesn't seem to be one."

"End of the road, huh?" Taizaki frowned, gazing around him. "If there's no way out, do we go back the way we came? It might take some energy to get that trapdoor open, though right now I feel like I could probably do it. That walk was refreshing - I guess the air here is pure."

"It's unnaturally pure," Hashimori glanced at the stone structure, and Kikyue could tell that, like her, he had discerned the aura surrounding it. "It's coming from that, isn't it? Whatever that thing is, it's some kind of air purifier. It's the reason the air's like it is down here."

"I think so too," Kikyue admitted. "And I think we should keep away from it. Taizaki's probably right. If we can't get out from here, then we should go back. We'll have to find a different route out of here - because this one is a dead end."

"Kikyue-hime, there's a sword here! Look! It looks super old!" Before anyone else could respond, Sanekata let out a cry of excitement from where he had been examining the carved 'void' character on the stone wall. "Look! The top slash of the character isn't just a stroke in the wall. There's a sword inside it - in a black scabbard!"

"He's right," Itou hurried to join his companion, gazing up at the wall in surprise. "Hime, there is a sword here. It looks like a zanpakutou. Do you think that's what it is?"

"I think we shouldn't be touching anything, let alone poking our noses in here any further," As Kikyue's gaze rested on the sword, she suddenly felt deeply uneasy, and she quickly glanced away.

" _Hime_?" Hashimori shot Kikyue a concerned look, and Kikyue shook her head.

"Don't you feel it?" She whispered. "That sword. Whatever it is...it's enough to suck your soul right out of you."

"But it's sheathed and there's nobody here to wield it," Sanekata looked confused. "It's weird to see a shinigami sword here, but we know there are shinigami here, right? Maybe this belongs to one of the others."

"In which case, us being here is a bad idea, since we don't know when they might come back for it and the way out of here is also their way in," Hashimori's brows knitted together and he reached forward, grabbing both Itou and Sanekata and giving them a tug back away from the wall. "It's not ours and Kikyue-hime gave us an order. We're going back. If you don't want to be disciplined for insubordination, then stop hanging around staring at that thing and let's go."

Almost before Hashimori had finished speaking, there was a rumble loud enough to sound like thunder. As though an earthquake had suddenly hit the peaceful serenity of the chamber, the walls and floor began to shake, hairline cracks appearing in both the wall and the floor. Although it seemed as though an age had passed, it was really only a matter of seconds, as the cracks in the wall grew greater, creating yawning gaps across the smooth stone floor. Though Kikyue knew that retreat was the only option, she soon realised that it would be impossible, as the tremors had already opened up a wide gap between them and the entrance through which they had reached the chamber and, as she stared on with horror, a lump of stone from the wall fell heavily across the opening, blocking it completely. For a moment Kikyue debated using Kidou to try and blast a way through, certain that they would be able to shunpo across to safety, but though she tried to summon her reiryoku, the faintest prickling of a spell at her fingers and she suddenly felt weak, as though somehow, in this chamber alone, her spirit power had abandoned her.

She gazed back at the sword on the wall, her eyes widening in dismay as she realised that the eerie aura around it had not been her imagination.

We came in here, and it was light, but we didn't even stop to think why it was light when the tunnel was dark. And yet...it was. There was light in here, and that's the reason. The light is coming from the sword, and yet it's not like that at all. It's as though the sword has sucked out the darkness from the room instead.

She swallowed hard.  
 _  
A sword in a black sheath lighting up an empty room by swallowing the darkness. It doesn't make any sense. Nothing at all is here. Nothing, but that sword. But we're here. And...what if...  
_  
"Hime, get down!" Hashimori's yell alerted her to the danger of falling masonry, and she dove for the cover of the stone structure in the centre, aware that Hashimori had dropped down beside her. Spatters of blood told her he had been hit, but he made no complaint, and, as she cast him a sidelong glance, she realised that he too was focused on the sword on the wall, rather than on the nature of his injury. Itou and Taizaki had also sought shelter around the stone structure, but to Kikyue's horror, Sanekata was still standing there, frozen to the spot, either by fear or by the mesmerising power of the sword that hung above him.

" _Sanekata_!" She screamed. " _This is an order! GET DOWN_!"

As though at the last minute the words had penetrated through Sanekata's consciousness, he turned, gazing at her with hazy, unfocused eyes, but, before he could do anything, the sword on the wall suddenly flared with light so bright that, for a moment, everything was a painful white. Even the sound of falling stone and rubble was bleached out by the intensity of its flare. Kikyue felt Hashimori's hand on her arm, as though reassuring himself that he was still in range to protect her if the need arose. Then, with a final judder, everything was once more still and silent.

For what seemed like eternity, nobody moved. Then, very slowly, Kikyue opened her eyes. When had she closed them? She could not remember, but as she gazed around her, she realised that the room that had been so perfectly empty and polished was now a scene of utter devastation. The stone structure behind which they had taken cover also lay in ruins, split down the side with the top more than half removed. The character for 'void' that had been so neatly engraved on the wall still hung eerily over them, as though immune to all the damage around it. The sword, which had hung so silently on the wall, was nowhere to be seen, and, as Kikyue gathered her wits, nor was Sanekata.

"Sanekata!" Itou was already on his feet, looking around him for his junior. "Taizaki? Hime! Hashimori-san? Is everyone all right?"

"Hashimori's hurt," Kikyue remembered belatedly that she was in charge, and she got hurriedly to her feet, scrambling together the fragments of her composure as she did so. "I'm all right, though."

"I'm fine, hime," Hashimori pulled himself up beside her with a grimace. "It's just scratches. No breaks. I'm all right. I'm sorry. I meant to be more useful, but I apologise for grabbing hold of you."

"It's all right. I think all is excused in the circumstances," Kikyue said grimly. "Taizaki? Sanekata? Where are you?"

"I'm here, hime," Taizaki slowly pulled himself out from a pile of rubble, dusting himself down with a grimace. "I'm fine, I think. What the hell was that? An earthquake? The Real World has those - does this place too?"

"Seems to be contrary to everything we've seen," Hashimori frowned. "What about Sanekata?"

"He's not here, sir," Itou's voice was trembling, and Kikyue cast him a glance, seeing that the other officer had gone pale. "He's not, sir, but look. The sword. Sir. Look."

He raised a trembling finger, and Kikyue too followed the line of his gesture, her eyes widening as she took in what it was that had made the young man so unsettled.

Where the block of stone had stood in the centre of the chamber, Kikyue now saw that it was not just stone at all, but in fact an ancient sarcophagus. Through the dust and smoke, it was clear that, inside, some kind of strange, clear, cocoon-like structure lay a body, and at first glance Kikyue thought that it must be the final resting place of one of the other shinigami, cast into the Dangai centuries earlier. As she looked more closely, however, she realised that the corpse that lay within the cocoon, though barely visible through the thick layers of what could only be spiritual energy, had not decayed in the slightest. More, from within the wraps of the coffin, a thin, pale hand now protruded, its fingers wrapped tightly around what was unmistakeably the sheath of the sword that Sanekata had been so transfixed by moments before. As the horrified shinigami watched, the hand tightened its grip around the hilt of the sheathed weapon, then, very slowly, it drew itself back within the cocoon of spiritual energy, taking the blade in with it.

For several moments the four surviving members of the Endou party sat in horrified silence. Then, at length, Taizaki spoke, his voice still shaking with shock.

"It ate him. Didn't it?" he asked softly. "Sanekata. Somehow. That sword. It...ate him."

"How can a sword eat someone?" Itou demanded, but Kikyue could hear the doubt and fear in his own words.

"More importantly right now is whether or not that is a threat to the rest of us," Hashimori gestured to the half-destroyed coffin. "Something is in there, and we all just saw it. We can't pretend we didn't. It's not a corpse. It moved."

"It grabbed the sword and drew it inside," Kikyue murmured. "Taizaki, I don't know if it ate Sanekata or what happened. But the fact is, he isn't here. If he is alive, we need to find him. But more importantly, we need to find a way out of here. This chamber is dangerous. That's why it was sealed. Whatever is here...we don't need to see any more of it. I'd rather face the Hollows. We need to get out."

"How do we do that?" Itou demanded. "Hime, the door is blocked!"

"It is," Hashimori agreed, "that one, anyway. But not this. Look."

He kicked aside a piece of stone, and Kikyue's eyes widened as she realised that what she had first thought to be simply quake damage had actually opened up into a staircase, winding downwards towards an old wooden door.

"Another hidden chamber?" she whispered, and Hashimori shrugged.

"I vote we try it. We've had enough of this one, and we've lost a man," he said categorically. "Sanekata's not here, hime. He's not missing, he's gone. I don't think the sword ate him. I think it reacted to him, and that triggered the quake somehow. I don't know how or why, but before it decides to choose one of us next, let's go down. Whatever created the door down here, it wasn't magic. Whatever's on the other side, I vote we risk it. We can't stay here."

"Agreed," Kikyue sighed, but nodded her head. "Taizaki. Itou. Pull yourselves together and we're going. We're Endou, remember? We don't scare easily and we deal with death. We'll get out of here and we'll report to Sanekata's family he died with courage on a brave mission. But if we don't leave, then we'll die too, and there's nobody to take that report. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," though their voices still shook, Kikyue was relieved to hear both officers respond, and she cast Hashimori a glance.

"This time, I'll lead," she said frankly. "Let's go."

* * *

An emergency at the main estate.

Keiichi made his way slowly through the halls of Kinnya's expansive Kuchiki manor, his wrinkled features creased further in thought as he considered the report that Jun'ei had given before his master. It had been Keiichi's first meeting with Shirogane's eldest son, a boy of not quite fifteen, and although he had given the news with a level of composure that indicated the strong and proud spirit he may one day grow into, it had been palpably clear how shaken the child had been by his experiences. There was evidence of tears on his lashes, and the injured leg told the story of a horse that had thrown him in the forest and the bolted. Keiichi had sent word to the stable and had soon received a report that a horse, minus rider, had indeed arrived at the rear of the estate - and when he had heard the identity of the horse, and how terrified and exhausted the animal had been, he had known that Jun'ei's account had not been exaggerated.

And yet, the youngster was still concealing something, and it made Keiichi uneasy.

Kinnya had listened to Jun'ei's report in virtual silence, his demeanour apparently calm but Keiichi had known the old man long enough to realise how worried his master had been by such an unexpected account. He had asked few questions, simply confirming odd details about the presence Jun'ei had felt at the Kuchiki manor, and what Seiren and Shibata had said to him in the moments before he had left. Then, he had got to his feet, taking his cane in his hand with a sigh.

"It seems that I have a family obligation," he had said, casting Keiichi a troubled glance. "It may be that Guren is able to manage it on his own, but I won't take the chance. What Jun'ei describes is unusual, and he has asked me for help. I cannot refuse that help...but if I leave here, will you be safe in my absence?"

"Nobody will invade this manor, Kinnya-sama, even if it takes us down to a man to ensure it," Keiichi's response had come without hesitation. "Jun'ei-sama said that they targeted the Archive, and there is no such resource here for them to locate, even if they knew of your manor's location. I doubt there will be risk here, but you can rely on me. I will summon healers to see to Jun'ei-sama's injured leg, too."

"I'll cast a spell when I leave, a barrier spell, to make sure," Kinnya hovered his hand over the cane, and Jun'ei's eyes had widened at the sight of the old sword emerging from beneath the wood. "Don't worry, my boy. I will go to the main house and see where I may be of use to my kinsfolk. You have done your best and you have done well. You should rest, now. Your father will worry about you if you put yourself in further danger when you are injured."

He patted Jun'ei on the head, then glanced at Keiichi.

"Any further information that Jun'ei or the young girl think we should know, take note of it," he instructed. "I feel that there is probably more that will come to light when everything is calmer, but for now, my priority must be the safety of my family."

With that he was gone, in a whoosh of the spiritual magic that Keiichi had never been able to sense, but had understood by his long years at Kinnya's side to be of a significant level. He had been left alone with the young boy, who, now the immediate tension was off, had started to tremble with the impact of everything that had happened. Keiichi had quickly gone to send messages to summon a healer to treat Jun'ei's injuries, for he knew he had a duty to Shirogane's son to ensure that the future heir of the Kuchiki was safe and his wounds tended. Although he had done that as a matter of urgency, it was the young girl that Jun'ei had brought with him - the child that had sat silent through the whole conversation - that had troubled him the most. The moment he had seen her, he had recognised her as the maiden whose letter he had taken in the local town. That letter had come from Aizen Katsura, and yet here was the girl again, in Jun'ei's company. He had managed to mention this fact only briefly to Kinnya, in a quiet aside that only the two of them had heard, but it had been enough to make the old man look thoughtful, and Keiichi was sure his master had understood the implication.

 _Kinnya-sama doesn't believe anything is a coincidence and after so many years at his side, I can't help but agree. That girl said nothing before either Jun'ei-sama or my Lord about anything at all, and most significantly, Jun'ei only explained her presence as a young girl from a local village who helped him find his way when he fell from his horse. She did not contradict him, but I know that she does not come from any local village - she told me when we met the last time that she and her brother were travelling. I am sure I am not mistaken, so Jun'ei-sama's silence concerns me. It suggests the hand of Aizen Katsura at work somewhere in this - but to what degree, I have yet to discover._

He smiled ruefully, putting his hand against the door of the parlour where the teenager and his young companion were waiting.  
 _  
Well, that is what my Lord entrusted to me when he left. Nothing gets past him, and certainly not the intrigues of children. Whatever it is, we will get to the bottom of it. Jun'ei may not know of Katsura, or what kind of person he is - but with a little clever investigation, perhaps I can discover something myself._

He opened the door, stepping into the chamber and shutting it carefully behind him, bowing his head before Jun'ei as he did so.

"I have sent for Kinnya-sama's physician," he said respectfully. "He will attend you as soon as he can ride here - I do not think your leg is broken, but it should be seen and treated by someone with skill beyond mine. You should not try to walk on it any further - the emergency is in Kinnya-sama's hands now, and you should relax. I have arranged for quarters to be prepared for you, in case there is a need for you to stay overnight."

"Thank you," Jun'ei offered Keiichi a faint smile. "Shibata was sure that this would be the safest place for me to come, and I think he was right. I've never been here before, but it's far enough from the main house that I feel...it's safe here. And if Kinnya-sama can go and help Seiren-dono...if Kinnya-sama is as powerful as everyone says..."

"Kinnya-sama is the most powerful living member of the Kuchiki Clan," Keiichi smiled, and Jun'ei's eyes widened with surprise at this. "Yes, he likes to keep that hidden. I have not seen him fight an enemy with that sword for a good many years - but it is not a sword anyone would choose to meet. You can have faith, Jun'ei-sama. If Kinnya-sama is able, he will save Seiren-sama. But it is more than likely that he will arrive to find the matter is resolved. Shibata-dono took word to Guren-sama, correct? Your great uncle is also a phenomenal shinigami, and I cannot imagine any enemy would easily get past Tenkyourei."

"I think so too," Jun'ei agreed. "Whoever it was, who insulted our family by invading our home...they'll get rid of them, won't they? It will all be all right, now. Thank goodness."

He let out his breath in a sigh of relief, and Keiichi was reminded once more how young the boy still was.

"Keiichi," after a moment, Jun'ei spoke again, his gaze darting across the room to where Homare was huddled on the floor, big eyes watching everything that went on around her. She had clearly never been in a place like this, for she had been too afraid to even sit on one of the expensive cushions that littered the floor, instead squatting against the tatami mats, her arms wrapped around her knees as if to protect her from some unknown enemy. "Keiichi, what about Homare? I promised her that she'd be safe here, too. You will honour my promise to her, won't you? I gave my word, and..."

"A Kuchiki's word is his honour, and I am a servant of that honour," Keiichi's lips broke into a smile at this, and he nodded, crossing the floor to where Homare was huddled and holding a hand out to her. She gazed up at him, uncertain, and his smile widened.

"In any case, we have met before," he added softly. "I am not mistaken, am I, Homare-dono? We met in the local town. You had been robbed, and I sent your letter for you. It went as promised, I assure you. I am certain that Kohaku-dono will have received it safely by now."

"Keiichi-san," Homare's lips twitched into a faint smile, and she nodded her head. "I remember. You helped me. You said you worked for the Kuchiki, and that it was your job to keep me safe."

"And now you know that I spoke the truth," Keiichi got down on his knees beside her, surprisingly agile considering his age. "You have my word, Homare-dono, that you are quite safe here. Jun'ei-sama made you a promise and I will ensure it is kept. This is maybe not the kind of place you are used to, but there is no need to be afraid. Nobody will hurt you. On the contrary, you helped Jun'ei-sama, and so we are in your debt."

"I didn't do much, not really," Homare frowned, glancing at the tatami mat. "We just came here together. That's all."

"You will prepare accommodation for her as well, Keiichi?" Jun'ei asked softly, and Keiichi nodded his head.

"I will," he said evenly, "But I have one concern. The last time I met with Homare-dono, she was waiting to meet with her brother. It was his letter I sent, I think?" He spoke the question casually, but the child flinched, and Jun'ei's eyes became clouded with consternation. "I wonder whether I should try to get a message to him, so that he knows his sister is safe. I am sure he is looking for her...and I know he is literate. Homare-dono, do you know where he might be? I believe his name was Gorou-dono? With your permission, I will send him word of your whereabouts. Perhaps we can also be of help to him, given the nature of your assistance to us."

To Keiichi's surprise, Homare's eyes glittered with tears, and she shook her head.

"I don't know where my brother is," she said unevenly, glancing at Jun'ei, whose lips thinned. Keiichi interpreted the young Kuchiki's reaction with interest, but did not push the matter, merely getting to his feet.

"That is unfortunate," he said soberly. "In which case, it is well you met with Jun'ei-sama. We can keep you safe. I will leave word in the local town that you are here. Perhaps he will come to hear of it, and you will be reunited."

He patted the young girl on the head, then turned to Jun'ei.

"You didn't meet her brother?" he asked softly. "It will be hard for me to leave a message for someone whose appearance I have never seen."

Jun'ei hesitated for the briefest of moments, then he shook his head.

"I met Homare in the forests," he said simply. "She was gathering firewood. I had been thrown from my horse, as I told you. She helped me find my way here. I did not meet her brother, or anyone else. Indeed, this is the first time I have heard of such a person. I am sorry, Keiichi-dono. I cannot be of further help."

"Then I suppose I will do what I can," Keiichi replied thoughtfully. "In the meantime, I suggest that I prepare for food and drink to be brought here. Then, Homare-dono, if you will allow it, I will ask one of the maids to come and help you to clean and change your clothes. We will keep you safe here, I can promise that for my lord Kinnya."

He smiled.

"My Lord is a Clansman of the highest blood connections, but prefers the company of his District family to that of high society," he added. "He is often visited by local individuals he considers kin to him, and is always interested in the welfare of the people who inhabit his lands. He would want me to do what I could for you, so please do not be afraid to ask for any help you may need. Jun'ei-sama, I will go and see if there is word from the physician now."

He bowed his head once more, then withdrew from the room, closing the door behind him as silently as he had come.

Once outside, though, he paused, pressing his lips together thoughtfully as he reflected on the conversation.  
 _  
Well. That was interesting. Homare does not know where her brother is, and I believed her when she said that. But Jun'ei-sama...he paused a moment before declaring he did not know Homare had a brother. I am sure that was a lie, which tells me that Jun'ei-sama probably did meet with the person calling himself Gorou. And yet, if he had no inkling that this individual was more than a local peasant, why conceal it? His faltering makes me think that there is more to it. He met with Katsura, and, probably, Katsura helped him to get here. With the loss of his horse, and the injury to his leg, it is unlikely he'd have been able to walk here at speed, not if Homare was his only assistance. But Katsura is known to be able to use spiritual techniques. Maybe even shunpo. I should ask one of the shinigami on site to test the area for any unknown reiatsu - though I am sure that even if we found something, proving that reiatsu belonged to Katsura would be difficult without a comparative sample to work from. Nobody here has ever met this individual. Still, I am certain that Jun'ei-sama's reticence indicates he did meet someone...and is keeping that a secret for a reason unknown.  
_  
He sighed.  
 _  
There is little I can do at present, as I cannot force a Lord of the Clan to answer my questions, nor accuse one of lying, not even if he is a boy of not yet fifteen. As for the girl, having her here may prove opportune. She may speak about her brother where Jun'ei-sama will not, especially if she feels I am someone she can trust in. I suppose we shall see. For now, I will send out people to scour the local area for any sign of the fugitive. What Katsura's motives are, I'm still not clear. But Jun'ei-sama's hesitation makes me think that Katsura helped him somehow, and he promised to keep that help a secret. That may indicate that Katsura is not an enemy...in which case, Kinnya-sama may well find use for him in getting to the bottom of whatever else is going on in Seireitei._

He headed back along the corridor towards the doorway that led to the small annexe where the on site Gotei shinigami of Kinnya-sama's retinue made their base.

 _In the meantime, the word from Inner Seireitei this morning, about a delay in scheduled patrols due to an attack on the Eleventh Division, unsettles me. Now the main Kuchiki manor is also under threat. It is not likely those things are unconnected, especially not given the other unusual happenings across Seireitei. I trust that Kinnya-sama will be able to help Seiren-sama at the main house, but more, I trust he will learn something important that can help Juushirou-sama's Gotei going forward. Whatever is happening, it makes me uneasy that this is just the opening of what will become a much bigger conflict._

* * *

In the moments after Kunimori spoke Shirogane's name, there was a deathly hush that pervaded the whole of the courtyard.

The haze of emerald energy that had billowed forth from the sword had seemed certain to envelop Shirogane's apprehensive body in its malevolent glow, and instinctively Tsuneyoshi tensed, waiting for the moment that the younger Kuchiki warrior dropped like his kinsman onto the cobblestones. Witnessing the ease of Guren's defeat had given him no pleasure - in fact, the whole ambience of the Kuchiki yard, with unconscious individuals littered about it, made him deeply uneasy. This wasn't why he had come here, he reminded himself bitterly. If not for Harumizu's name in that report, he might have already left this place - but knowing Harumizu was here had held him back. He was still dependent on Kunimori's ability to glean knowledge, and as such, unable to fully intervene.

In spite of himself, he could not help but feel somewhat touched by the courage in Shirogane's determined grey eyes. Even having seen his uncle, the Clan Leader, dispatched from the battle with a mere word, he had not tried to escape. There was tension and fear in his aura, but despite that, Shirogane had not moved to flee. Instead he had got to his feet, raising his own weapon as though by doing so he could somehow deflect Kunimori's spirit assault. Even though the youth was a stranger to him, Tsuneyoshi knew why. He had been ordered to protect the unconscious Seiren. Even though Guren might be dead, and the fight might be lost, Shirogane intended on following that command. He would stand and defend himself and his kinsfolk, even at the cost of his own life.  
 _  
Courage in youth, when belief is all you need to raise a blade and fight. But it will be hopeless. You are fighting Knowledge in ignorance, and nothing good ever came from that._

Tsuneyoshi sighed. He knew that Kunimori was a powerful soldier, even in his advanced years, but it was this, the key technique of the Knowledge sword that had made him feared and deadly across Seireitei so many years before. It had been this and this alone that had seen him consigned to the Dangai - this which had condemned his brother Kunitaka to death during his struggle for supremacy in the Yamamoto court. It had only been the power of the young boy with the firesword that had prevented him from achieving his goal - the young Yamamoto heir, Santarou, whose Royal Blade had been immune to Kunimori's spell. Though Santarou was probably long since dead now, Kunimori's hatred for the Yamamoto had not dispelled any, and he was not about to show mercy to a Kuchiki who got in the way of his progress. Shirogane was not Guren, and would surely succumb to the Knowledge spell much more quickly - but in spite of it, Tsuneyoshi did not want to see another Kuchiki kinsman fall.  
 _  
I have no fight with your people, Shirogane-dono. Guren-dono. I trust this sin will be forgiven, when finally everything comes to rest._

An exclamation from Kunimori brought Tsuneyoshi back to the moment, and he blinked, casting his companion a startled glance. Instead of swallowing Shirogane up in its glow, the burst of green reiatsu had broken apart on contact with the young man's aura, the drifting fragments resealing themselves as pieces of Shodoku no Maki's silver tachi blade. The release had ended, yet Shirogane still stood before them, eyes glittering with consternation, and sword held tightly in his right hand.

 _It didn't work._

Tsuneyoshi processed this with a growing sense of confusion.

 _Kunimori's Knowledge failed. I have never heard of that happening before. This boy is not the same as the Clan Leader, and yet...it failed. How could that be? Does this youngster have a Royal Sword, and we just can't sense its power? Or is Kunimori's age now telling against him? Can he not use the technique twice in such a short space of time now?  
_  
"It didn't work," Shirogane's austere tones cut through the confusion, and Tsuneyoshi saw the shinigami's fingers close more tightly around the hilt of his sword. "It seems you don't have all the cards after all, Kunimori-dono."

"Impossible," Kunimori's eyes glittered with anger, and he lunged forward, swinging his weapon towards Shirogane in a sweeping gesture of frustration. Shirogane hopped back, reacting to the approach with a parry and feint of his own, before bringing his blade back to meet the opponent's with a loud clatter.

"Your power failed to work on me," he repeated, and Tsuneyoshi could sense the young man's aura settling with every passing second. "Whatever your hex was, it doesn't affect me. If you want to kill me, you'll have to do it by your blade."

"You underestimate me," Kunimori's eyes glittered with fire, and he darted forward, age forgotten as the warrior took control. "My spell should have worked on you. Don't think you are too strong to be taken in by it. I'll find whatever trick it was you used against me...and I'll beat the information out of you, if that's what you want. It's more merciful, the other way, but you chose this path."

"On the contrary, I chose to come uphold the honour of the Kuchiki, and that's what I'll do," Shirogane shot back, and Tsuneyoshi saw light glitter around the blade of the other's weapon. "I might be just a weakling chosen for my looks rather than my skill in your eyes, but I'm not as weak as you might think. I may not be Guren-sama's equal - few are - but I am not a coward, and I am still capable of putting up a fight."

He leapt back, his blade coated in silver energy.

" _Saite, Ginkyoujiki,_ " he whispered, and the weapon broke apart into fragments of shrapnel, spinning out across the yard, and Tsuneyoshi could discern the faint silver aura of magentism that drew the weapon's pieces through the air. It had appeared as though the sword had just scattered into pieces, but Tsuneyoshi realised that wasn't the case - each particle of Ginkyoujiki's blade was being individually guided. Such a precise technique required not only training but also excellent reiryoku control and discernment.  
 _  
Well, he is a Kuchiki. They are known for such precision in their art, and the skill to master it, too.  
_  
As Tsuneyoshi watched, one piece of blade sliced its way across Kunimori's cheek, another across the back of his sword hand, and the old man leapt back more nimbly than his age might suggest, touching the fingers of his left hand to the trickle of blood that now ran down his worn features. Annoyance glittered in the pebble-like dark eyes, as Kunimori swept the red liquid away, sending spatters onto the cobblestones around them.

"It has been some several years before a pup like you has dared try to draw my blood, Kuchiki Shirogane," he hissed. "Your sword might have good control, but it lacks drive and force. Your spirit power is far inferior to your kinsman. That blade doesn't even understand the full levels of its release potential yet, and you think that you can use it to hurt me? Scratches are nothing - I am not scared of paper cuts."

"I take after my uncle," Shirogane retorted coldly. "I'm just getting started, and you seem annoyed that _this pup_ managed to draw blood from you at all. You should know too that it's some several years since any rebel ingrate was arrogant enough to try to force his way into a Kuchiki estate to wreak havoc. The last one who tried was almost ripped limb from limb for his temerity. I am not in the habit of brooking insults from unknown persons against the honour of my Clan. We are the Kuchiki, or had you forgotten? None of us are weaklings. And none of us are runts."

"Just because you can do pretty patterns in the sky with your sword doesn't make you a warrior," Kunimori's expression twisted into an ugly mask as he lunged forward again, cutting, slashing and swiping at the young Kuchiki, who drew his blade together just in time to fight back against the other's attack. He was outmatched, Tsuneyoshi could see that, and yet there was no hesitation in Shirogane's drive or approach, pride giving him strength to match Kunimori's attacks where his reiryoku could not. No, this boy did not have a Royal Sword, Tsuneyoshi could tell now that, while it would be considered a significantly powerful weapon among average high level Clan shinigami, it was not a match for either Kunimori or his own dark sword. The blade had potential, and the wielder's spirit was not as feeble as Kunimori had claimed, but it had yet to fully reach the top level of its power, and Tsuneyoshi frowned, contemplating this. Guren himself was probably still a young man, perhaps into his second century. Shirogane, though, was even younger than that. It was probable that he was not a match for the Clan Leader still lying limp and unresponsive on the stone, and even if one day he might be, he had not lived enough years yet to fully explore the partnership he and his weapon had already forged.

 _He is probably not even a century old, yet. Maybe not even much more than half one, from his reiatsu. For his weapon to strike Kunimori at all means that it has the potential to grow - if he has the time to live to master it - but it is not at that level yet. It is obedient to him, but it cannot hope to compete against Shodoku no Maki's aura. True, the fact he was not laid out cold at the release of the weapon proves he is not a feeble member of this Clan - not like the one we met on first arrival, and there is likely reason behind his selection as Clan heir. Such a person cannot escape the lure of the Knowledge spell, though. He lacks age, experience and sword maturity to do that at any level, and his stronger, older kinsman succumbed to it. Shirogane should not have been able to deflect it..so the question remains - how did he?_

"Tsuneyoshi, make yourself useful," Kunimori parried back Shirogane's probing approach, firing a barrier of magic as Shirogane split his blade again, bringing the magnetic fragments down with ruthless force towards the older man's exposed neck and throat. "This child is throwing flower petals at me, and it's an irritation."

"You picked this fight. I told you, I don't intend on fighting Kuchiki." Tsuneyoshi shook his head. "I came here for information, not to shed blood, and I won't have any part in it."

"If you want to know where Harumizu is, you'll help me," Kunimori snapped back, putting some distance between himself and his young assailant. "This insect is beginning to annoy me. I think it's time he realised exactly how many cards we hold here. I'll kill the runt. You do the rest. Let him see what it feels like to fight his own kind."

Kidou was already glittering from his fingers, but Shirogane had anticipated the danger, and he let out a yell, throwing himself bodily between Kunimori and Seiren's still form. Somehow he managed to get Ginkyoujiki's sealed blade up to combat the spell just in time to prevent it from searing through his own heart, but the explosion of Kunimori's more powerful reiryoku against the still fragmented weapon blew it into pieces, sending Shirogane flying back across the yard. He was soon back on his feet, the weapon in his right hand slowly coming back together as he struggled back into the fray, but Tsuneyoshi could see that he had taken significant harm from blocking this blast. The spell had sent pieces of his own blade deep into his skin, cutting through his shihakushou to the flesh and bone beneath. Red dripped from the weapon, seeping through the torn fabric of the shinigami uniform to the white obi at his waist, but, although Shirogane was breathing more heavily, he did not falter or try to retreat.

 _He will truly fight to the death to defend his family's honour, if need be.  
_  
Tsuneyoshi's heart clenched slightly at this realisation.  
 _  
Kunimori is wrong. There's nothing soft about the way this one is fighting. He is simply fighting to preserve their lives, rather than his own. Runt that Kuchiki Seiren may be, but he is someone that Guren considered worthy of protection, and this boy thinks so too. The Kuchiki were always known for their steadfast battle loyalty to one another.  
_  
His eyes narrowed as a faint memory flickered at his senses.

 _In Heaven's War, their forces died to a man because they refused to retreat. They stood their ground and defended each other till there was nobody left to fight. Pride and honour...and the sacrifice of their own lives for the honour of their kin. Shirogane is exactly like the Kuchiki we knew back then, Kunimori. But if things continue in this vein, that twisted fool will kill the boy. And then I'll hear it, and then..._

"I've had enough of you. You should get the message and just die already!" All of Kunimori's pretence of noble geneality had long since died, and he spat the words out across the yard. "You're wasting my time and my energy. I should have known! The Kuchiki are always full of themselves. Always thinking they're better...always trying to prove they have pride and honour beyond anyone else in this world. Always looking down on the rest of us...you should die, and learn your place in the battle hierarchy, beneath your betters! Weak links like you and the runt don't deserve to be here, so die already!"

"If I was that weak, you'd have killed me with that blast," Shirogane's eyes were glittering with anger and resolution, rather than pain, and he met Kunimori's gaze head on. "You'd have taken me down with your spell, and my sword would not have been able to draw blood from you. If I'm just a _pup_ , I wouldn't be standing here now, like this. Perhaps it is not me who does not know my place. Perhaps you have underestimated me...since I am still alive, and as you see, my sword and I remain ready to fight."

"How do you continue to defy me? How _are_ you even standing, when I opened my book and cast you into it?" Kunimori drove forward again, his attacks increasing in intensity, but, although Shirogane was beginning to struggle under the oppressive force of the old man's reiatsu, he did not give up, fighting to meet every swing and pushing Kunimori's weapon back before it could dig deep into his body. "I will figure it out! I will find the key to your Knowledge. Do not think you have evaded it...you are a worthless opponent, and you have no right to resist my spell!"

"I don't know how your stupid sword works," Shirogane shot back, and Tsuneyoshi's eyes widened as he realised that, in the heat of battle, Shirogane's formal and austere turn of speech had disintegrated into much more casual language, breaking apart the impression of a perfectly sculptured and aesthetic Clan son. "Whatever you did to my Clan Leader is unforgivable and I won't forgive it. If I can still fight, then I will fight. You're the one who failed. I'm not done, and I'll keep fighting till you kill me or I kill you. I'm not afraid to try to do that - since apparently you need educating about the power of a Kuchiki!"

Covered in soot ash from the spell and his own blood, he looked less like the ideal image to which the Kuchiki in Tsuneyoshi's memory had always aspired. Instead he appeared more as a warrior desperately fighting to preserve not only his own honour, but that of his family, even if it meant discarding the trappings of nobility to do so. He seemed unconcerned by the damage to his uniform nor the fact that the white tie that had held his curly hair back from his face had ripped loose in the struggle, making him even more dishevilled in appearance. His expression was entirely focused, his concentration fixed on Kunimori, and nothing else, and Tsuneyoshi's eyes narrowed as he considered this.  
 _  
The Kuchiki pride themselves on their perfection, but you've discarded that in the name of your family's honour. I see. You are the Clan heir because your heart and soul belongs to this family, not just your appearance. Maybe you aren't a match for Kunimori's sword - but I rather admire you. Young and stupid as you are to face him, you have something you care about enough to fight like this. I can relate to that...although sometimes fighting for it as hard as this can only end in tragedy._

He sighed, turning his gaze back towards Kunimori.  
 _  
He will kill you, Shirogane. That's the most likely outcome of this mismatched battle. No matter how much conviction you pour into it, he will still kill you. Conviction doesn't win fights or end wars. I learned that the hard way. Power decides things...and Kunimori has that. And is not afraid to use it._

"Kunimori-dono, stop this!" Before he knew what he was doing, he had spoken up, raising his hands as if trying to halt the confrontation. "Let him go, he's not your prey and we're wasting time here. You surely took enough Knowledge from the Clan Leader? If you keep fighting like this, someone will come. We'll have more people to deal with - and it will be harder to move around."

"Leaving witnesses is also not a good idea," Kunimori snapped back, "and you, with your soft sensibilities, already refused to make a proper army out of them. I could do it, you know - but there's no point, if you won't make full use of what's around you."

"My business is with Harumizu. Not with the Kuchiki. I won't kill people that I don't need to kill."

"I am quite happy to do the killing," Kunimori muttered. "If I knew you'd handle the rest then it would be so much easier."

He flared a shield of energy up to deflect another attack from Ginkyoujiki's shrapnel petals, bringing his sword down at speed and disappearing into a lightning fast shunpo. Emerging almost on top of Shirogane, he managed to slash through the flesh on the Kuchiki's sword arm, causing Shirogane's grip to falter. Unable to bring together the weapon to a blade as fast as he would like, Shirogane stumbled back, and Kunimori's sword drove down towards the man's throat. At the last minute, Shirogane managed to flare a weak bakudou, rolling out from under the sword's attack and retrieving his hold on his weapon. He had survived again, somehow, but Tsuneyoshi knew that this was close to an end game. The Kuchiki had fought with determination, but Kunimori was angry, and far from tasting defeat. Aside from the odd scratch, the old man was unharmed, and as he regarded Shirogane's bloody body, Tsuneyoshi's heart felt heavy.  
 _  
Kuchiki fight and die for the honour of their family. No, Kunimori. This Clan has not changed at all._

A fresh barrage of attack from Kunimori and the bout was brought abruptly to a close. Shirogane lay on the cobbles, breathing hard as he gazed up at his opponent. Kunimori had the weapon to the young man's throat, and there was a gleam in his eye that made Tsuneyoshi feel sick to his stomach. In spite of the danger, the Kuchiki was not showing even the slightest flicker of fear, but Tsuneyoshi knew that soon he would pass from the living world to that of the dead, and when that happened...  
 _  
When that happens, I will hear your regrets. They will haunt me, just as that woman's voice haunts me._

He turned his gaze away, his eyes drawn across the main estate compound to the stretch of land beyond. Her voice had not quieted any throughout the battle, but her cries were not the plaintive wailings of a helpless woman, but the determined battle cries of a fighter. Her voice was different, but still, familiar - and it brought to mind the recollections of a dark haired warrior woman, slashing to pieces everyone who crossed her path. Despite himself, he shuddered, turning back to the yard.

"Kunimori, let him go. He can't fight you any more, and you and I benefit nothing from his death," he said softly, moving across the cobbles to stay Kunimori's hand. "Whyever your Knowledge didn't work on him, we have nothing more we can gain from this place. Without the key to the Archive from Kuchiki Guren, we can't gain access to any part of the manor we didn't already search. We have other reasons to be here - other battles to fight. Let's not waste energy and spill blood we don't need to. We do not need more deaths on our consciences."

"I don't bother with something so inconvenient as a conscience," Kunimori said flatly. "He has insulted me by challenging me. Why should I spare him? He isn't begging for his life."

"For that reason," Tsuneyoshi said evenly. "He is not as strong as you, but he is not weak. He is young, and still training his blade, but he has conviction and courage. You are a warrior. You should admire that steel resolve with which he faced you down. Surely that's the kind of man you deployed on the battlefield - the kind of individual who would not give up because of a little blood?"

"I have no interest in making romanticised connections to Kuchiki honour," Kunimori snapped. "He is here and in my way, and I am annoyed. Nobody resists the Knowledge spell. I cannot work out how he did it, and it angers me. I do not like not knowing things."

"Killing him won't answer that question," Tsuneyoshi pulled Kunimori's arm forcibly back, and Shirogane pulled in a deep breath of air, although he made no attempt to move, and Tsuneyoshi realised that the man's energy was spent, his injuries and the impact of Kunimori's noxious and hostile aura finally catching up with him. The adrenaline with which he had fought the battle had begun to disperse, leaving his limbs heavy and he was probably unable to get back up, let alone mount a fresh challenge. "Please, Kunimori. You promised not to make an army or haunt me with voices. I have helped you thus far. Don't make this worse than it need be."

"You are the soft one," Kunimori sighed, but he nodded, stepping back and sheathing his sword. He glanced at the fallen Kuchiki, then, "but I expect something from you in return. I won't kill him, but even if we leave this place, a live witness might cause us problems. The runt may or may not have understood our real power, and that," he pointed to Guren, "is unlikely to cause much more trouble, but this one is different. This one survived my Knowledge spell, and may have learned from seeing and feeling it. I cannot just leave him here. You understand the risk that poses."

"I understand that the longer we linger here, the more likely someone else will see us. We spent too long here, already, waiting," Tsuneyoshi said sensibly. "If you didn't get the Knowledge from the Clan Leader, that time was wasted, and more so by your fight with this one. We have much to do. One witness here is less harmful than staying back to wait for an army of further witnesses to arrive. This is not our target - and is becoming a distraction that could cost both of us our ultimate goals. We do not know this world well enough to gamble."

"You have reason," Kunimori's eyes narrowed, and Tsuneyoshi realised that he had sensed something, distant but potent, looming on the horizon. "It seems that our confrontation may well have drawn outside attention. Very well. We will leave here - but to ensure we are not followed, we'll leave on one condition."

"Which is?" Tsuneyoshi eyed his companion apprehensively, and Kunimori offered him a cold smile.

"You said you heard a _hime_ 's voice," he said softly, and Tsuneyoshi's heart froze at the implications of his companion's words. Slowly he shook his head, but Kunimori grasped his fellow by the fabric of his hakamashita, pulling the other man close.

"Wake her," he hissed. "You've stood and watched for long enough, but there's still something here we can use. Something to cover our tracks. I'll spare the shinigami, but in return, you do something for me. We need a distraction, to buy us some time. You said that she was here, so she will have to do. Do your duty as the Soldier, Tsuneyoshi-dono. Wake the _hime_."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: August 2018**_

 _Hello everyone. I hope you're having a good summer and it's not too hot where you are. With all the dangerous weather around, stay safe everybody and take care!_

 _So some questions raised by this chapter. Why didn't Kunimori's spell work on Shirogane? Who is the hime Tsuneyoshi can hear at the Kuchiki manor? And what exactly did Kikyue and her companions find in that chamber? Answers on a postcard..? :) Feel free to bombard me with your conspiracy theories. Everything here has been manic with one thing and another, and I miss you guys ;)_


	40. A Moral Obligation

**Chapter 39: A Moral Obligation**

The ghost of Yachiru had gone.

In the small, brightly lit chamber tucked away within the Fourth District hospital, the lost shinigami opened his eyes, blinking as he brought his surroundings one more into focus. The dark haired stranger who had bent over him was no longer there, and he frowned, trying to recall the sequence of events that had occurred since that encounter. Had he really seen the spirit of the long dead hime? Perhaps it had all just been a dream - an ongoing illusion in the haze between consciousness and sleep that had trapped him ever since he had first awoken in the ice caverns of the Real World. He did not really remember how he had got here, or what had driven him - but as he raised his gaze to the ceiling, he saw the ghostly ripple of a dragon warp the plain white of the ceiling tiles briefly, two eyes boring into him before disappearing into nothing.

Had the Dragon brought him here? He racked his brains, trying to remember. Maybe it had. Perhaps the light he had followed had been those eyes, luring him on, taking him from one place to another, until he had ended up here. Had it been coincidence that he had seen Yachiru's spirit in this quiet, peaceful place? But no, Yachiru was dead - Yachiru had become a monster, had killed and shed blood, and it had taken powerful kidou to restrain her. He remembered it now, the blaze of energy from his own hands, as the young woman had writhed beneath it's glow. Yes, he had helped to seal Yachiru away in the Unohana crypt, he and someone else - but there the memory faded, and he sighed, letting out his breath in a rush of frustration. Memory was coming back to him, but it was coming back slowly. He could remember, and yet he could not - events that seemed like yesterday, but which remained clouded in icy fog.

The door of the chamber slid back at that point to reveal a young woman, and the man's gaze darted towards her at her entrance. She had been there before, he remembered, with the apparition that he had called Yachiru, and at the sight of him awake, she hurriedly set down the fresh towels she had brought, moving to his side.

"Hiyama-dono?" she asked softly, and at the sound of the name, the man faltered, the syllables resonating in his head. "Hiyama-dono, can you hear me? Do you remember me? I was here before - I'm a healer, and I'm here to help you. My name is Mitsuki. Edogawa Mitsuki. Do you understand?"

There was gentle kindness and concern in her tones, and although he was still disorientated, the man felt safe in her company. He moved a hand across to grasp her fingers loosely in his, offering her a faint smile, which she returned, sitting down at the bedside.

"You've slept a lot," she murmured. "I had hoped you'd be awake again soon, though. This is a hospital, in Fourth District. I told you that before, I think. You are quite safe here - but we don't really know what happened to you, or where you came from. You were frozen to the touch when you arrived, but you're much better now, and your temperature and vital signs seem normal. My Captain asked me to take good care of you, and I'm trying to do that - can you tell me if you are in any pain?"

"Pain?" The man's voice cracked slightly, but he voiced the word, then shook his head. "Edogawa...Mitsuki? I don't know...Edogawa is a name I don't remember."

"My Captain thinks your name is Hiyama-dono," Mitsuki told him evenly. "Do you remember that? Can you tell me your name? I want to call you by it properly, but I don't want to call you the wrong thing."

"Hiyama," the man echoed the syllables out loud, and Mitsuki nodded.

"It's written on your sword scabbard," she agreed, reaching across to lift the sheathed weapon into his line of sight. As soon as he saw it, the man was aware of the Dragon once again, curling and sweeping against his senses, and suddenly, in that moment, he knew.

"Hiyama...Toshiyuki." he said softly. "That's my name. Hiyama Toshiyuki. I'm pleased to meet you, Mitsuki-dono."

"I'm pleased to meet you too," the young woman looked relieved. "I'm afraid I didn't realise at first that that was your name. I read it as 'hyouzan', iceberg - but my Captain thought that it was the name of an old warrior family. I guess she was right."

"Hyouzan..." A sense of nostalgia flooded through Hiyama at that moment, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of sadness, and he sighed, nodding his head. "It can have such a reading, it's true. A close friend...once...did used to call me that. It was...a joke between us, I suppose. My sword...it's name is Hyouzanryuu, and so I suppose..."

He frowned, remembering the last time he had seen that friend, and suddenly wishing he had not pulled that recollection to mind.

"You mentioned your Captain," he said solemnly, instead. "I don't really understand. I don't know, either, what this Fourth District is. But I'm sure, when I woke last, there was someone here I knew. Unohana Kenpachi...Yachiru-hime of the Unohana Clan. Tell me, please, Mitsuki-dono. Was that a dream, or was that reality?"

"Possibly both," Mitsuki's eyes glittered with curiosity, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, you did call her Yachiru. But that was my Captain. Her name is Unohana Retsu. She's the head of the Unohana, now, and this land - Unohana land - is Fourth District. I don't know who this Yachiru-hime is, but it was definitely Retsu-sama you saw. You must have been confused still - maybe half-dreaming."

"Maybe I was," Hiyama pressed his lips together. "It's true, remembering is so difficult. It seems...such a long time, and yet that time has passed in the blink of an eye, and here we are."

He smiled faintly.

"I am glad, though, that it was my imagination. An old mind playing tricks, perhaps. It's true that Unohana Yachiru died a long time ago. I don't know how long - but you seem young. Probably before you were born...you and any other young Unohana, I suspect. But this is a hospital? I see. A hospital run by the head of the Unohana? Somehow I'm gratified...he would have wanted that, I think, that despite everything, this is what Tsunenao-dono made of his inheritance."

"I don't understand," Mitsuki's expression became one of confusion. "I'm not an Unohana, so I don't really know a lot about their story. But, yes, this is a hospital. And yes, it's run by Unohana. The Unohana are healers, so it makes sense that they'd run something like this on their land. My Captain - Retsu-sama - she's the most powerful healer I know, but there have been many others in the past, I think, just like her."

"You're not an Unohana?" Hiyama was surprised, and he held out a hand to her. "Help me sit up a little, please, if you would. Let me look at you. Your features are familiar, but it's taking a few moments to put the memories together and get my bearings. When last I was here, the Unohana land was still Unohana Province - I'm afraid I am very out of touch with things in this place, but I may need your help, and I would like to see you properly...you can tell a lot about a person from their eyes."

"I don't mind," Mitsuki obediently helped her patient into a more upright position, using some of the spare pillows to prop him up so that he could see the room more clearly. "And it's fine, you don't have to guess. I was born a Kuchiki, but I am a healer by nature, so I came here. But I've never heard of this land being called Unohana Province before. It's always been Fourth District - for as long as I know."

"Well, I suppose it matters little," Hiyama admitted. "Words are only words, and names are only names. They don't mean much in the bigger picture, not when people who remember them are dead and gone..."

"Hiyama-dono?" Mitsuki looked concerned, now, as though she could sense the melancholy lurking inside of him, and despite himself, Hiyama felt guilty.

"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I am none too coherent. My senses are somewhat shaken...my memories are a blur. You said I was frozen, when you found me. I suspect that to be true. My sword..."

He paused, glancing across at the sheathed weapon that now lay across the bedcovers, then,

"My sword's nature is founded in ice," he said vaguely. "Because of it, I was able to come here. But it's clearly been a long time. I was waiting...but I didn't expect...it's clearly been a lot longer than I thought."

He turned to meet Mitsuki's gaze once more.

"You said you were a Kuchiki? Tell me, my dear, who is the current Regent in this society?" he asked, and Mitsuki's brows knitted together.

"Regent? I don't follow. There's nothing like that here. There's the Council of Elders, but..."

"Council?" Hiyama's eyes became slits. "Are the members powerful? Are they shinigami?"

"Well, some of them, but..."

"Who is the most powerful shinigami? Who is there, in this world, who carries the most influence and power in their blade?"

"If you put it like that, probably Genryuusai-sensei, but I don't really understand..."

"Genryuusai..." Hiyama frowned. "I don't know that name. But I can't hesitate. I'm still not at my best, and I need...they're already here, and I can sense them. My Dragon has seen them, but I can't do anything. Not like this...not yet. I used too much strength to get here, and if they aren't stopped..."

"Hiyama-dono? You're rambling. Are you sure you're all right?" Mitsuki was anxious now, and Hiyama grasped her suddenly once more by the hands, making her jump.

"I am quite sure about this, whatever else I do not know," he said softly. "It is worse than I feared, and I don't know how long I have been sleeping, but it's too long and I've wasted time. They're already making a move. Especially...the Soldier. Harumizu...he's in danger. The Soldier will kill him if he can. He needs to be warned. You must tell this Genryuusai - the Soldier is here. I came here to warn...to see...but please. I need you to help me."

"I don't know who Harumizu is, or what this Soldier is you're talking about," Mitsuki said gently, detaching his hold and carefully setting his hands down on the bedding. "There's no Harumizu that I know of in Seireitei."

"No. He's here. I felt it - I've sensed his spirit power on the Gate, and my Dragon...my Dragon found him," Hiyama's hand strayed to the hilt of his sword, and Mitsuki shrank back, as though anticipating an attack. At her apprehension he faltered, raising his hands in a gesture of apology.

"I'm sorry, my dear, I've startled you. I must seem like a confused old man rambling incoherently, but I need you to listen and take me seriously. I promise, I won't hurt you. I didn't come here to cause harm. Neither of us did - my Dragon sword and I. I came because something dangerous is here...woken after a long time. I'm no match - nobody is - but I came to warn Harumizu. He is here. I've sensed his spirit. You may not know him, but he is in Seireitei. And the Soldier will kill him if I don't warn him - Kyouraku Harumizu."

"Kyouraku?" Mitsuki's expression changed in a moment, her grey eyes clouding over. "Haru...mizu? Those are the characters? The way he writes his name?"

"Yes," Hiyama agreed eagerly. "Spring and water. Harumizu. Not a noble name, of course, but that didn't matter. A noble warrior...that's all that did."

"And this Soldier? Someone who means him harm?"

"Yes," Hiyama's expression became pained. "I came to stop him. I came to try...but I don't know. Please, Mitsuki-dono. You don't know me, and maybe you think I'm just crazy or frozen in the brain, but I need...I have nobody else to reach out to. Please send a message to your Genryuusai, or if you can't do that, please contact your Captain. If she is an Unohana, maybe she will understand...Tell them about the Soldier. About Harumizu. About me. I will speak to them, if it is needed - but please, tell them. Even if you do not believe me, please humour me and do this one thing on my behalf. If not, I am afraid..."

"Someone will die?" Mitsuki murmured hesitantly, and Hiyama's eyes darkened.

"Maybe," he said at length. "Or maybe worse than that. Maybe someone will live...and my Dragon forgive me if I never want to see such a sight again."

* * *

"Well, I guess I understand why they call them 'Zaimon', now."

As the three unlikely travel companions picked their way through the dank debris of the tunnel, Tenichi paused to glance back pensively at the way they had come. Inwardly, he had half-felt that Katsura might renege on his part of the deal, or even throw both him and Ohara into the tunnel before sealing them inside with a laugh but, to his surprise and relief, the young Aizen had done no such thing. Instead, he had used the small stone in his hand to activate a Gate in the close vicinity of Ribari's grove, warning them about the unstable state of the internal tunnel before leaping into the black and gesturing for them to follow. He was still some two or three metres ahead, his demeanour tense, and yet Tenichi did not feel that the young man was worried about the fact two Seventh Division shinigami with blades were theoretically at his back. Instead, his attention was fixed on the tunnel ahead - as though he was afraid that something might appear and attack them.

The tunnel itself was not as polished or neat as a usual Senkaimon. The walls wobbled and rippled at intervals, and the floor beneath their feet seemed highly unstable, requiring a constant and steady focus of spirit power to patch together the fragmenting and fraying threads of spiritual energy. The use of either kidou or _zanpakutou_ in this atmosphere could prove disastrous, and the path ahead was unclear, with all their attention fixed on placing one foot in front of the other.

"I guess I took for granted the Senkaimon we use. I never thought they were that nice, but in comparison to this..."

"Zaimon weren't meant to be tunnels," Ohara reflected pensively. "They were disposal points for criminals. It seems the appropriate space for _someone_ 's father to dabble in, in order to create illicit tunnels - though to build such a network on the bones of traitors is in particularly bad taste."

"Nothing to do with me," Katsura didn't even look around. "I did warn you it was rocky. You wanted to come here. Don't complain about it now."

"I wasn't complaining," Ohara bristled. "I was observing how your father didn't just trample over the living, he also trampled over the dead in the pursuit of his objectives."

"He didn't bring them back to life, though," Katsura negotiated a particularly unstable patch of floor with a shrug. "And he's dead too, now, so maybe you can stop baiting me. I don't think this would be a good place to settle an argument - and I told you, I don't want to fight you. I do have a temper, though - as I'm sure you remember."

There was a faint warning edge in his voice, and Tenichi pursed his lips, remembering the grassy, overgrown copse in District Seven, with the crudely engraved marker stone the only hint of his father's burial place. His gaze flitted to Katsura, but the eldest Aizen had not turned around, nor even slowed his pace. Without seeing his features, it was difficult to know how much Ohara's words had hurt the other man.

 _And yet here he is, helping us. Can we trust him? I wonder. He did bring us in here - but it could still be a trap._

"I have no intention of fighting with you. You are going to take me to Kikyue-hime," Ohara said frankly. "That is the deal we made. Otherwise I kill you - or take you prisoner back to my Captain, who will kill you. You cannot escape both Kotetsu and I, you know. That's why you brokered this deal in the first place, unless I am mistaken."

"I didn't say I was going to take you to your princess," now Katsura paused, turning to eye Ohara thoughtfully. "I don't know where she is. I said I would take you into the Dangai, and I have. If I wanted to run away from you and your friend here, I could have left you in the Dangai and escaped - but I told you. I want to investigate this too. Our aims align. But that doesn't mean that we have to spend the whole of this with backbiting. I don't relish your company any more than you do mine, Ohara-dono. Let's reduce the annoyance and save on the dialogue."

Tenichi's gaze flitted towards the Fourth Seated officer, taking in the similar lines of tension in the other man's slender frame. Silence descended over the trio once more, and he sighed.

 _Ohara is in all ways an easier officer to work with since I came back from prison - but that's all begun to fall away since last night. Since Kikyue-hime might have been in danger. Ohara's always been crazy obsessed with her, but to defy the Captain and risk his life like this when an order will probably come sooner rather than later to open up the Dangai is extreme.  
_  
His glance fell on Katsura once more.

 _And he's an unknown quantity. I don't want to be refereeing a fight. Even if spirit power shouldn't be used here - I don't suppose that will stop them exchanging blows_.

He clenched and loosed his fists.

 _At least I'm pretty confident of my skills in that area now, thanks to Kai-dono's five year program. Maybe I should be grateful for small mercies._

Out loud he said,

"How long does this tunnel run for, anyway? It's hard to get bearings when it all looks and feels the same."

I don't know," Katsura admitted. "This is just one of the tunnels Father patched into the network, and it's not one I use often. Somewhere, another tunnel will intersect with it, but I'm working a little bit by instinct."

"How is that useful?" Ohara asked imperiously. "Are we going to spend hours walking in circles?"

"We're inside a tunnel system," Katsura pointed out acidly. "What else do you expect?"

"I expect to find Kikyue-hime!" Ohara snapped back.

"Why are you so obsessed with this hime, anyway?" Katsura demanded. "I'm helping you, aren't I? I can't produce her like magic out of the darkness. I don't know where she is. I'm doing the best I can but the last time I came into the Dangai, the tunnel fell apart in front of me. That's why I chose to open a Gate I use less often, in the hope it might not kill us all. Plus, there was a Hollow on that occasion, too, which isn't normal. Can you not put your obsession on ice for ten seconds and focus? I get that she's a key member of your Clan, but arguing with me is not going to find her more quickly!"

"How dare you!" As Tenichi had feared, this was too much for Ohara, who swept forward, grabbing Katsura by the folds of his clothing and giving him a harsh shake. "You have no idea, do you? You have _no idea_ what your bastard father did...what he made me do...to let you escape five years ago? Why you're even still here to spout cocky rhetoric and act like you hold all the cards? While you skipped through the trees into oblivion, _your father_ turned me into his personal assassin! He used me to try to kill Kikyue-hime! Why would I not risk my life to save her? And why should _you_ not do so, given that it's because of you that Keitarou was even there?"

At this tirade, Tenichi faltered, his eyes widening as he took in the emotion both on Ohara's face and in his tones. The man's voice had shaken, but not just with anger, and Tenichi suddenly understood why, since his return, Ohara's focus towards Kikyue had changed.  
 _  
Keitarou damaged him, too. Keitarou used him as a puppet to kill Kikyue-hime, but somehow the others must have stopped him. They stopped him - but Taichou and Kikyue-hime didn't kill him. Two unforgivable things - to attack one's Clan hime and to then be spared to live with the guilt of such a crime...I see. Ohara and I have something in common. Like I still carry guilt over Souja-dono's death, he has it for this. That's why he's doing this. He's trying to fill that hole inside of him - because he did something he can't forgive himself for. Unlike me, he hasn't been punished for it. In fact, he was promoted in my absence. I guess this is the only way he can manifest his atonement - by trying to make sure Kikyue-hime doesn't get hurt. Add to that his natural melodrama and the fact he's in love with her, and he's prepared to take on even the wrath of the Wind Hawk to complete his goal.  
_  
There was a long silence, then Katsura sighed, and, with measured - yet clearly forced - calm, he detached Ohara's hold. He took a step back, holding up his hands.

"I didn't know," he agreed evenly. "You and your friends were trying to kill me. I didn't really stop to find out why you all pulled back. I didn't know Father had done that."

His lips thinned.

"Fine," he said resignedly at length. "I attacked your Division, and I suppose I understand why your hatred towards me and towards Father is more personal than just Endou loyalism. Well, that's all right. In truth, I'd rather understand it from the start. I assume you don't expect or want an apology, though? I almost died in this encounter too, you know. I didn't ask Father to intervene, and I wouldn't say his doing so was especially beneficial."

"A fine attitude to take, given that Keitarou clearly intervened on your behalf!" Ohara shot back, and Tenichi could see that the other man was visibly trembling with pent up anger. "If not for that, Hajime-dono would have taken your head!"

Katsura shrugged.

"It's true your comrade pulled back," he said briefly. "But that was a decision made by one of your allies, not by me. I wasn't exactly in a fit state to register anything at the time, either. I do remember the name 'Hajime', and I know he's the one who took me down - but I don't remember even what he looked like, and everything after that is pretty blurry. Still, you are wrong about something. Father didn't make sentimental decisions. Even if his intervention did save me, it's more likely he saw you as a trial run for his attack on Seireitei. If he had wanted to protect me, he would doubtless have taken out all of you, not just played around with one. In any case, I don't know. He didn't send me to attack Seventh, I did that on my own - so whatever he did, I had nothing to do with it. And I didn't kill you," he added. "Nor did I really try with any seriousness, although I still think that I probably could. My target was the one who killed my sister. You all just got in my way. And, as I said before, I didn't choose to have your company on this trip. If you want my help, you go where I go. Otherwise, feel free to go wandering, but forget being able to get out again at the end."

Before Ohara could respond, the tunnel twisted and shook violently, making Katsura curse and almost lose his footing, and Ohara's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, although he fell short of drawing it.

"What was that?"

"You guys are yelling at each other. Maybe the tunnel doesn't like it," Tenichi suggested.

"It's a tunnel," Katsura sent him a blank look, and Tenichi shrugged.

"Your reiatsu is prickling, and so is Masayuki-dono's," he explained. "We're always taught not to use spirit power in the Dangai, and this is similar space, but much more unstable. I don't think this is the best place for this kind of discussion. Maybe it can wait a while - at least until we find a more stable tunnel."

"All right. We shouldn't have stopped, anyway," Katsura nodded. "Father always said that the Zaimon was something you keep moving through. It's not as stable as Senkaimon because it's patched together."

"I am in perfect control of my emotions and my reiatsu," Ohara said aloofly. "But I agree, we should keep moving. That way, we can find Kikyue-hime more quickly, and spend less time in the company of traitors."

"This isn't a Gate breached by corpses, is it?" Tenichi stepped cautiously around a small series of bumps in the ground, his brows drawing together in consternation as he realised what he had just avoided. "I think I just saw what's left of a hand, but there doesn't seem to be a body...or anything else around."

"There might be odd bits of bone. I never really noticed till all of this happened," Katsura said pensively. "I can't open Gates once corpses have come out of them. But it doesn't mean this Gate couldn't be used that way, I suppose. It depends on what's controlling the corpses."

"And we're sure that isn't you?" Tenichi asked softly. Katsura shot Tenichi an impassive smile.

"Hollows and corpses aren't the same," he said matter-of-factly. "Hollows have a consciousness. Corpses don't. That's the difference. Hollows are also open, with no defences. Shinigami, like you two," he gestured, "have barriers and instinctive layers of protection. I'm not my Father. I'm not like my brother. I am not a genius nor a spiritual prodigy. I'm neither smart enough nor capable enough to mastermind something like this. Sorry if that disappoints you."

"No...I'd rather know we're not traipsing around a tunnel with bits of dead on the floor with a corpse puppeteer," Tenichi sighed. "But you said there are Hollows in here?"

"Not usually," Katsura shook his head. "Last time was the first time I met a Hollow in here. Maybe it was a coincidence. I don't know."

"You say 'I don't know' too often," Ohara muttered. "It makes it hard to believe that you really have a use to us, other than as a Gatekeeper."

"That's a skill in itself, though," Katsura was unconcerned. "And we've found the intersection. We're in luck. It's intact."

"This is part of a Senkaimon," Tenichi stepped over the divide, relieved to feel the firm floor beneath his feet. "What number is that? Sixty...something?"

"Sixty-Two," Ohara reported, moving to examine the branded number on the ground. "Well, that makes sense. Sixty-Two is on the border of Fifth and Sixth District, so we are presumably heading towards Shiba land." He bent, touching the ground, then, "I feel like shinigami have been here recently. The ground reishi seems disturbed. Kotetsu, what do you think?"

"I think someone was definitely here," Tenichi said grimly. "Masayuki-dono, look. The ground has come away here, and I can definitely pick up threads of what I think is reiatsu through the hole. It goes downwards. Look, someone's shihakushou caught here. I don't know whose reiatsu it is, but there's definitely a sign someone came through here."

"Through the ground?" Ohara's eyes widened, and Katsura got down on his hands and knees, peering curiously into the hole.

"That wasn't here last time I was," he admitted. "But it looks like there's another Zaimon tunnel beneath the legitimate shinigami one. I don't know where it goes...but it smells of Hollow. Hollow and something else. I'm not sure what...but if I was going to guess, I'd say...it smells of death."

"Can something smell of death?" Tenichi wondered, but Ohara grimaced, nodding his head.

"As much as it pains me to agree with an Aizen, I sense it too," he replied. "I cannot 'smell' Hollows, but I can sense some dark spiritual energy here. Can you not? I realise you are still rusty, but surely...if you can pick up shinigami reiatsu..."

"It smells fetid," Tenichi acknowledged. "But after finding the severed hand back there, I'm sort of expecting that from the Zaimon. I assume we're going down there?"

"I see no other option," Ohara agreed. He glanced at Katsura. "You know this better than we do, so you go first."

"I see, I'm the guinea pig," Katsura rolled his eyes, but nodded. "All right. I'm going in. Just remember, if I get killed down here, you can't get out of the Dangai, so you better be following close behind."

With that he disappeared into the hole, and Tenichi and Ohara exchanged looks. Ohara sighed.

"I wish we could just leave him there, but I suppose he is correct," he said reluctantly. "Come, Kotetsu. We've come this far. If Ikata and Kikyue-hime's patrols may have come here, we need to investigate further."

"Well, we're probably already in a heap of trouble, so we might as well make it trouble worth getting into by finding the others," Tenichi offered a rueful smile. "I'm sorry, Masayuki-dono. I didn't know - about what happened with Keitarou and Kikyue-dono, five years ago."

"I would prefer not to discuss it," Ohara paused, looking momentarily pensive, and Tenichi could see the shadows in the other man's aloof gaze. "I admit, I lost my cool for a moment, and said more than I ought. But now, maybe, you realise why I am unconcerned by something so trivial as facing punishment. My life belongs to Kikyue-hime because she ought to have killed me, and yet she chose not to. If she is in danger, it is my duty to help her. I am her patrol second, in any case."

He offered Tenichi a faint smile.

"I will tell the Captain that this is my responsibility, and I forced your cooperation," he added, his comment taking Tenichi by surprise as he prepared to descend through the hole. "You should not have come after me, but I suppose I can't fault you for obeying your orders."

"Well, it's not like I'm not worried about Kikyue-hime and Takasugi and the rest, too," Tenichi groaned. "In a sense, I have the same hang up as you do. I couldn't help or save Souja-dono. He died because he was investigating my abduction. I didn't kill him, but because I was lax and got taken hostage, Souja-dono died. I owe Kikyue-hime and the Taichou a debt for taking me back given all of that. I probably should be here."

"Well spoken," Ohara looked grudgingly impressed. "Prison has made you more sure of yourself, in good and bad ways. But remember, Kotetsu. We are two and the Aizen is one. He is not someone we can trust, even if we can use him for the time being. Be on your guard. Souja-dono would doubtless have wanted us to help his sister, too, and we must do so. It is still possible Katsura means her harm, and that is why he is coming with us. Keep it in mind."

"Yes, sir," Tenichi said gravely, and Ohara nodded, then disappeared into the hole in the ground in the direction Katsura had gone. Tenichi took a deep breath, then followed suit, closing his eyes and hoping that the drop wasn't too deep or dangerous. As he landed, there was the sound of a distinct crack beneath his feet, and he leapt back instinctively, gazing down in horror at the shattered remains of what was undoubtedly someone's shinbone.

"Nice landing," Katsura's dry tones brought him back to reality, and he grimaced, shaking his head.

"This tunnel stinks worse than the last one, and I guess it's because there are rotting bodies down here," he remarked. "Do we really think Kikyue-dono came this way?"

"I think she must have done. This is precisely what she and Ikata were sent to investigate," Ohara bent to examine the piece of broken bone. "This is not like the corpses sighted in Seireitei, though. It is merely bone. True, it is not pleasant to walk over, but probably not a threat. It's simply carrion from a previous era, and we should ignore it and press on."

This tunnel, it turned out, was more unstable than the last, and the walls wobbled and bowed dangerously as the three mismatched companions picked their way cautiously forward along the tunnel length. The floor here was far more littered with bone, but as they got deeper into the tunnel, and further from safety, Tenichi felt sure that it was not simply the smell of decay that he could sense all around him, but something else. Something powerful had seared through this stretch of dark space, and whatever it was, it made him shiver.

"There's light ahead!" Ohara's exclamation came as a relief, and Tenichi quickened his pace, not wanting to be left behind in the tunnel as it began to open out before them. Far from intersecting with another broad shinigami tunnel, however, what spread out before them was a strange, rocky landscape, interspersed with odd, twisted trees with branches and trunks that glittered eerily. Even without asking the sulking Reihahen, Tenichi knew that these unusual plants were not made of wood, but instead appeared to be formed of some kind of hard crystalline substance. As the three men stepped cautiously out into this unknown space, Katsura tensed, and Tenichi saw a frown cross his features.

"Hollows," he murmured.

"Hollows?" Ohara cast Katsura a startled look, and Katsura nodded.

"I can't see them," he said slowly, "but I feel as though they're here. This is not a safe landscape to linger in. Whatever this is and wherever we are, I vote we keep moving. There must be a way through, and I don't think it would be a good idea to stop and fight if we can possibly avoid it."

"It's like the face of a mountain," as they picked up their pace, Tenichi gazed upwards, taking in the odd alignment of rock to form what looked like deep caverns in the stone. Overhead, it was impossible to see any kind of sky, and he frowned, shaking his head. "No, maybe a forest. Those look like some kind of tree - and I suppose what's overhead is their branches, coming together to create a canopy. Is this really still the Dangai? It doesn't look or feel the same."

"This may well be Kikyue-hime's location," Ohara reflected grimly. "I don't know where we are, either, but I do remember the Captain saying that, as yet, her whereabouts were unknown. If we rush too quickly through this space, we may fail to find her. It is possible that she or her companions are lost here, or trapped, or even injured. We should search through this strange forest first, in case she is here and in distress."

"Even though there are Hollows here?" Katsura eyed Ohara doubtfully, and Ohara shrugged.

"Shinigami are not unfamiliar with killing Hollows," he said evenly, touching his sword hilt. "Unlike the Dangai, the air here feels stable. I do not anticipate that being a problem - if there are, indeed, Hollows in this vicinity. The normal behaviour of Hollows is to attack a spiritual entity the moment it sees it - so either we are undiscovered, or they are intimidated by our presence and prefer not to engage us."

"Do Hollows usually hide?" Tenichi frowned. "I can't see them, either, but this place is strange. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. We don't know what the rules might be here."

"Very well," Ohara said categorically. "We will separate. I wish to scout around a little and see if I can find any trace of Kikyue-hime's path. I shall take the risk on my own head. You and him," he glanced briefly at Katsura, "can continue forward if you wish. I shall rejoin you when I have satisfied myself there are no wounded individuals here. If I need help I shall summon you, but I am sure I will be quite safe."

Before either Katsura or Tenichi could object he was gone in a whoosh of slick shunpo, and Tenichi sighed.

"I wish he wasn't so impulsive," he murmured, eying Katsura warily. "Are you sure there are Hollows here?"

"I am," Katsura said grimly. "And you should heed my warning. Look," he grabbed Tenichi by the sleeve, gesturing in the direction of one of the caves. "They're showing their interest in us now. I told you they were here...and there aren't just a couple of them. Your friend might be willing to be ripped to shreds in his hunt for your hime, but I'm not so keen at getting eaten. I still have things to do, and I assume you do too. We should get moving - no more complaining."

"Shinigami are trained to fight Hollows, though," Tenichi pointed out, as the two men scrambled through the forest towards higher ground, aware now that where the landscape had seemed peaceful, now, little by little, Hollows were emerging from the dark caverns, eyes glittering with anticipation as they approached their prey. "Admittedly, maybe not quite that many. Good grief, how many of them are there? I thought you meant one or two, but..."

"I didn't say that, and you should stop blaming me for your assumptions," Katsura said categorically. "I told you. We need to keep moving."

"Where to, though? We've separated from Ohara, and we don't know where we are." Tenichi protested. "Unless you do? Have you been here before?"

"No," Katsura said smartly, "but right now, I'm interested in going where there aren't Hollows. Either come with me or don't, but don't waste both our time complaining."

With that he too was gone, slipping into shunpo that would make most shinigami envious. Tenichi muttered a curse under his breath, making to follow suit, but as he prepared to do so, a Hollow came at him from the right, completely blindsiding him with the suddenness of its appearance. Instinctively he reached for the hilt of Reihahen, but before he could react, the Hollow's huge claw had come down towards him, the beast letting out a yell of triumph or defiance before crashing the large white limb into Tenichi's upper body with a significant amount of force. Taken off guard, Tenichi could only gasp as the blow winded him, sending him flying some several metres through the forest terrain. He crashed against a couple of trees, shattering their trunks into a cascade of glittering crystal fragments, before landing with a heavy thud on the ground below. Struggling to catch his breath, Tenichi tried to pull his battered body to his feet, hoping to take advantage of the range of the swing to put further distance between himself and the pursuing Hollow, but, before he could do anything, there was a swirl of dark energy, and the Hollow materialised a mere foot or two from his body, glaring down at him with hungry red eyes which seemed to look right through Tenichi's soul. It let out another roar, claws poised for a second attack and Tenichi fell back, gazing up at it in terror as the Hollow aura threatened to engulf him.  
 _  
This isn't a normal Hollow. This isn't like what we trained against, or even what we fight on a regular basis. This one knows what it's doing, and hunted me. It used something like shunpo and it hunted me. This Hollow is sentient. It understands. It knows that I'm prey and it knew how to catch me. It struck me before I could draw my sword, because it knows swords can hurt it. This Hollow is smart...and it has the upper hand. I'm winded, and it's determined. No matter how much tougher I think I am, I'm still hopelessly weak._

The Hollow paused for a moment, lowering its huge head to eye Tenichi from head to toe as if examining a juicy steak for the plumpest, juiciest sections. Then, to Tenichi's horror, it's mouth appeared to twist into what could have been a smile. It let out a final roar, flexing its claws before bringing them down for the kill.

* * *

There was silence immediately following Kunimori's instruction, and, dazed and confused, Shirogane struggled to move his stiff body around so that he could see the two interlopers more clearly. His vision flickered in and out of focus, and he knew that, if Kunimori should seek to resume his assault, there would probably be no escape. In spite of that, he was more confused than afraid. Why had the other man intervened? Who was he, anyway? And what was this hime that Kunimori was so set on alerting?  
 _  
There are no Clan women in this estate. Not with my wife and daughter sent far away. Seiren-dono and his wife have not spoken in thirty years at least, and Guren-sama is long since a widower. There are no hime sleeping here - so what does the old man mean?  
_  
Shirogane shifted his gaze from the blood-spattered Kunimori to his companion, taking in the look of apprehension and dismay that lurked in the man's eyes. Throughout the fight he had not sensed any kind of hostility from this individual, and now, he realised, he probably owed the man his life. And yet, of the two of them, it was still this enigmatic stranger whose aura seeped through with the scent of death. Such a dichotomy still made no sense, but Shirogane was experienced enough in his current role to understand that appearances could easily be deceptive.  
 _  
I should be thinking about how to get Guren-sama and Seiren-dono to safety, and then how to send for further backup. Though I'm not sure I have a shred of energy left in me to summon even a Hell Butterfly, let alone get two unconscious kinsmen out of the line of fire._

His vision wavered again, and he gritted his teeth, knowing that it would be a miracle if he managed to stay awake himself.  
 _  
I've never had to fight like that before. But he took down Guren-sama with just a word. I don't...I can't just let that go. I have to...somehow..._

"Tsuneyoshi, I'm waiting," Kunimori's voice cut through his internal monologue, and he stiffened, aware that the conversation between the two intruders had not ended. "Raise the hime, or I'll slaughter all the pitiful Kuchiki in this yard. We don't have time to mess around. You can sense it too, can't you? Someone is coming this way. If we hesitate, they will find us and fight us - and that would be unfortunate. The one coming is unknown to me - but I can tell by his aura that, unlike these minnows, this one is for real."

"I don't want to raise her. It would be a bad idea, if I did," Tsuneyoshi objected. "It's not something that can easily be undone, once done. You don't understand -you can't hear her. It's not something we should do. It's not..."

"Then I'll kill the witnesses," Kunimori's blade was already hovering back in Shirogane's direction, and Tsuneyoshi grabbed his arm, pulling it down.

"No! There's no need to kill people here!"

"Then raise her," Kunimori was unmoved. "She's already dead, isn't she? You can already hear her, so she must be. If you don't want me to lay waste to this place completely, I suggest you cooperate. That life you can't save. These you can, and if it gets you to do as I want, I'll use whatever method necessary. For a Soldier, Tsuneyoshi, you're still pitifully lacking in ruthless edge. Do as I say. Your last opportunity."

Shirogane saw the younger man sigh, his shoulders falling as if in defeat. Slowly, he nodded, his hand curling around the hilt of the weapon that, until that point, Shirogane had not been aware had hung at this person's side.

 _A...zanpakutou?_

"On your head be it," Tsuneyoshi said softly, drawing the weapon from its sheath fully, and it glimmered ominously with light as though responding to its master's call. "I've warned you. It's not something that should be done. Not with a spirit like this."

The next few moments passed in a blur to the incapacitated Shirogane, for almost the moment the man had finished speaking, a terrifying and noxious aura flooded through the whole of the Kuchiki grounds. At first thinking the estate was once more under attack, Shirogane gathered his scattered wits, swallowing hard against the searing bile that threatened to rise up in his throat. He had felt this before, he realised, belatedly. The scent of death that had lingered around the animated corpses was now being pumped through the Kuchiki courtyard. Although he could not see it, the heavy waves of energy made his vision blurry. There was the sound of cracking stone and falling masonry, and Shirogane wondered whether the whole estate was about to come down around them, but then he could make out a figure, hazy and indistinct. A blinding flare of light followed, and Shirogane winced as it dazzled him, wishing that he had the strength in his free arm to shield his eyes.

"A hime?" Kunimori's voice sounded faint, but Shirogane could hear the derisive tone in his attacker's voice. "Oh dear. Really, Tsuneyoshi? I would have thought at your age you knew the difference. You had a wife, didn't you? And a son, of course? How pitiful that you cannot tell a woman's voice from a man's."

Shirogane blinked, fighting to refocus on what was going on around him, and as the light faded, he drew in breath sharply, taking in for the first time the features of this figure. Half expecting a decomposing corpse, Shirogane was taken aback by the perfectly defined features, the hair dusty but still black, the skin chalky white but none of it falling away from the bones. And yet, it was not a hime, robed in flowing Kuchiki green and cream, but the figure of a man in his prime, his body lean and tall. Who he was and where he had come from, Shirogane could not tell, but, as his gaze drifted away from the main courtyard towards the land behind, his heart clenched suddenly as he realised the figure had probably come from the family crypt. Hurriedly Shirogane racked his brains for any recent death in the Kuchiki family that might have been granted permission to be interred at the main house, but his mind came up blank. No Kuchiki of this age and stature had died in recent weeks, not recently enough to be such a fresh and undamaged corpse - but yes, it was a corpse, for now Shirogane recognised the familiar way in which the man's hair had been woven back from his face in the neat tail of a Kuchiki cadaver which had once lain in state. It was someone of rank, someone of importance - and yet Shirogane did not know for the life of him who it was. He seemed familiar, and yet, as the grey eyes roved across the courtyard, whatever lurked within them was not. The eyes were cold, empty, and yet not entirely dead - as though this individual straddled the boundary between the two states of being.

Shirogane swallowed hard.  
 _  
The other guy is the necromancer._

Suddenly it was all crystal clear.  
 _  
Kunimori fought me, and attacked Guren-sama, while the other stood by and watched. Maybe because his power is all the more horrific. Maybe because his power needs someone to be dead, first. Did these two meet Ikata and the others? Surely there's no other explanation now but that._

"We don't have time for you to mock me," Tsuneyoshi's tones suddenly held an edge that had not been there before. "We need to leave. Now. I'm not wrong, Kunimori. That body is an empty shell, but the hime's spirit is not. Can't you sense it?"

"Sense it?" Kunimori's eyes narrowed, his lips thinning. "I see. Something of that nature lies here? You should have told me sooner. We could've resolved this far more quickly. Still," he turned, glancing at Shirogane. "I suspect that leaving _that_ to roam around this place will see to any witnesses. Let's go. Whoever is coming to find us can deal with your unexpected guest...but we should not outstay our welcome."

There was a woosh of spiritual energy, and then a lull, and Shirogane knew that the two men had left the manor grounds. Relieved as he knew he should be that he had survived the encounter, Shirogane's gaze was, instead, locked onto the figure that still stood motionless at the edge of the courtyard, grey eyes taking in every detail. Unlike the corpses in the grove, this corpse had not immediately attacked, but something in Shirogane's instinct of self-preservation told him that that wasn't because it wasn't capable. And yet, in all regards, this corpse was different. The others had slashed forward indiscriminately, paying no heed to their own condition as they sought simply to kill and to maim what stood before them, but although the individual held the hilt of a weapon in his right hand, he had not yet moved to attack. The blade itself seemed remarkably preserved, and as Shirogane glanced at it, it glittered faintly with light, as though it were still very much alive.

Apparently sensing Shirogane's gaze, the figure turned his head, two grey eyes boring into Shirogane's own but without any sense of recognition. He stepped forward, picking over the cobbles towards the unconscious forms of the two fallen brothers, first Seiren, and then Guren, pausing at last to gaze down at the Clan Leader's body.

"Guren."

The word was soft, but Shirogane knew he had not imagined it. Whoever this corpse was, he had not only recognised Guren, but called him by name. At first, Shirogane felt that the figure might try to help the fallen Clan Leader, but the next moment the stranger raised his sword, the intent in the swing clearly designed to sever the man's head from his body. Shirogane's lips parted as if to cry out a warning, although he knew that Guren would not hear him. Still, he was unable to move himself, his body too heavy to obey his commands.

The next instant, a flare of powerful kidou came barrelling across the courtyard, knocking the angle of the blade's swing away from Guren's neck. Shirogane could not see the newcomer, but, as the corpse swung around, Shirogane could see both anger and recognition flickering in the grey eyes.

"Kinnya," This time the word was spoken in a harsher tone, the hatred and resentment that bubbled up in each syllable echoed by a sudden searing wave of potent reiryoku that flooded out from the body. "I should have known. You never did want me to do things the way I chose."  
 _  
Kinnya-sama?_

Shirogane summoned every ounce of his physical strength, forcing his protesting body to turn so that he could see. Sure enough, Kinnya stood at the edge of the yard, his expression impassive as he surveyed the scene. Raiurei was not drawn, but instead of sleeping inside the cane, it was in a scabbard at the man's side, and Kinnya's fingers were touched with kidou dust, proof that he had fired the deflective spell.

"This is unexpected, and entirely unwelcome," Kinnya's voice was even, but Shirogane could see the emotion bubbling up inside the old man's gaze. "And I'm afraid I'm not in the mood to pander to your whims today, Oniisama."


	41. Alliance

**Chapter 40: Alliance**

Just as Tenichi was certain that the blood-eyed Hollow was about to devour him, ripping him limb from limb with its deformed, clawlike hands, a sudden flare of raw reiryoku blazed out across the sterile forest, engulfing the assailant with ruthless accuracy and hostile intensity. Tenichi found himself helpless to do anything except stare as the oppressive burst of spirit energy consumed the Hollow from head to foot, the strength and potency of the blast searing the white sand and crystal tree trunks that surrounded them with as though they had been burned by fire. The Hollow roared, struggling to free itself from the unexpected attack, but the flare of energy was too strong and, as Tenichi watched, the immense beast began to fragment into a haze of black dust, the white mask disintegrating into nothing within the ghostly flames. For a moment, Tenichi thought the energy was going to consume him as well, so wild and angry did it seem, and then, as soon as it had come, it was gone, and Tenichi was able to breathe easily once again. Where the Hollow had stood, there was now nothing left but charcoal burn patterns against the sand, and the Hollow's companions, which had scented Tenichi's weak position and had also begun to swarm in his direction, had once more retreated into the caverns, watching the encounter with red eyes that glittered ominously from the darkness.

Hollows with a sense of self-preservation were unusual in Tenichi's grasp of spiritual realities, but he found that he could not blame them, for he too had been shaken by the force of the attack.

"Are you okay?"

Katsura's voice broke the silence, and he turned, staring up at the young Aizen in wordless disbelief. At his expression, Katsura offered him a rueful smile.

"It's not pretty," he acknowledged, and Tenichi noticed the black charring marks around his companion's fingers. He swallowed hard, understanding belatedly that the sudden blaze of energy had come from this individual. "But it does the job. And I'm not a shinigami, but I've killed Hollows before. I thought you were behind me - I guess not."

"You...that blast...?" Tenichi managed, and Katsura laughed, nodding his head.

"I never learned to use it in any particular way," he said sheepishly, "but I've been told it's like the Kidou spells you people use."

"Kidou?" Tenichi gathered his wits, shooting his companion a wary look. "That wasn't Kidou. That was more like a Hollow Cero if you ask me. No wonder it consumed that beast in one blast. I thought it was about to eat me too - you really need to learn to curb it, else you'll cook everyone in the local area."

"Cero, huh..?" Katsura gazed at his hands pensively for a moment. "Well, who knows. I'm not a Hollow, if that's what you're wondering, and Father didn't do any experiments on my spirit power, but maybe. I don't know. I'm not sure there's that much of a difference between their spells and yours, to be honest. Besides, I guess I have more experience of Hollows than I do of shinigami, so maybe I just learned to mimic what they do, rather than what you do."

He shrugged, holding out a hand to pull the bloody Tenichi to his feet, and after a moment, Tenichi accepted the help with a wry grimace.

"I guess I'm alive, so that'll do," he acknowledged ruefully. "Thank you. I'm not sure why you did that, but I guess I'm glad you did."

"Well, for the time being, we have a truce of sorts, don't we?" Katsura arched an eyebrow. Tenichi shrugged.

"Seeing that, I know it really was you, in Rukongai," he said softly. "In the Kuchiki grove, you didn't give any hint of hiding that kind of power, and you could probably have held your own in a fight if you'd used it...I can't imagine Kuchiki trees matter much to an outlaw wanted for murder. It would have been easy for you to turn the tide against us. And you did use it in the Rukon. You flared that power there, and burned a whole swathe of the landscape. Now I've seen it, I know it was you. Normally, like this, you don't have any real reiatsu presence, so I guess you can hide perfectly now. But when you fired it, I recognised the sensation. It's your reiatsu and your spirit power that reduced those people to ash. You can't say otherwise."

"I haven't tried to," Katsura looked thoughtful. "I told you, didn't I? A corpse came out of a Gate Father used to use and I sensed it. I went after the corpse and I burnt it with my spirit power. It killed those people, and it did it with a blade. I may have charred their remains, but I didn't kill them. You know that, though, don't you?" he asked, sending his companion a sidelong glance. "You already said that my account of the Rukon made sense."

"I did," Tenichi acknowledged. "And I still think that way. Just, now I've seen it...I suppose I understand a little better what you are. Or no, maybe I don't. You attacked my Division five years ago, and just from that blast, you could've killed a lot of people when you did, coming in like that. Why didn't you?"

"I told you that, too. I wasn't looking to kill a lot of people. I was looking to kill the one who hurt my sister," Katsura said evenly. "Besides, that's a stupid question. Your _hime_ launched her kestrel at me and tried to peck me to death. It's hard to murder shinigami under those circumstances."

His words were flippant, but Tenichi saw the serious look in his companion's gaze, and he frowned.  
 _  
I wasn't there when you attacked, but when I left to alert Ukitake-taichou, there were recruits in the yard. You could've killed all of them very easily, even if Kikyue-hime and Ohara were there to fight you. You didn't do that, though. You threatened them, but you still didn't kill them. You went after Joumei-dono to avenge your sister in a crazy way - but that's all. And Joumei-dono is still alive, so you haven't pursued that grievance since, not even though he's long since left Seventh's protective custody. I wish I didn't understand crazy and irrational revenge missions, but five years in prison means that I do. Whatever I was trying to achieve against Ichimaru Izumi that day, it's not that different, not really. We both failed...but I never realised it till now. You killed healers on Keitarou's orders. Probably other shinigami, too. Yet on that occasion, you didn't. You didn't come to kill shinigami. You came to avenge your sister._

Pain jerked through his upper body, and he coughed, wincing.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Katsura looked doubtful. "I didn't hit you, did I? I was trying not to...believe it or not...but well, my control isn't always precise."

"No, it was the Hollow. It left me with some bruises," Tenichi shook his head. He touched his fingers gingerly to his chest, then, "It flung me a good distance across the landscape with its first blow, took me totally off guard, appearing at my right side from literally nowhere. Maybe it cracked a rib or two, but I can breathe so I don't think it's bad enough to have hit a lung. It just aches. I'll be all right - providing we manage to get out of here, of course."

"Mm," Katsura turned, glancing back towards the Hollow nest, and his lips thinned. "There are a lot of Hollows here. Father never mentioned anything like this to me - I wonder if he knew this place existed, or whether it's somewhere outside even his expertise."

"Kotetsu!" Before Tenichi could respond, there was a yell, and Ohara leapt over a broken piece of jagged rock, pausing to eye his companion in consternation. "What happened? I thought you were behind me, and then I felt an explosion, and..."

"Hollows happened," It was Katsura who answered, dusting the charcoal from his fingers and offering Ohara a rueful smile. "It's all right. I got rid of them."

"I didn't ask you," Ohara sent Katsura a frosty look, then turned back to glance at Tenichi. "Are you all right? You can walk? There do appear to be creatures still lurking in this godforsaken place, and I have found no direct trace of Kikyue-hime, so we should keep moving. I am sure she must have come through these parts, and negotiated the danger, but it is difficult to find a way out."

"I'm all right. I think I cracked a rib, but I can walk," Tenichi assured him. He touched his fingers to his chest gingerly once more, then, "I took worse than this in a couple of prison brawls. I'm tougher than I was five years ago - and if it hurts, it means I'm still alive."

He offered Katsura a faint smile.

"Katsura saved me, though," he added. "He used his spirit power to immolate the Hollow. I'd probably be in worse shape if he hadn't."

"Whatever he did, there is doubtless an ulterior motive behind it," Ohara glared at Katsura suspiciously. "I am still watching you, and I am not afraid to strike you down if you forget your side of the deal. We are apparently still far from where Kikyue-hime is, and I am still not sure if this is a trap."

"You will have to be unsure, then, Ohara-dono," Katsura was unconcerned, stretching his arms over his head. "In the meantime, the Hollows are regrouping. I think we're probably going to fight them again any minute, so maybe you can save your threats till after they're dispatched with."

"I have no reason to follow your orders," Ohara bristled. "You can play with the Hollows, if you so wish. I am going to scout ahead. I don't need cover," he added, glancing at Tenichi, "especially not from someone in your physical state. I trust that you can hold your own if I leave you with him?"

"I'm fine," Tenichi assured his comrade. "Scouting ahead is a good idea, too. Be careful, though. We don't know this place, and there are too many Hollows for this to be a coincidence."

"It is like some kind of nest," Ohara shuddered. "If not for Kikyue-hime, I could have lived without seeing it. If you are in distress again, Kotetsu, alert me. I will come to your aid - since there's no reason to rely on an Aizen for anything."

With that he was gone in another whoosh of shunpo, and Tenichi sighed.

"He really doesn't warm to people on closer contact, does he?" Katsura was the one who broke the silence, and Tenichi shrugged.

"Ohara's proud," he said reflectively. "He doesn't really like me that much, either, but he's my patrol second, so he has an obligation to make sure I'm in one piece. And in a way, he's right. There's no reason for us to trust you. All of this could still be a trap."

"Do you think it is?" Katsura eyed him quizzically. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm also fighting Hollows. I haven't done it in a while, and I'm rusty. If I was going to lay a trap, I'm sure it would be less Hollow-y."

"But you can control Hollows," Tenichi pointed out. "And you just said you knew them better than you know shinigami. Maybe you're just trying to get our trust. It's hard to know for sure."

"I suppose so," Katsura reflected. "I'm not Father, though. I don't think on all the devious levels he did...even Koku is better at that than I am."

He sighed, flexing his fingers.

"I didn't come here for you, though," he admitted. "I was coming into the Dangai anyway. You won't understand, I don't suppose, but I felt that I owed it. I don't really like that it's this way, but I can't change it. I can't take back what I did five years ago. So I find myself doing things like this instead."

"Are you trying to get in the Gotei's good books?" Tenichi looked suspicious. "Because if you are..."

"No," Katsura shook his head. "It's got nothing to do with the Gotei. They hate me and I won't try to change that opinion. It's not them...I don't want forgiveness from them or anything like that. It's more..."

He frowned, putting a hand on his chest briefly, then,

"I wasn't healed by Father, five years ago," he admitted. "He may have been there, but he didn't come rescue me. I should have died, but someone intervened. That someone knew who I was and what I'd done, but healed me anyway. They told me that dying was an easy escape, but that to live...and to atone for what I'd done...that's what I should do. If I regretted the orders Father gave me, and the lives I took...then I should use my life to atone for that in whatever way I could."

He shrugged.

"It's selfish, really," he added. "I'm not the person Father was, or my sister. They could kill and not think about it. Maybe mother, too. I'm not as Endou as them in that regard. I can kill, and when I'm really angry, I suppose I don't think about it - I certainly didn't five years ago, when I tried to avenge my sister. If I hadn't done that, none of you would even have known who I was, so it was stupid, but even though she was violent and homicidal, she was my sister and I made a promise to Father to look out for her and Koku. Big brothers do that, right? I messed up a lot, then...but I have tried, since then, not to do anything that causes anyone harm. I'm not a psychotic killer. And when there's a war, there's death on both sides - your people killed folk too, but those deaths aren't seen as murder, because you won. It's the death of the healers, though, that still bothers me - I feel that even if it was a war, that's different. In that case, I know am guilty of murder. I can't change that, nor forget it, nor take it back. I know that - but I can decide not to make it worse. Normally I'd keep away from people like you, and your problems. But...I don't like seeing people killed in Rukongai. And I don't want my brother at risk. I saw him attacked by one of these, once - I realised the corpses throw him off guard, because he sees things and senses stuff from them and it means he might be more susceptible to their attacks. Koku is all I have left to protect. He doesn't need me to, but at least, if I'm doing something...I feel like maybe it was worth it, saving my life five years ago. I guess it's hard for a shinigami to understand the feelings of an outlaw - but it's not about you or the Gotei. It's about me trying to make peace with my choices now that Father isn't here to dominate them any more."

Tenichi's brows knitted together at this.

"I understand more than you think," he said with a sigh. "Five years ago I derelicted my duty to fight you at Seventh. I was too busy trying to kill someone who had got close to my brother. Thanks to your Father's meddling, I believed her a spy and I would've killed her if I hadn't been stopped. The one who stopped me was my brother...the one person I didn't want to hurt. I spent the last five years incarcerated for that attack. Your brother's witness testimony prevented me from being put to death...but I'm still atoning for that past, too. I didn't kill anyone - but only because there was someone to prevent me. My intentions were murder, and she wasn't the first person I intended to kill. It's luck more than judgement that I didn't succeed. I might even have killed your brother, at one point, and I definitely aimed to slit Suzuki Naoto's throat. I lost myself completely in my desperation to protect Ketsui. I might be a shinigami, but I suspect I understand better than you realise."

"Well, maybe we are kin, after all," Katsura offered his companion a wry smile. "You should stand back, by the way. The Hollows really are coming at us again."

"I don't see them," Tenichi turned to gaze out across the landscape, and Katsura shrugged.

"I can read their minds," he said grimly. "I can't control Plus souls, or corpses, or shinigami. But I can read Hollows and I know where they are. There are still a lot of them. I'm not sure I can take out all of them. You might want to head off after your companion. There's not much wood in this place - your sword isn't going to be helpful at deflecting them except at close range, and you're already hurt."

"My sword isn't speaking to me, anyway," Tenichi said honestly. "It hasn't forgiven me, yet, for my disgrace. But I do have Kidou, and I can use it. Broken ribs or not, it's just a minor wound. I can cast spells just fine - and I might only rank at eighth seat, but I'm not a weak shinigami."

"I can tell that," Katsura assured him with a grin. "I think you're probably stronger than your companion, to be honest. But I still think you should leave the Hollows to me. I understand them - and I guess if I can use that knowledge to some good, then I should."

Before Tenichi could reply, there was a roar from the dark caverns and then a lumbering form began to heave its heavy body out into the moonlight, eyes glittering as they focused towards their prey. In their slipstream came a second and then a third, equally as large and substantial, and then, behind them, two or three smaller ones. Tenichi instinctively prepared his stance to fire a spell but, before he could do anything, the lead Hollow roared and batted at his head. Glancing at Katsura, Tenichi could see the look of focus in his companion's blue eyes, and then, with a thundering cry of determination, the lead Hollow turned, swinging its pincer like claws out towards its fellows. The next moment, the second Hollow also began to turn on the lesser ones that followed it, and, before long, the six or seven creatures that had been heading their way had descended into an internal squabble, clawing and ripping at each other in a violent frenzy. Tenichi watched in horrified fascination, a chill running down his spine as he realised that it had been Katsura's power of suggestion that had turned these lukewarm allies into vicious enemies. Before he could comment, however, Katsura grabbed him by the arm, slipping into shunpo and re-emerging from the flashstep within sight of Ohara's trail.

"That should give us some time. It doesn't take much to make them attack, and if they're busy with each other, they're not busy with us." he explained. "It's easier and less energy than blasting them apart - and I don't know if I can do that over and over. I've never tried to fight so many Hollows at once before...so hopefully they'll battle each other for a bit and give us time to find our way through."

Tenichi didn't answer for a moment, and Katsura frowned.

"Tenichi?"

"Nothing," Tenichi offered his companion a pensive smile. "I just realised, that's all. How easy it would be for you, if you wanted - to kill both Ohara and I. I'm already hurt, and you can make them do whatever you like. If you wanted us dead, then we would be. If this were a trap, this would be the place to spring it."

"True," Katsura grinned. "Lucky for you, it isn't a trap. I told you. I have my reasons for being here, too. My sister killed Endou Souja, but I didn't. I never met him. I don't really owe the Endou anything, except that, five years ago, I said things to Kikyue-dono that I shouldn't have said. She lost her brother, I lost my sister, and we both yelled hate at each other...but it hurts to lose a loved one. I was angry then. So was she. But I don't want war with the Endou. Killing you and your companion seems like a declaration of war to me."

"Nobody knows we're here, though. Just you," Tenichi pointed out.

"I used my reiatsu at the broken Gate, and so did you and your companion," Katsura said evenly. "We'd be found there, easily. I also had to use the stone to open the other Gate. I'm sure your Captain could find me, if he so chose. In that respect, if he comes charging in here, if you and Ohara are still alive, that looks better for me in terms of negotiations. I am not afraid of him, or of being killed by the Gotei for my crimes - but not before I get to the bottom of all of this. I want to make sure Koku is safe, and I want to make sure the people in the Rukon and Outer Seireitei don't have to deal with dead people attacking them. So until I've made sure of that, whatever that takes, I don't intend to be taken prisoner. And I'd rather your Captain didn't think I had a vendetta against him and his people."

"I suppose that makes sense," Tenichi acknowledged. "Right now, I guess our goals do intersect, so that's enough to make us on the same side for the time being."

"Right," Katsura sent him a crooked smile. "But you said you were Koku's ally. Koku's my brother. I'm always on his side. So that makes us on the same side anyway."

"Even though Kohaku chose against your Father?" Tenichi asked. Katsura shrugged.

"Father disowned me when I decided to come avenge Sakaki," he admitted. "He told me if I went to Seireitei, I wouldn't have anywhere to come back to. He discarded her and he discarded me. Koku was the only one that really mattered to his cause - Sakaki and I were fodder fighting in his name, but expendable. I loved my father, and I guess I still do, but in that moment, I understood that we weren't important enough to him to protect or defend. And his cause ruined my life. Without his manipulations, I wouldn't be here - I'd be in a village somewhere living a normal life without any need to plunge into danger in order to settle my conscience about my past crimes. That's really all I ever wanted from my life - a peaceful, normal life in Seireitei. I take responsibility for the things I did, because I was stupid enough to do them - but he's the reason I did them, and no matter how many dangers I face, I can't change that."

"Maybe we really are kin after all," Tenichi said ruefully. "I feel the same about Keitarou now. He was family to me when I was a child, and kind to Ketsui and I. But he saw me as a tool, used me and tried to manipulate me. He almost ruined my life, too - after only a few days of his company. You had a whole lifetime of it - I suppose the miracle is that Kohaku escaped unscathed."

"Koku had spirit power and gifts that Father needed," Katsura replied matter-of-factly, though there was no bitterness in his tones. "Sakaki and I were useful, but it was different. But Koku used his gifts to stop Father killing people. I'm glad he did, even if it meant Father lost his life. The world is a better place now...and this is the world my brother believes in, so I'd like to believe in it too."

He smiled sadly.

"We should catch up to your companion," he added. "He shouldn't be allowed to go too far on his own, since we don't know what's up ahead."

"Agreed," Tenichi nodded.

"Kotetsu! Where are you! Stop playing with Hollows - I think I've found something!"

Ohara's voice echoed through the forest at that moment, as if the proud Clansman had read their minds, and Tenichi quickened his pace, pulling his aching body up through a gap in the trees until he could see his fellow Division member, standing impatiently a few feet ahead. At the sight of him, Ohara tut-tutted under his breath, gesturing for his comrade to join him.

"Incarceration has made you very slow," he said critically. "When we get back, I will have to arrange extra training to get you up to speed."

"If we're not both in prison, of course," Tenichi groaned, but obediently picked his way through the uneven and rocky ground to where the Fourth Seated Officer stood. "I have a distinctly higher possibility of that than you do, given that I'm on parole and your Father is a bigwig in Taichou's council in District Seven."

"Nobody is getting put in prison, not when we find and bring back our allies," Ohara said matter-of-factly. "I already told you, I shall take responsibility, so don't be melodramatic. You've spent too much time with that Aizen, but look. Ahead. Do you see it? It looks like some kind of stairway - or something of that nature."

 _You calling me melodramatic is like Ketsui calling me a worrywart. It's so impossibly ironic that it's not even funny._

Somehow Tenichi managed to bite back speaking this retort out loud, instead obediently following his superior's gesture. As Ohara had said, a strange arrangement of what looked like fallen crystal tree trunks were scattered in a pattern across the landscape, forming a haphazard staircase that seemed to go upwards. What was above, Tenichi couldn't tell, for although he squinted up, it was impossible to make anything out through the densely packed cover of the forest.

"Do you think it's the way out?" he asked doubtfully. "Where is it going? What's up? The tops of trees? Are we going to hop around the tops of trees?"

"That sounds like more my speed," Katsura joined them at that moment, and Ohara shot him a look of dislike.

"If Kotetsu is slow, you are worse," he said disparagingly. "What took you so long?"

"My apologies, your highness," Katsura bowed his head mockingly towards the nobleman, who bristled with indignation at the gesture. "I was seeing to the rest of the Hollows. Unless you want them to come with us, I thought they were better off amusing themselves."

He sighed heavily.

"There are a lot of Hollows here," he said unnecessarily. "I don't know what's up any more than you, but if I have any say in this - and I imagine I don't - I think we should try the stairs. And I think we should do it before the Hollows start tracking our scent again. They're persistent and intelligent. I've never known Hollows to work together like this before, and I don't like it very much."

"They are strange," Tenichi agreed. "Masayuki-dono, I think we should go forward, too. We haven't found Kikyue-hime here, so the logical assumption is that she went up, as well. Maybe if we do that, we'll find a way to lock onto her trail."

"You have reason," Ohara ignored Katsura completely, turning to nod in Tenichi's direction. "Very well. Follow me. I shall lead, so don't lag behind."

With which parting comment he darted forward, tackling the uneven steps with an agility and grace that befitted an individual of his rank. Tenichi, still bruised from his encounter with the Hollow, scrambled up behind him in a much more ungainly style, with Katsura bringing up the rear. For a while they negotiated the ever steeper climb in silence, concentrating on placing their footing on the uneven and occasionally unstable blocks of crystal. The steps seemed to go on forever, winding into a spiral like shape up towards the forest cover, which, as they drew nearer, seemed to be less the winding branches of trees and leaves but more something that resembled ground. Occasional fragments of white dust dropped down on their heads as they drew nearer, and, as Tenichi rubbed this substance between his fingers, he realised that it was not dust at all, but sand. He gazed up, confused.  
 _  
Sand from the sky? What is this place, that it's so dry it even rains sand, rather than water?  
_  
A roar from the level below jerked him back to awareness, and he swung around, seeing with horror that one of the Hollows had broken free, its shattered limbs and cracked mask evidence that it had been involved in Katsura's induced quarrel, but had probably emerged victorious. It swayed and wobbled towards the stairs, its broken limbs making it difficult for it to walk, but, just as Tenichi thought that they had got far enough away to escape the forest beasts, the Hollow's jaws opened, and, deep in the creature's throat, he saw the unmistakeable glitter of cold blue energy - the first signs of a Cero taking form.

"Ohara!" He called, his fingers already pulling together to cast a Kidou spell but, before he could do anything, Katsura had slipped in front of him.

"Sorry. Guess I missed one," he said flippantly. "Go on. You're hurt. I'll take it."

"I can defend myself!"

"Maybe, but the more limbs you have when we find your kestrel-hime, the better it is for me," Katsura reminded him grimly, his hands already glittering with light. "Go on. Cero versus bootleg Cero - I'll catch you up."

"Let him alone, Kotetsu. We don't need to be his nanny, if he wants to play with the Hollows - let him," Ohara called back. "I'm almost at the top, and it seems like it opens out onto some kind of land. Come help me see if it's safe to walk on."

"Yes, sir," Tenichi sighed, but obediently pulled back, heading upwards instead to where the Fourth Seat had about reached the upper level. Ohara clambered up through the hole, touching the ground tentatively and then reaching down to help Tenichi follow him through. A heavy explosion from the staircase below made the ground beneath their feet wobble and shake, but it did not collapse, and as Ohara took tentative steps out onto what appeared to be an empty, pure white desert, Tenichi turned back towards the opening.

"Katsura!" he yelled. "Are you trying to get us all killed by causing a quake?"

"That's gratitude!" Came the retort. "I just blew up a Hollow for you. Are you telling me you didn't even see it? Tsk. That was one of my best shots."

"Stop messing around and get up here," Tenichi instructed. "It's hard to keep an eye on you when you're lagging behind."

"Fine, I'm coming," Katsura sent back, and Tenichi could see the young Aizen, pulling himself up over the remaining steps towards the opening. As he did so, Tenichi noticed that there was blood pouring from the young man's left arm, and he frowned, realising that despite his light-hearted joking, Katsura had not entirely managed to deflect the blast.

 _Some of that power hit him. He stood back to deflect the Cero, but instead...  
_  
As Katsura reached the top level, his foot placed on an unstable piece of crystal and it broke loose, making him lose his balance. With a yelp he flailed his bloody arm up to grab an overhanging tree branch, but the slick substance that coated his fingers made it impossible for him to keep his grip. Without thinking what he was doing, Tenichi flung an arm back down into the hole, grabbing hold of Katsura by the collar of his peasant hakamashita and wrapping his free hand around the other man's uninjured arm.

"Tenichi?" Katsura stared up at him in surprise, and Tenichi offered him a wry smile.

"Debt repaid," he said simply, helping his companion up through the tight gap and onto the white sand that covered the upper level as far as the eye could see. Katsura dropped down on the sand, taking a deep breath into his lungs, and casting Tenichi a grateful look.

"Unexpected, but gratefully accepted," he said sincerely. "Thank you. I think I'd outstayed my welcome in this Hollow forest, and I guess I'd not be popular, if they got their claws into me down there. Seems they're smart enough to figure out that I was disrupting them...pretty sure that one came after me, as it aimed right at me and didn't seem interested in you guys disappearing up above."

"I guess your blast wasn't as good as you thought," Tenichi reflected. "Probably not worth seeing at all - I imagine I didn't miss anything important."

"The Cero didn't do this," Katsura tore back the bloody sleeve of his robe, eying the messy state of his upper arm ruefully. "I blew the Hollow into smithereens, spell and all. But as you've already observed, I'm not great at control. Broke a few trees, as well - impaled myself. Occupational hazard, I guess - but then I suppose you know that, given the nature of your _zanpakuto_ u."

"I don't think I've ever impaled myself," Tenichi replied. "Perks of going to Shinigami school. We're trained to not do stuff like that."

"Convenient," Katsura observed, ripping a strip from his dusty obi and folding it in half. "The only thing I was trained to do was not to get caught. That's why I'm better at shunpo and reiatsu control than I am at managing my attack level...I guess _my_ teacher didn't really mind if I caught innocent bystanders in the blast, or if I blew myself to pieces in the process of taking down the enemy."

Spitting on his right hand, he rubbed the saliva into the wound, wincing slightly as the liquid stung against the slash. Then, with a sweep of his arm he drew the torn fabric around the injury, pulling it tight to stop the bleeding before knotting it firmly in place.

"Is that hygenic?" Tenichi looked doubtful. "I've a friend who's a healer, you know - I'm pretty sure she wouldn't shove Hollow dust in an open wound."

"Well, I don't see a triage anywhere about, so I guess short of dripping blood all over, it'll do," was Katsura's flippant reply. "You can talk, anyway. You just hauled me up without even thinking about your cracked ribs. Where's Ohara? He's the only one of us in fully fit condition, and you're going to get scolded again, hanging behind and playing with the Aizen."

"I suppose I will," Tenichi acknowledged, resignation in his expression. "Oh well. For the time being, we got away from the Hollows - and all of us are still alive. But the question is, what is this place? It's just sand, nothing else."

"Black and white. A perfect monochrome," Katsura gazed around him pensively. "I'm sure if Father had known this was here, he'd have come here. He'd have talked about it. I'm sure he would...but how does such a place even manage to exist? Are we really still in the Dangai? This is immense. The Hollow Forest was tight and cluttered and it was hard to tell how big it was, but this..." he gestured with his good arm, "it's just white for miles and miles, under the perfect gleam of a perfect crescent moon."

He frowned.

"I feel like I maybe saw it before, though," he added slowly. "I'm not sure where...or how...but as weird as it is, it also looks familiar."

"You can read Kohaku's mind, right?" Tenichi suggested. "Maybe he saw it in one of his visions...maybe that's where you saw it before."

Katsura paused, then shook his head.

"No..." he mused. "I mean, yes, I could read his mind in the past, but I'm not sure I can now, not now he's a shinigami. And I did see a lot of pictures from Koku over the years, but...no, it was more recently than that. I think...it was inside the Dangai. When I was travelling to Sixth. I met a Hollow...and I read its mind. I drove it away from me, but when I did, I saw...something. It was only brief, but maybe...something like this." He gestured with his good arm. "I guess that Hollow came from here. The Dangai was breaking up and it wasn't very stable, but maybe what I saw was some kind of memory. The Hollows here are more intelligent than the ones I usually see in Seireitei - but I haven't seen many of those for a while, either. I don't know how to explain it - I never saw Hollows in the Dangai before."

He sighed.

"It's so quiet," he added. "I guess the Hollows can't get up here. The air seems spiritually pure, but its completely devoid of life, and utterly still. Not even a slight breeze - the sand isn't moving at all, except when we touch it."

He ran his fingers through the white grains to illustrate his point.

"Sort of creepy, isn't it," Tenichi observed. "A place where even Keitarou didn't go? This has to be where Kikyue-hime ended up. It's the only thing that makes sense. She and the others went into the Dangai, but though we know she isn't dead, our Captains weren't able to locate her. This is why. She's in a place the Gotei don't know about - a place even Keitarou didn't know about. A black and white world...a sand world...a world where Hollows live in caves and trees grow out of crystal, and there isn't the slightest drop of water, and..."

"And a huge great Dome," Katsura grabbed Tenichi by the arm, pointing across the landscape, and Tenichi turned, seeing for the first time the immense stone structure that rose up magnificently out of the sand. Its rounded ceiling glinted in the moonlight, betraying not a single crack or corner, and for a moment Tenichi just stared, admiring the sleek lines of the architecture.

"Kotetsu!" Ohara descended on them once more at that point, glancing briefly at Katsura's bloody arm, then back at Tenichi. "I think I sensed the trail. I definitely picked up a trace of what I think is Takasugi's reiatsu, somewhere in the vicinity. I tried to track it, but I couldn't...however..."

He glanced back towards the Dome, and Tenichi did not need his comrade to finish his sentence in order to understand Ohara's intent.

"The chances are they went inside that place," he said softly. "Kikyue-hime and the others are probably inside that Dome. And so I guess that's our next mission - finding a way to get inside there too."

* * *

"You always did like to defy my authority," At Kinnya's words, the corpse glowered, Senaya's handsome features twisting into a grotesque mask of anger and hate. "I wanted to kill you so many times, but he wouldn't let me. I wanted to - you and that pathetic, lazy sword - but he wouldn't allow it. And now here you are again, getting in the way. Getting in my way, just as you did in the past."

"I think you'll find that my loyalties are bound to the Clan Leader," Kinnya gestured across the cobbles towards the unconscious form of his younger nephew. "Guren is my Clan Leader, and I am sworn to protect him. Even against you."

His eyes narrowed.

"Not that you ever were my Clan Leader," he said darkly. "I can sense your spirit, Taiyourei. Leave my brother's poor corpse alone. He should be sleeping, and you should not be here."

"Because you helped to kill him," the cadaver spat out, abandoning Guren's body and advancing instead on where Kinnya stood. "You helped, so don't deny it. You always helped him, but always held him back. You always made him feel too fondly for family. You. Those brats. He threw away everything because of them."

He turned back to glance towards Guren's still body.

"I hated you and I hated them and I've hated you all for all this time. All of you, conspiring to kill me...confining me to that place when I still had so much to give."

"Senaya-nii made the decision, and I obeyed my Clan Leader's orders. Then, and now, I am a loyal Kuchiki servant," Kinnya said matter-of-factly. "I don't pander to the whims of spoiled zanpakutou spirits, and nor does Raiurei. I don't know what black magic brought you here, but I know you're not my brother. If you think I won't hurt you because you're using his corpse as your vessel, you're mistaken. I'm not that soft-hearted - and right now, I don't feel like fighting with you. Whatever did this, I have more important things to do. So if you don't mind..."

He drew his hand together, muttering the incantation for a powerful bakudou spell. The corpse launched itself at Kinnya with a yell, but the old man was ready for it and as the glittering blade seemed sure to sever through Kinnya's arm, he raised his hand, thrusting his palm against the outstretched blade. An explosion of Kidou energy engulfed the struggling figure and, with it temporarily immobilised, Kinnya grabbed hold of his brother's body unceremoniously, slipping into shunpo and re-materialising at the edge of the family mausoleum. The stone was damaged, he realised, probably from when Senaya's body had made its unscheduled appearance, but it was still enough intact to act as a temporary prison, and he deposited his burden inside, stepping back and casting another strong binding spell. After a moment of thought, he cast a third and then, finally, he stepped back, forming a strong barrier around the whole of the crypt to hold all the magic he had used in place.

This done, he let out a sigh, dusting his hands clean on the fabric of his robe.

 _Jun'ei was quite right, but I have to admit, Oniisama, I could have done without seeing you like that. I know you're gone, but it's still hard to hear you shout at me in that way. Even though I know it isn't you. Hopefully we'll have a chance to settle this between us, later - but not right now. The spell should hold for a while, with any luck, and I need to get back to Guren and the others. Guren is my Clan Leader, and Shirogane is his heir. My duty is to them first...so wait a while, Taiyourei. You can have it out with me later - but not while there are injured kinsfolk needing help. Besides, Senaya-nii would never have forgiven you if you hurt his sons. Whatever you think of me, I won't let you hurt them.  
_  
He slipped back into shunpo, re-emerging in the courtyard. Touching a finger to Guren's throat, he reassured himself that the man was alive, although the grey pallor of his skin and the lack of apparent reiatsu that surrounded it told him that his nephew had suffered some kind of significant spiritual attack. A movement out of the corner of his eye told him that Shirogane was still conscious, even though he was bloody and injured, and he hurried to where the young man was struggling to raise himself into a sitting position, dropping down at his side and helping to support his companion to lean up against the compound wall.

"Kinnya...sama." Shirogane's words were weak and feeble, but Kinnya was reassured by their clarity. He nodded, appraising the condition of his kinsman as he did so. Shirogane had clearly been fighting, and his body bore signs of both kidou and blade attacks, but to his relief, none of them looked serious enough to be fatal. Shirogane's hazy gaze told him that he had probably been the victim of someone with powerful reiryoku and, as he spread his own senses out across the yard, he could pick up the distinctive traces of two powerful individuals. One of them had the unmistakeable scent of death about it, and he frowned, his gaze darting towards the crypt as he remembered what Jun'ei had said.  
 _  
The boy was exactly right. His insistance that I come here was correct. Young as he is, it seems Jun'ei's perception is already quite defined._

"What are you.." Shirogane swallowed hard, and Kinnya pulled his gourd from his waist, offering the water to his companion, who drank greedily.

"Jun'ei came to my estate and asked for my help," he said simply. "Seiren sent him, as far as I understand, for safe-keeping - and he is quite secure now at my manor, so you mustn't worry about him. When he reported to me, he was insistant that whatever was attacking here was serious and that I might also be needed, so I came. It seems your son is intelligent enough to realise the extent of danger. What happened, Shirogane? I was expecting Guren to be here, but in this situation..."

"I don't...really...understand," Shirogane drained the gourd, pushing it aside with a sigh. "There were two of them. Dressed funny. One...hurt Guren-sama with a spell. The other...he..."

"Raised my brother's corpse from the mausoleum?" Kinnya asked, and Shirogane stiffened, gazing at the older man in alarm.

"Your...then that was..."

"Senaya-nii. Or a close approximation," Kinnya sighed. "It's not really my brother. Senaya-nii died of Eiminyaku poison. There's nothing of him left, not really. I've sealed the corpse in kidou for the time being. My priority is to get the injured to safety and then we can look at the bigger picture."

"Senaya-sama died a long time ago, though. Why..."

"Senaya-nii has a Royal Sword, or had, I should say," Kinnya replied sadly. "Those of us who wield such swords are slaves to them in one way. Until the sword chooses another soul to bind to, we are stuck in limbo, even after we are dead. Senaya-nii's body has not decayed because Taiyourei has not yet left him. It's Taiyourei who is driving that corpse, and she seems pretty angry about everything. But don't worry. It is clearly my problem to handle and I will handle it. For now, I need to get you to safety. Where is Ryuu, by the way? If you and Guren are here, did he also accompany you?"

"Guren-sama sent...Ryuu...to Inner Seireitei. With Seiren-dono here...thought it better. Ryuu...in charge of Sixth." Shirogane replied unevenly, and Kinnya smiled.

"Then he isn't here, and so is safe, too. Good. Then all that's left is for me to get you to help."

"But...Guren-sama...Seiren-dono..."

"Guren is unconscious, but breathing and he has a good pulse. It's clearly some kind of hex, but he's alive," Kinnya assured his companion. "You saw what happened, so I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it."

"And...Seiren-dono? Please...check..."

"Seiren seems to be just out cold. I didn't see any injuries as I passed him, whereas you're all bloody."

"But...I'm awake. I'm...all right. Please...Kinnya-sama. Seiren-dono...my son was worried...about...and Ryuu...will...I promised..."

Shirogane was becoming incoherent, and Kinnya sighed, but nodded. He got to his feet, making sure that his companion was securely propped up against the fence.

"I'll check," he promised. "But I will be taking you to Inner Seireitei for healing and help. We can send further aid for Guren then - I'd like Retsu-sama to look at him, since she's the expert on healing. You just sit tight and don't try to move or get up. Jun'ei will be worried about you too, you know, if anything happened to you - I want to be able to tell him that his father and both his great uncles are alive. He was very brave in coming to bring the message to me - I want to make sure he realises that his doing so made a difference."

He patted Shirogane lightly on the head as though the young man was not the heir to the Clan but just a boy of ten or twelve, then turned back towards the courtyard, moving between the fallen retainers and ascertaining as he went that each one was alive, but probably drugged with some kind of kidou spell.

"Kinnya...sama?"

As he reached Seiren's resting place, a groggy voice caught his attention, and relief flooded his features as he saw his older nephew stirring, slowly but surely beginning to pull himself into an upright position. He clutched at his head, gazing around him at the debris with an exclamation of dismay.

"What..."

"You had unwanted visitors. I understand you very bravely used yourself as a decoy to send young Jun'ei away," Kinnya got to his feet, moving to pull Seiren carefully to his. "Seiren, the boy is safe at my manor, but things here are not quite as good. Your messages were correct and got through effectively, but..."

"Guren!" Seiren's gaze rested on the still form of his twin brother, and, headache forgotten, he stumbled down at the Clan Leader's side, fumbling for a pulse at his throat. "Kinnya-sama, what happened to him? How...?"

"I am not sure, not yet," Kinnya said gravely. "He was unconscious when I arrived. He is breathing, but I can't sense any level of reiatsu, which concerns me. Tenkyourei was clearly drawn at the time of his collapse, but the sword is sealed, too. Shirogane may know more...I intend to take him with me to see a healer, as he seems to have fought these assailants single-handedly...and is in an understandably battered state as a result."

"Shirogane's here too?" Seiren turned, making out the huddled and bloodstained form propped up against the fence of the courtyard, and he frowned.

"All of this, while I slept?" he asked softly, and Kinnya rested a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"You were cast out with Kidou. You didn't sleep, it was done to you and you are fortunate that it has worn off so quickly," he said gently. "You sent messages to the right people and did the right thing. Nobody is killed and I will take Shirogane to Inner Seireitei for healing. Your son is also not here. I managed to gather from Shirogane that he was sent to Inner Seireitei to take charge of Sixth there and so is safe. I will ask Retsu-sama when I am there if she will come see Guren - she was remarkably helpful when you were so close to losing your life, and I think she is the best person to see to him in his current comatose state. It seems as though he is fighting tooth and nail against something, deep inside of his body - his heart rate is elevated - but I do not know what caused it."

"Then I must do what I can too, as useless as I am with this feeble and worn out body," Seiren got unsteadily to his feet, glancing at Kinnya. "You have a better understanding of the situation and can sense danger more keenly than I can. What would you have me do?"

"If you are sure you are well enough, then I think this estate should be evacuated as soon as possible. Send the staff home and gather men to take Guren to the Nagoya estate." Kinnya said grimly. "I am sure you cannot sense it, but your visitors were not the only aggressors on site. When I arrived, I had the unpleasant experience of encountering a blast from the past here...and it's one that I'd rather you didn't have to see. Not least because right now, if you did see him, I suspect he'd kill you without a second thought."

"I don't understand," Seiren's brow creased in consternation, and Kinnya gestured towards the crypt and its surrounding haze of powerful kidou.

"It seems we were visited by an unfriendly neighbourhood necromancer," he said darkly. "They left, but left us a parting gift. Your father...no, let's be accurate. Your father's corpse, powered by a resentful and bitter Taiyourei...but I've sealed it away in the crypt and I trust my spells will hold it for some little time. I will come back and deal with it properly - but my priority is to ensure you are well enough to get the Clan Leader to safety, and that I can get his heir to a healer. Jun'ei is fine, but Shirogane isn't. He told me to see to you first, and I am obliged to obey him at present, given that, with Guren's incapacitation, Shirogane's authority supersedes all of us - but I don't like his colour and I would like to leave sooner rather than later."

Seiren's eyes narrowed to slits, and he turned to gaze across at the crypt.

"I can't see your spell, or what lies inside," he said softly. "I can make out a cloudy haze, but that is all. Maybe it is better that way. If Father is truly beyond that...I do not want to see what so many years have done to him. I will make arrangements to evacuate as soon as possible. I will ensure everything is ready to receive a healer at the Nagoya estate - and we will hope and pray that those men do not come back. I do not know who they are, but they sought information here...not lives. I worry that this was just a stopping point...and if they can defeat a leader like Guren-sama, then the whole of Seireitei is in grave danger."

"And I must help to raise the alarm," Kinnya agreed. "When you are safe at the Nagoya estate, you might send word to Keiichi so he can tell Jun'ei that you are well. He was very worried for your safety...he is fond of you, that child, isn't he?"

"I am his tutor," Seiren said mildly. "I have taught him good values, that is all."

"I see," Kinnya smiled despite himself. "Well, I will be able to bring good news of you to Ryuu as well, I imagine, when I reach Inner Seireitei. I'm glad that your will to live is as strong as ever. Even if you do sometimes need a stick these days, I imagine you have outpaced Death so often that even when it walks right into your family compound, it can barely touch you."

"I wonder," Seiren glanced back down at Guren's unconscious form. "I will do what I can for him, anyway. It isn't much, but it is my duty. Has word been sent to Futsuki?"

"I don't know, but Ryuu will, and I will ask him if Shirogane is unable to be coherent about it," Kinnya promised. "He should not come back here either, so I will ensure he does not."

"My life has always been for Guren's sake," Seiren said pensively. "I did not imagine a possibility of being the one left behind. A younger twin should not go before his older brother, Ojiue. It is not the way of things. I will do everything in my power to ensure that, when a healer arrives, Guren is still alive to be seen by them."

"Then I will trust that to you, and take Shirogane to find help," Kinnya nodded. "Guren is fortunate to have you to rely on."

"If only that were true," Seiren said wryly. "But I know my place, as his shadow, and I will not falter from his side."

With that he reached for his walking stick, moving carefully across the ground to where some of the other retainers were beginning to stir. Despite his disorientation and his concern for his brother, Seiren was immediately the commanding officer, giving instructions with no mind to the delicate heads or confused states of his subordinates, and Kinnya turned his attention back towards Shirogane, comforted that Seiren's warrior instinct had so quickly come to his aid.  
 _  
You have become a surprisingly reliable man since the events thirty years ago that almost shattered this family into pieces, and you have never let your lost reiryoku stop you from standing firm about this family's fortunes and needs. You are an excellent shadow and everything Senaya-nii hoped you would be when you were young, Seiren. Unfortunately, my brother will not be able to perceive it, as he is not there, not in spirit or in essence, either. It is a clumsy cadaver revived by an unknown mischief-maker and controlled by an angry goddess...I am not looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with Taiyourei, not given the circumstances, but it seems that I must, and that not even her sense of kinship to Raiurei is likely to mollify her dislike of me this time. Never mind. For now I need to let Seiren take care of his brother, and trust that what's left of mine is secure for the time being. I have a duty to Guren's heir, in case the worst happens...and Shirogane might have insisted I see to Seiren first, but he is not in good shape and I would rather have him seen by someone. It's not that any of his injuries are life-threatening - but he seems hazy and his eyes are blurry. Signs of the influence of someone's strong reiatsu, maybe even spiritual poisoning of some level due to extended exposure to such a toxic aura, and such cases can become more serious very quickly without the right help. Whoever he fought against slashed him up but toyed with him - it's not the blade that hurt him most, but the sheer gulf in spiritual power. Shirogane is not weak but he is still training to be the strong shinigami Guren is. If Guren could not match this man, Shirogane had no chance...but he fought anyway.  
_  
He sighed.  
 _  
The young are foolish sometimes. Oh well. I suppose that is why the old endure, to ensure the young don't get cut to ribbons before they have a chance to shine._

He slipped into shunpo, re-materialising at Shirogane's side.

"Seiren is fine," he said simply. "Groggy, but unhurt. He is going to evacuate the manor and take Guren to safety. He is chivvying retainers into action as we speak - and so we can leave that duty in his hands. More than anyone, Seiren's loyalty to Guren's welfare is unquestionable. We'll go to Inner Seireitei, get you to a healer, ask Retsu-sama to come see your uncle and then try and figure out what happened and what we can tell them."

"I'm all right, you know. I need to report...not...healer." Shirogane's words were becoming slurred, his eyes heavy, and Kinnya frowned.

"You're not all right," he said frankly. "I'm going to take you through shunpo, as the Gates are closed and a horse will take too long to get clearance for at the Seireitei entrance - not to mention, you'll fall right off the saddle and it'll be a waste of energy trying to keep you there. I can step quite far quite quickly, even at this ripe old age, but it may disorientate you. Try to bear with it, all right? It's for the best."

"Kinnya-sama, I want to report. I need to...Guren-sama..."

"I know, but you'll see a healer first," Kinnya scooped Shirogane up in his arms with little regard for either his own age or Shirogane's elevated rank, and the Vice Captain snorted, casting his kinsman a hazy glance.

"You should...listen to my...orders. With Guren-sama...you need to..."

"Protecting the heir to the Clan supersedes that," Kinnya told his companion firmly. "And besides, when have I really been that obedient to orders? My brother could tell you some stories about that - if he were in a better state than currently, which unfortunately for us both, he isn't. Guren would want me to make sure you were treated, and he is still Clan Leader, even if he is unwell. You may need to take the reins for him for a while - so you need to be fit and well. Unless you intend to shove the job off onto Ryuu and cause more bother for everyone by collapsing in similar style, because your son is a brave youth, but still very much a child."

"I won't...collapse. It didn't...work on me. I...fought...that's all. Tired..."

Shirogane's eyelids were drooping, and Kinnya sighed.

"Then hold on tight," he instructed. "We're going now."


	42. Sanctuary

**Chapter 41: Sanctuary**

"Shikiki! Shikiki, where are you? Retsu-sama is looking for you!"

Shikiki glanced up from where she had been neatly sorting piles of dried herbs into the right piles to be mixed into medicine, casting Madeki a startled glance. The Third Seat was unusually flustered, a look of anxiety in his dark eyes that immediately gave the young healer a sense of deep foreboding. Madeki was rarely given to drama, and, since his return from Rukongai some five years earlier, he had slotted back into his role with the minimum of fuss. Two years previously, Shikiki had been formally assigned to Madeki's research, scout and heal team, and in that time, she had come to understand the quiet, methodical and yet effective way in which her superior administered medicine. To see him so unsettled thus immediately indicated something major had happened and, with the event at Eleventh in such recent memory, Shikiki immediately set her handful of herbs aside.

"What is it?" She asked, wiping her hands down on the nearby towel as she did so. "Has Minaichi-taichou taken a turn for the worse? Is it one of the other officers? I was with that young recruit earlier, and he seemed to be doing well, but I haven't checked in on him in an hour or two. Eriko-dono said she would see to his bandages, but I suppose I lost track of time, and..."

"It's not Eleventh," Madeki shook his head, moving to take her by the arm and leading her out of the small sorting chamber into the long hallway beyond. "Minaichi-taichou is sleeping, still, and Eriko-dono has been assigned directly to his care. I'm to deal with the other Eleventh officers, and I will - but there's been another emergency incident. Retsu-sama has to go to Sixth District with some urgency. Guren-sama has been attacked and it seems that it's too serious to bring him here safely, so she's going there at once, even though it's late. There was a message from Edogawa in Fourth about something and when I went to give it to her, she said that she was entrusting matters here to us. But she also said there's a patient you need to see - in the circumstances, she thought it was best that it was you."

"Me?" Shikiki processed this at speed, sending her companion a troubled look as they hastened down the hallway towards the divisional triage. "That isn't a good sign. If it's me she wants..."

"I don't think it's like that," Madeki shook his head. "The patient is Kuchiki Shirogane-dono. He was also caught up in the attack - but his injuries don't seem as serious. Retsu-sama said that I should put you in charge of treating him, and I remember you have a prior friendship with the man. That, and your reiatsu is fairly neutral and inoffensive - and it looks like he's taken in a good deal of foreign reiatsu."

"Shirogane-nii?" Shikiki's eyes widened in dismay. "Madeki-dono, what on earth happened? What kind of an enemy can injure Guren-sama to such a degree that the Captain is in hurry to get to him?"

"All I know is that something attacked them - possibly rogue shinigami - but definitely not corpses," Madeki said grimly. "Kinnya-sama brought Shirogane-dono and they're both in the end bay of the triage. I'll hand over to you, as I should go check on that boy's bandages. Do what you can, Shikiki. If Guren-sama's hurt as badly as it sounds, it might be that you're treating the imminent head of the Kuchiki, and it's probably better for District Six if that goes well."

With that he was gone, patting her on the shoulder with a dark smile of encouragement, and Shikiki sighed, closing her eyes to compose herself.

 _No pressure_.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed back the door of the small sub-chamber, stepping purposefully inside. This area of triage was often busy with patients, but that evening it had been cleared, and only the very end bay was occupied. A figure lay on the bed, dark hair scattered against the pillow, and Shikiki hurried forward, aware both of the scent and sensation of blood in the young Kuchiki's aura. Kinnya was standing at the bedside, a grave look on his own features. Having grown up with Juushirou's family from a young age, Kinnya was as much grandfather to Shikiki as he was to the rest of the Ukitake brood, but in that moment, she could sense the prickling of his reiatsu and she knew that, on this occasion, it was Kinnya the shinigami who had come and it was far from a social call. Whatever had taken place in District Six, it had been enough to upset Kinnya beneath his outwardly calm demeanour, and she swallowed hard, half-wondering what exactly Retsu had gone to treat.

"Shirogane-nii?" She spoke the name hesitantly, and the injured man on the bed shifted slightly, turning his head to look at her. Though Shirogane was conscious, Shikiki could immediately see the haziness in his silver gaze, and she frowned, hurrying to the bedside.

 _Now isn't the time to wonder about Guren-sama or anything else. Now is the time to take care of what is in front of me, as a healer should - even if whatever happened might have implications for people I know well._

At her approach, Kinnya sent her a relieved look.

"I'm glad you're here, Shikiki," he said warmly. "Thank you for coming so quickly, though your comrade seemed sure you wouldn't be long. Now you are, I can trust this courageous fool to your care while I see to other important errands."

"I'm not a fool," Shirogane retorted bad-temperedly. "You would have fought, too. You're going back to fight, aren't you? I'm no more foolish. I had to...Guren-sama was..."

"I know," Kinnya cut across him, offering him a smile. "You're safe enough here, with Shikiki. And you're right. I would have fought and I will go back, too, to finish what was begun. Tomorrow, though - my spell will hold till then, and I have to make report to the Captains and anyone else who will listen. Retsu-sama is already making preparations to head to District Six on our behalf, so in return, you can surely humour me and allow Shikiki to take care of you?"

Shirogane sighed, but clearly knew he was beaten, for he nodded slightly, and Shikiki put a hand to his brow, frowning.

"You don't have a fever, but your eyes are all funny," she remarked. "You're covered in blood but none of these injuries are life-threatening. I can fix that, at least - if you'll let me. Then maybe you'll feel better and you'll be able to speak to the Captains about whatever happened in District Six."

She rubbed her hands together, a faint pink haze beginning to emit from between them, and slowly the energy spread out across Shirogane's battered body, covering the wounds caused by Kunimori's kidou and the fragmented pieces of Ginkyoujiki's blade.

"Ojiisama, who did this?" she asked softly, as Shirogane lay back against his pillow, closing his eyes. "Madeki-dono only told me there'd been an attack at the Kuchiki estate and that the Captain was needed there urgently, so they were going to entrust Shirogane-nii to me - but that's all."

"I don't really know," Kinnya admitted. "Shirogane probably does, but I'd rather he wasn't encouraged to talk too much until he's a better colour. Whoever he fought against was stupidly powerful. The reiatsu of two individuals is all over the Kuchiki estate, and one of those is also all over Shirogane's body. I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect it's the aura of a Royal Sword, and an experienced one - something Shirogane has no training to face, and probably wouldn't be able to defeat if Guren was unable to do so. Guren...I mean, Guren-sama is currently unconscious, though alive and I think, stable - but any enemy capable of taking him down is a terrifying prospect. For Shirogane to fight him...probably wasn't a very rational decision."

"I am still awake, you know," Shirogane opened one eye at this, gazing up at his great uncle in irritation. "I can hear you."

"I know," Kinnya assured him. "It doesn't make it any less true."

"Maybe," Shirogane acknowledged reluctantly. "But...Guren-sama is my uncle. I suppose...in that instant...I just...I couldn't stand it. That someone like Guren-sama...in such a stupid, simple way...I still don't understand it. I don't know what he did, but I wanted to make him tell me. So I fought him. He said his name was Kunimori. But that's all. An old man, dressed in old robes, like the corpses in the copse. I don't know who he was or what he wanted. Just that he hurt Guren-sama, so he's my enemy and I can't forgive him."

"All right, enough talking," Kinnya instructed. "You're still drunk on his reiatsu, and it's affecting your rationality."

"I'm not drunk on anything," Shirogane muttered, and Shikiki offered a faint smile.

"You definitely took a hit from some strong spirit energy," she reflected. "Kinnya-sama is probably right about that. I can't remove it, unfortunately - it'll have to work its way out on its own."

"I was concerned about spiritual poisoning. He was very grey when I arrived," Kinnya glanced at her, and Shikiki shrugged.

"A mild case, maybe, but I think the worst offender here is shock," she responded. "It's as you said. He fought someone he shouldn't have fought, in clearly emotive circumstances. That kind of thing takes a heavier toll on a soul than all the blades and battle in the world, sometimes."

She spread her fingers further up Shirogane's torso, strengthening the forcefield that covered his upper body.

"Probably it's what Retsu-sama would call reiatsu shock," she added. "A combination of hostile spiritual energy and physical force with a traumatic incident. The enemy's spirit power penetrated Shirogane-nii's bloodstream when he fired the kidou, and while I can knit up his wounds and prevent any infection, alien reiatsu is difficult to eradicate. Even for a healer - even for me."

She sighed.

"The last time I remember something like it was when I healed Juu-nii, after Kei...Keitarou possessed him," she added thoughtfully. "This isn't a case of possession, but, just like then, fragments of the spirit power from the fight are lingering around the wounds. I couldn't remove Keitarou's reiatsu or Shunsui-dono's from Juu-nii when he was injured, even if I could heal his heart and save his life. But this isn't as serious a case as that. It's here, and I can feel it, but I think it will dissipate on its own, and it's not enough to cause more lethal complications."

"So I am fit enough to speak to the Captains?" Shirogane looked hopeful at this, and Shikiki shrugged.

"I wouldn't say that," she said cautiously. "You might think you're fine now the pressure is off, but your body is telling me otherwise. You feel better now only because you are lying down. You broke through your own limits to stay alive in that fight - that effort doesn't come without consequences, and as I said before, emotive circumstances often mean a heavier toll on the patient. I would strongly advocate rest - a day or two at least. I won't drug you," as Shirogane eyed her mutinously, "I don't think I'll need to. I'll be surprised if you will be able to get up, when you've used so much energy. The most powerful medicines for emotional and physical exhaustion are the simplest - rest, nutrition and a quiet environment without too many external stimuli, and once I've knitted up these wounds, that's what I'll recommend."

She glanced up.

"If you intend to try and call a Captain's meeting this evening, Ojiisama, then I wouldn't support Shirogane-nii speaking at it," she added. "Right now he is in the best place for him and I anticipate a quick recovery - but not if he doesn't allow himself to heal."

"But I'm the only one who saw what happened," Shirogane objected. Shikiki nodded.

"Maybe. But the damage is to your spirit as well as to your body," she said gravely. "And with Guren-sama in an uncertain condition, the Kuchiki and Sixth Division will need you to be able to make decisions and even act accordingly. For that to be possible, you need to rest. You pushed yourself to the limit and went into survival mode in that combat, against a powerful and toxic level of reiryoku. Neither your body or your spirit can take any more tonight, not even if I heal you. You'll make yourself more unwell if you insist on getting up again so soon."

"I should go speak to Ryuu," Kinnya got to his feet. "I'll also try to speak to whoever is best to arrange a meeting. If need be, I'll come back here and listen to your testimony, Shirogane - and I'll take it forward to the Captains on your behalf. You should follow Shikiki's advice, and try to rest. The Kuchiki are going to be sent reeling by news of Guren-sama's incapacitation. It won't do if you buckle under the pressure as well."

"But..." Shirogane protested, and Kinnya shot him a sad smile.

"A Clan Leader's body is not always his own," he reminded his great nephew softly. "Sometimes decisions have to be made with the wider context in mind. Rest. Recover. Shikiki is right. The Kuchiki will need you in the coming days, so long as Guren is unable to take charge of things himself. As Seiren is doing what he can, back in District Six, you and I must now do our parts. I am sure Ryuu will help - but for now, you are alive and that is the most important victory. What you saw is important, and I will ensure the Captains hear it - but not necessarily direct from your lips. Not tonight. We are only able to fight so much before it catches up with us, and there are more crucial things for you to think about now than avenging Guren-sama's defeat."

With that he bowed his head slightly to Shikiki, then left the chamber, closing the door behind him.

"Ojiisama is worried about you, you know," Shikiki turned her attention back to the patient with a frown. "You should listen to him, too. Of everyone in your family, Kinnya-sama probably understands best what kind of thing happens in these circumstances. He's experienced and right now his advice carries merit. You realise it too, don't you?"

"Are you going to lecture me too?" Shirogane sounded resigned, and Shikiki nodded.

"You're alive," she said matter-of-factly. "As Ojiisama said, that your victory. I know you, Shirogane-nii. I know you are annoyed that you weren't able to defeat this opponent, or stop them. I know you wanted to - but you pushed yourself recklessly far. Maybe there's still some adrenaline left inside of you, driving you on, or maybe it's the impact of his reiryoku, but you must realise for yourself that you're in no fit state to speak before the Captains."

"My body feels heavy," Shirogane acknowledged. "But it's not that. It's not even the fact that I lost, or that he was so much more powerful than I am. I'm not Guren-sama, Shikiki. I'm still working at that - even though Guren-sama has trained with me towards obtaining Bankai, it's still far too hit and miss and too likely to backfire if I try to use it. I'm not ready for any of this - and fighting that battle told me it more clearly than anything else could. But I had to fight. I had to. Otherwise..."

He bit his lip, and Shikiki could see tears glittering against her companion's lashes.

"I remember when Ribari-sama died," he murmured. "This is the same feeling. That helplessness. That knowledge...that I was there...even though I was there...I couldn't help. I couldn't do anything."

"Guren-sama isn't dead," Shikiki reminded him gently. "Retsu-sama has gone to see him. If anyone can help him, she can. Ribari-sama was beyond saving, and I know how much that hurt you. But Guren-sama is different. He's strong. I'm sure he isn't planning on dying all that easily."

"But a Clan Leader should be able to hold his own and defend his kinsfolk from invading enemies," Shirogane said bitterly. "What am I, then, if I cannot even do that?"

"The person who attacked you is not a normal enemy," Shikiki said frankly. "Ojiisama is right. Like I said, I can sense his reiatsu too, all over your injuries. I don't know much about Royal Swords, Shirogane-nii, so I don't know if this person held one, but Ojiisama would probably know something like that. It's more than that, though. I've heard Retsu-sama say that Royal Swords are only truly powerful if the wielder can match the sword's intent and ambition - like Genryuusai-sensei, right? Whoever this person was, he'd been fighting this way a long time. It's ancient reiryoku - old and potent, like I have never felt before. And this is a person who was able to defeat Guren-sama. You shouldn't feel you failed because he was able to beat you."

"He said something..." Shirogane's eyes narrowed as he latched onto this, and Shikiki shifted her position, eying him quizzically.

"Something?"

"About Guren-sama. About not getting the Knowledge he expected from him, because he was too strong...?" Shirogane faltered, his eyes frustrated as he tried to draw his memory together. "I wish I remembered his exact words, but I was trying to keep guard over Seiren-dono, and then it all happened so fast...and he had the book and Guren-sama was down on the ground...but then he said it. Something like that. Guren-sama was strong - that Tenkyourei was not a Royal Sword, but maybe the son of, or trained by one. That's what he said. Whatever it was meant his technique didn't work properly. And when I challenged him, he said he'd do the same to me. Only...it didn't work on me at all. I don't know why - it doesn't make any sense and it didn't to him, either. My bloodline isn't like Guren-sama's, I'm only his nephew and not his son, and I'm two steps from Grandfather's Royal Blade. More importantly, I never trained with one, but Guren-sama did. He trained with Grandfather and Taiyourei, didn't he?"

"You're not making a whole lot of sense," Shikiki told him gently. "I don't really understand. Ojiisama will, though, when he gets back - if it's something to do with Royal Swords and his brother as well."

"Kinnya-sama has a Royal Sword too," Shirogane murmured. "When Kunimori backed off and agreed to let me be, he said something about the conflict alerting others. What if he sensed Kinnya-sama coming? What if he can't fight against another Royal Sword? Maybe that's the secret to defeating him, in which case..."

"In which case, you can report it to Ojiisama when he comes back," Shikiki said firmly. "I will restrain you here with kidou if I have to, so don't even think of breaking my barrier and trying to go to Sixth. I've told you before, Shirogane-nii - I don't have any time for rich and stupid people who want to go destroy themselves stupidly. Ojiisama said he'd come back, so at least do him the courtesy of waiting."

"You really don't stand on any ceremony with me, even now, do you?" Shirogane eyed her in resignation, and Shikiki smiled, shaking her head.

"You told me when I was a child that I could call you Shirogane-nii and no matter what, that's what you'd always be to me," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't care if you will be the next head of the Kuchiki Clan. You are still prone to reckless and stupid Clan behaviour, which at your age, and given the fact you're married with children, is unforgivable. Your poor wife would be having kittens if she knew how little you valued your own life and body, and what about your son? I haven't met him, but from what Ojiisama said, he's still young. Do you want him to bear all these burdens because you stupidly threw your life away? Maybe you had to fight earlier - I won't argue with that, because in the circumstances, I'm not sure what other choice you had. But here, now, you don't have to. You especially don't have to fight me, and even if you did, you won't win. In your current state, I am more than able to hold you and I will do it, if need be - but you will be the one explaining the kidou restraints to any anxious kinfolk or wellwishers that come calling."

Shirogane sighed, but held up his hands feebly in surrender.

"Point taken and message understood," he acknowledged. "I don't want that. And I know you're right - you and Kinnya-sama both. I just dislike being helpless. I can't help but remember Ribari-sama, and Shikiki, Guren-sama has been like a father to me, as well as a mentor, for so long. The Clan needs him - they look up to him - but I suppose, deep down, I'm just afraid. Afraid of filling the void he'll leave, and afraid of dealing with the aftermath of an enemy strong enough to take him down. I've always had confidence in myself and my ability, but this...I'm not ready. It's pitiful and weak, but I'm not. Today proved it. If Guren-sama dies...I'm not ready."

"I am sure Guren-sama felt like that, when his father died," Shikiki sat back, regarding Shirogane's chest critically as she judged whether or not the wounds had fully sealed over. "Senaya-sama was something of a legend, isn't that what you told me? And he had a Royal Sword, you just said so. Don't you think Guren-sama was afraid, too, when he had to take control?"

"Grandfather did die suddenly," Shirogane admitted. "And there was...a lot of unrest around it. I suppose I never thought of it like that. Guren-sama had Seiren-dono and Futsuki-dono, like I have Ryuu, but...ultimately he had to take control himself, didn't he? And when Ribari-sama died, even then...he had to take charge. He had to...put himself beyond things like grief and fear and uncertainty, otherwise the Clan would have crumbled. I knew it, but for the first time I'm really considering it. My son was at that estate. If not for Seiren-dono's courage and sense, he might have been caught up in it and I would have been in that position, going forward with the Clan in mind while dealing with my personal grief. I'm seeing in real terms for the first time - what it means, to take on that mantle. What I agreed to, thirty years ago - and maybe, why Ryuu decided it wasn't his path. He knew then that he was better suited to being the shadow and the support...but am I really more suited to being the leader?"

"That's up to you," Shikiki reflected. "But Guren-sama is still alive, and Retsu-sama will help him, if she can. It's probably not time to think about all these things, especially when you're so tired. If and when the moment comes, then you'll find your own way to handle it. But you won't be on your own, just like Guren-sama wasn't. And you'll find your own way through, just like he did. You don't have to become him to be a great Clan Leader, do you?"

"I wonder," Shirogane's expression became troubled. "I don't know. And right now, Shikiki...I just hope and pray I'm not about to find out."

* * *

With the fear of the unknown sword and the unknown chamber behind them, it had not taken Kikyue and her three companions long to force open the wooden door that marked the entrance to the next chamber. Unlike the previous, this room looked relatively normal, with sconces for kidou flames and, as Hashimori tentatively lit the nearest, the light flared out to reveal a collection of scrolls and ancient manuscripts, each tied together and placed in a particular location corresponding to a specific phonetic sound. As Itou had closed the door behind them, Kikyue had realised that the entrance was also covered with bookshelves full of more scrolls and documents, as the room was covered with them from almost floor to ceiling. Despite the apparent earthquake they had just managed to survive, not a single book here had fallen from any shelf, and, as the four shinigami walked around it, it seemed a far cry from the horror they had just escaped.

"It's a library," at length, Taizaki voiced the obvious, putting his hands on his hips and gazing around him pensively. "I don't suppose I can read half the titles, they're written in old script and some of them are faded beyond belief. But that's what it is, isn't it? A library. A collection of books."

"Maybe even a collection of books from the people exiled here, writing about their experiences," Hashimori frowned. "I don't suppose we should trust it too much, though. After what just happened...the answers might be here, but I'm a little wary to investigate further."

"We don't know what happened to Sanekata up there, but the shaking and the destruction didn't spread here," Kikyue reflected. "It's as though that room was entirely in its own space. Look. We came in here from...over there," she pointed, "but I can't see the door now. Can you?"

"It's as though it vanished. As though that room isn't really there at all," Itou ran his fingers along the line of the wall with a sigh. "I can't even feel a door now, even though one was there. I don't know. It doesn't make any sense to me. Another barrier? Is that what this is?"

"I think, if there's a barrier, it's up there," Hashimori mused. "That room felt strange, and behaved strangely. There was light, but nothing to create light. There was a corpse that moved and a sword capable of...who knows what. And nothing except that one word. Void. Just that."

"Void..." Kikyue's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Void. Why do I feel like that means something?"

"Well, it means void," Taizaki reflected, and Hashimori reached across to cuff the young officer across the back of the head.

"If you don't want us reporting to your family about your tragic death in action, I suggest you don't give Kikyue-hime cheek," he said darkly. "This isn't a game, and just because you're still in shock from what just happened isn't an excuse to be cocky."

"Sorry, sir, Sorry, Kikyue-hime," Taizaki reddened, bowing his head apologetically in Kikyue's direction. "I didn't mean it that way. I just...I guess...it was a shock. Sanekata, I mean. Just...I can deal with someone dying in battle, it's part of life, but...he just vanished. Like that light swallowed him up. And then..."

"The corpse moved and took the sword back," Kikyue said slowly. "The sword...in the character Void."

"Hime?" Hashimori shot her a concerned look. "I don't think we should bother too much about that sword. It's clearly dangerous, and that's all we need to know."

"No..." Kikyue shook her head, moving along the rows of shelves until she reached the right phonetic character. Gently she touched her finger to the shelf.

"Void," she said softly. "Look. These aren't all filed phonetically or alphabetically. This one is different. It says it here. Void. It's written here with the character we just saw on that wall."

"But the shelf is empty," Itou objected. "There's nothing here."

"If there's one thing that I've learned from being here, is that seeing and believing are not necessarily members of the same family in this place," Kikyue ran her fingers carefully along the edge of the shelf, feeling all around it for any gap or crevasse that might indicate a separation between the ledge and the shelf beyond. "Every other shelf in this room has scrolls or volumes of some kind stuffed onto them. Why would it be just this space - the space labelled 'void' - where nothing is written?"

"Maybe it was removed. Hidden," Taizaki suggested. Hashimori shrugged.  
 **  
**"Taizaki has a point," he agreed pensively. "When something is removed it generally means it's something worth knowing, and whatever was up there is clearly something worth hiding, so it might make sense that it wouldn't be out on display."

"But then why go to all the trouble of sealing this space and hiding it, if the information relating to it isn't here?" Kikyue pointed out.

"Hime, please, stop," Hashimori said anxiously. "We just lost one of our men because we intruded on this Void whatever it was. If any harm befell you the Captain would never forgive any of us - or himself for sending you. We don't know enough about this space to take risks."

"Hashimori-san is right, hime," Itou spoke gravely. "Whatever it is, there's nothing on the shelf. We're all going to remember about 'Void', so we can report on it when we get back. We don't need to dig around for it now. That's not why we're here."

"I suppose not," Kikyue looked frustrated, but she nodded, acknowledging the sense of her companions. Reluctantly she stepped back from the shelf, brushing her fingers against her shihakushou with a sigh. "I just don't like not knowing my enemies, that's all. If that thing up there was an enemy, and not just an elaborate security device."

"Some security," Taizaki murmured. Kikyue nodded. **  
**  
"I'm sure that Void means something," she reflected. "Something relating to that sword. Something to do with the Soul King and an old legend. Souja-nii told me it once, and I'm sure it came up again, five years ago - after Keitarou died. Something Father told me. Something to do with that Kohaku kid - the one at Thirteenth. Because his sword was...special too. Something to do with the Soul King."

"Aizen Kohaku's sword is somehow tied up with this?" Hashimori looked confused. "Hime, we're not even in Seireitei. Unless you think this is the connection to Katsura, in which case..."

"I am currently not seeing any connection to Katsura, annoyingly, and it's not that what just happened is to do with Kohaku," Kikyue shook her head. "The story Souja-nii told me was about ten swords given by the Soul King to protect Seireitei. But in the story, only nine of them ended up in Seireitei itself. The tenth disappeared. The tenth was the Void sword, so the stories suggest it basically disappeared into nothingness. But what if it didn't? What if it disappeared somewhere else. Like here."

"That's a leap, Hime." Itou looked doubtful. "An old legend from Seireitei and this place have not much in common."

"But there _was_ a great big Void character on the wall of that chamber. And Sanekata did vanish into nothing at all," Hashimori reasoned. "And that sword was...strange. It looked...old. I know we've been talking about shinigami from a long time ago, but that sword was different. It looked older. Besides, now you mention it, Hime, I've heard this story, too. It is just a legend, true enough, but the Royal Swords do exist. They're meant to be reincarnated into really powerful souls. Genryuusai-sensei has one of them. I remember him telling us about it."

"You went to the Academy, like Souja-nii," Kikyue realised, and Hashimori nodded.

"I did," he agreed. "Because Hirata-sama did. Father thought that, if the head of the Clan could be educated there, so should I be. He thought it would be a good way to curry favour, I suppose. Souja-sama was a first year when I was a Senior, I remember that."

He sighed.

"I am sure he probably heard the story from Sensei, too, somewhere," he added. "And that's why he knew it to tell you, Hime."

"Well, does anything in this story mention corpses coming to life and grabbing their swords like that?" Itou asked. Kikyue shook her head.

"No. And father mentioned it to me because of Kohaku's sword, because he and Juushirou-dono thought it was one of them, not because of the Void part," she replied. "I think he only told me to reinforce the order to leave well alone and let Juushirou-dono handle it, just in case I had any residual desire to go kill Kohaku to avenge Niisama. I know Kohaku helped Niisama, so I didn't, and I forgot about it until now. We came here to investigate the corpses coming out of the Dangai, but I don't feel like what happened in that room was connected to that. I mean, I don't know for sure, but to me what was inside that stone coffin was dead. Pure, sterile, empty and dead. Even if it did grab the sword...I feel like that was done by the sword, not the body. It didn't get up. It didn't talk to us, fight us, or anything. It was like the sword was waiting for someone to find it. And we did. And..."

"And the cost of entering the library like this and accessing all these records was the cost of someone's life?" Hashimori paled. Kikyue shrugged.

"A good way of protecting things, don't you think?" she asked astutely. "If this archive was written by the person in that coffin, maybe, when they died, they wanted to keep it secure. I don't know who they were or why they came here. We don't even know whether it was a man or a woman, because the layers of _reiryoku_ were so thick. But if this was their knowledge and their research, maybe this was a good way to protect it."

"Maybe they came here to get away from Seireitei," Taizaki said soberly. "And then Seireitei started throwing criminals at them, so they did something to protect their knowledge from people like Kunimori-dono and Tokitori-dono."

"Hime, hang on a minute," Itou let out an exclamation. "You just said something about Royal Swords, right? Ten of them? That's what you said?"

"Yes," Kikyue looked startled. "Ten Royal Blades given by the Soul King. Why?"

"Well, maybe I'm just grasping at straws," Itou said evenly, "but over here it says something like that. I can't read it all - it looks like a string of characters, and I've no idea how any of it is meant to make sense. But the first few characters say Ten Royal Blades...I think."

"Let's see," Kikyue crossed the chamber to peer at the shelf her comrade had indicated, reaching up to brush away the dust that lingered over the characters. Beneath, the text read as follows.

十皇劔｜陽月賊鳳龍兵鏡名諝虚

"Ten Royal Blades," she murmured. "In old characters, but I'm sure that's what it says. Then the rest...looks like a list. Maybe it's a list of the swords. Look, there's Void, right at the end."

"Then the rest?" Hashimori came to join her, running a tentative finger beneath the kanji as he tried to work out the meaning.

"Let's see. If we're talking about something really old, they'll probably all be separate words, rather than a compound," Kikyue pressed her lips together. "They're a bit dusty, but I can make them out. I think I can read... _Hi...Tsuki...Zoku...Ootori...Ryuu..._ or it may be _Tatsu_ , I suppose. Then the next one looks like. _..Tsuwamono_? After that it's _Kagami, Na, Satoi_ , and _Utsuro_. If we're thinking of them as names of swords in a list, then we've got Sun, then Moon...Zoku is probably Rebel, and then Phoenix. Dragon, obviously, and then, Soldier, Mirror, Name...Knowledge? Or maybe 'Treason'? I'm not sure which meaning is more correct here. And finally, that's definitely Void."

"Well, whatever it means, there's a whole shelf of material on it," Itou remarked. "All scrolls. They look pretty old."

"They do," Kikyue carefully took one down, unrolling it slowly and gazing at the characters within. "I can't read this. It's all in old script and handwritten into the bargain, in a type of cursive I can't read. I don't suppose anyone in Seireitei can read it, to be honest. It looks old enough to disintegrate if we were to try and take it beyond this room."

She rerolled the scroll with a sigh, putting it back on the shelf. "Not that it's what we're here to research, really, but after what happened to Sanekata...I thought we might be able to take back an explanation with us."

"But it probably is pretty old, if you're right about the Void sword," Taizaki pointed out. Kikyue shrugged.

"That depends," she said thoughtfully, "on how long the person with the Void sword lived. I mean, Genryuusai-sama is pretty old, right?" she glanced at Hashimori, who nodded. "Maybe these swords prolong lifespans."

"Perhaps they do," Itou looked doubtful. "But this Void person is probably older than that, right? I mean, if this was something about the Soul King?"

"It's hard to know for sure," Kikyue admitted. "But there's probably something in Seireitei somewhere which can tell us that. In any case, these scrolls aren't going to survive us taking them back through any kind of Dangai, so they'll have to stay here. Whether any scout parties from the Urahara will be able to find this place or not, I don't know. It's a shame, but scrolls are more delicate than books in general."

"There is one book on that shelf," Hashimori moved aside a couple of the scrolls. "It looks old, too - handwritten and stitched together roughly at the spine - but it is a book, not a scroll. It also has the characters for Ten Royal Blades on the front, hime - but the inside looks pretty scrawly - I can't make much out."

"It might stand the journey back, though," Kikyue took the volume, turning it over carefully in her hands. On the back, in cursive script, she could just about make out a series of fading characters, and she frowned, confused at their appearance.

"This is written entirely in phonetic script," she murmured. "No kanji. Just syllables. But it uses a lot of old characters - things which we don't use in writing any more. I remember my tutor back home was obsessed with teaching me to read and write all of them, so I could read some dusty classics tucked away in the family library - but maybe it was a good thing after all."

"Can you read what it says?" Taizaki asked, and Kikyue nodded.

"I think so," she agreed. "It looks like a name. Maybe the author. Let's see. A...Akinami-no-Munazora-no-Mikoto. I think that's it. I think that's what it says."

"That's a long name," Hashimori commented, and Kikyue frowned, running her fingers over the words.

"Without kanji, it's hard to guess meaning," she murmured, "but I can't help wondering if the ' _muna_ ' in this name is the character from _utsuro_ we saw above - as in _munashii,_ or empty. And the character ' _sora_ ' can mean sky, but it can also mean void or empty as well, can't it? Maybe I'm reaching, but I just..."

She sighed, pausing for a moment, then carefully sliding the volume into her obi.

"We'll try to take it back," she decided. "Whatever it is, it might be important to someone and it's proof we've been here, at least. Besides, I might be wrong, but I think 'mikoto' is an old word indicating someone of divine blood - as in, originally came from Heaven. A lot of the ancient royal deity type figures in the really old dusty classics I mentioned have _mikoto_ in their name. And these are Royal Swords...so maybe this is something about them that's worth having. Something that can tell us how this place can be safely investigated without any more loss of life to that sword, if nothing else...because you know the Urahara are going to want to come here the moment they know about it."

"But first, we need to find a way out of here," Taizaki reflected. "The door has gone."

"But there must be one," Itou reasoned. "Otherwise, how did the person in that coffin get in and out? Even if they did have a mad sword that could make people vanish...you still need a door to get in and out."

"We don't know how the coffin got there," Taizaki bit his lip. "A corpse can't bury itself. Maybe someone buried them here and then sealed the room up behind them?"

"And then what? Disintegrated into dust?" Itou arched an eyebrow.

"Well, given what happened to Sanekata, we can't rule it out, surely?" Taizaki shrugged. "Or maybe it was the sword. Maybe the sword buried them, then sealed the room."

"Now you're getting stupid," Itou snorted. "The sword might be powerful enough to make someone vanish, but even though it was creepy, the hand coming out of the coffin was probably just the sword resonating with the pure aura like some kind of magnetism. What you're suggesting is that a sword somehow got down from the wall and built a coffin for its wielder."

"It doesn't matter either way," Kikyue took a hand. "How the coffin was built isn't solving how we get out of here. Itou is right. There must be a door of some kind somewhere."

"Not necessarily in the walls, though," Hashimori pointed up, and Kikyue glanced up at the ceiling, noticing as she did so that there was a square panel set into the stone. She nodded.

"This is turning into a treasure hunt," she reflected. "Before we try to get that open, however, Sanekata died for us to get in here. I don't know what we might find in here, but before we leave, let's see if there's anything else that might be sturdy enough and of use to take back to Seireitei. Anything about this place and what it is...anything at all. At least then we can tell Taichou that Sanekata died in the pursuit of knowledge...and right now, however inadvertently, it seems like that's what he did."

* * *

"And that's all you can tell me?"

Ryuu cast his great Uncle a troubled look, closing the door of the Vice Captain's office and leaning up against it with a sigh. "I'm glad to know Father is well, but to think someone could so easily take out Guren-sama. I will make it a priority to go see Senpai as soon as possible, but in the meantime, what can I do to help?"

"Retsu-sama is leaving immediately for District Six, and will see Guren tonight, if she is able," Kinnya reflected. "I want to call a meeting of Captains, if I can, and she knows that by going, she will not be there, but she and I both feel that Guren's health is a concern and a priority and she can catch up with the details later. I told her that I would organise the meeting and I've promised Shirogane to take his testimony there if he is unable to - but I don't really know the procedure or how to bring it about. I've always kept my distance from Inner Seireitei - well, a relic like me has no place here in the middle of the Gotei."

"On the contrary, I am quite relieved to see you, given the circumstances," Ryuu's grey eyes became grave. "Guren-sama incapacitated. Senpai injured. And Grandfather...risen from the dead. If you were not reporting these things to me as an eye-witness, I confess, I might find them hard to believe."

"I wish they were false," Kinnya said grimly. "I could well have done without seeing my brother's corpse walk - though, fortunately, he is not decayed or grotesque. Ironically I believe he'd have approved of that - if he must rise from his grave and terrorise people, at least he is doing it with the best possible face and an immaculate mausoleum coiffure."

There was a note of faint irony in his tones, but Ryuu frowned, shaking his head.

"It should not happen, and you do not have to make light of it," he said softly. "I have seen my father, mutated into a monster and I wish I had never had to experience such a thing. For you to see your brother in such a way must have been disturbing. Grandfather is dead and we must return him to his rest as quickly and peaceably as possible - but, as with Father's case, I suspect the intervention will not be easy to carry out."

"No, it won't," Kinnya pursed his lips. "Guren told you to come here and maintain command, though, and I would expect you to keep to those instructions unless Shirogane, when he is feeling better, changes them. I will go and deal with Senaya-nii - or rather, Taiyourei. I hadn't realised that she had built up so much resentment against me, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. My relationship with Senaya-nii was always an interesting one - but there is nothing in that corpse that belongs to my brother. Eiminyaku stole every vestige of him away, and perhaps that is the most distressing part about this. Were it truly Senaya-nii...but Taiyourei is using his voice and his body and would have killed Guren and Seiren, too, probably, before I intervened. Senaya-nii would not have wanted that - he loved your father and your uncle more than his own life, as I think you well know. Unfortunately it seems he loved them more than he did his bond with Taiyourei, and apparently hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, even one within a spirit blade. Taiyourei is a Sun Goddess, and apparently, she resents being confined in a dark, cold crypt because of my brother's sentimentality. Since it's me she holds most responsible, and since I am probably best positioned to fight her, I will go back tomorrow and attempt to lay my brother's corpse to rest. But it does complicate the issue. The corpse attacks of which I've read reports have all been mindless zombies fighting with no regard for themselves. But this is not a zombie. This is a _zanpakutou_ spirit with a vendetta manipulating a corpse which she believes to still be her property, and which lacks any will or consciousness of its own to oppose her. It will probably take a sword like Raiurei to bring her down."

"I cannot argue with your logic, but I ask you to take care," Ryuu sighed heavily. "Ukitake would be grieved to lose you, and, I believe, so would the Kuchiki as a whole - myself included. Thank you for ensuring my father is well, and for taking charge of Senpai's son at your manor, by the way. You may not choose to be at the heart of things, but I fear you are still irreplaceable to this family, even though you have retired."

"My brother charged me with that duty, and I still believe in it, whatever else I might do," Kinnya looked sheepish. "It is nice to hear it, though. I am fond of you all, as it happens...otherwise I might not charge so recklessly to the rescue."

"I think you would," Ryuu's lips twitched into a humourless smile. "You and Ukitake share that impulse - to do good and to help, even if it means danger and inconvenience to you directly."

"Possibly he inherited that trait from me," Kinnya admitted.

"In the meantime, though, you asked about a Captain's meeting," Ryuu frowned, becoming serious once more. "I do not have that authority, as a Third Seat, but I know who does. The Captain Commander at present is Kyouraku Shunsui, the Captain of the Eighth. I know you are acquainted with him - and I imagine he would be receptive to calling an emergency gathering if you should ask. Would you like me to send word to him? That I could do."

"No...I will go speak to him myself," Kinnya decided. "You have enough to do here, especially when word begins to get out about Guren's condition. It took me a couple of turns to find the Sixth, but I imagine, if I keep on this path, I'll eventually end up at the Eighth."

"You will," Ryuu assured him. "And I will do as you ask of me - but Kinnya-sama, if I can be of further assistance, you only have to ask. I do not really wish to fight a battle against my dead grandfather, nor do I feel confident in hunting the enemy capable of laying my uncle out cold with just a few words - but if it is required of me, I understand my duty and will act. You need not hesitate."

"I suggest you put yourself at Shirogane's disposal, and help him as much as you can," Kinnya sighed. "He's shaken by this, as well as injured, but the wounds will heal and he will recover. I think he's realising, perhaps, the reality and the brutality through which one can become Clan Leader. With you alone, Ryuu, I will be frank. Guren was alive when I saw him, but quite unconscious. Whilst your father recovered quickly from the Kidou spell that laid him out, whatever cursed Guren was something more evil. His heart rate was quicker than usual, and I felt as though he was fighting something - but I don't know what. All I know is that Tenkyourei was drawn, but sealed on the ground beside him, as though he dropped it...and there was no trace of Guren's native reiatsu around his body. I don't know how to explain his symptoms - I've never seen or heard of a technique capable of doing anything like it before. I hope Retsu-sama may be able to help...but..."

"You fear she may not?" Ryuu looked troubled, and Kinnya nodded.

"I have not said so to Shirogane, not while he is so worn out," he agreed grimly, "but I am not confident as to whether your uncle will wake up, Ryuu. My instinct when I reached the scene was to get Shirogane away - as he was the one I felt certain I could save. Your father did not need my help, but Guren...was grey and pale and I admit, I was willing to leave him there, even exposed and in danger, because...in the circumstances..."

"Saving the heir means saving the Clan, even if it means sacrificing the Clan Leader," Ryuu bit his lip. "Harsh logic, Kinnya-sama. Even for you."

"I am fond of Guren," Kinnya admitted. "Retsu-sama will do all she can, and if she can find a cure, then I will be the happiest of men - but I am not sure if it is possible. Without understanding the technique used, it will be difficult. At best, he may linger in a comatose state. Even if he wakes, I don't know what kind of person he will be. The lost reiatsu concerns me. It almost felt as though his soul had been sucked from his body, leaving only the physical form behind. It reminded me of your grandfather when he died, and seeing him there only freshened the recollection. I am afraid, Ryuu, that Guren may be spiritually dead...and if that's the case, Shirogane will need you. So I need you to promise me to stay here - just in case the worst occurs. Jun'ei is far too young, but you are not. You are Shirogane's shadow, and for all his pride and confidence, he is still learning the ropes of Clan Leader. I hope I am mistaken - but in case I am not..."

"I will keep it in mind," Ryuu nodded sombrely. "I hope you are wrong, too, but I trust your judgement. I will remain here, as you ask - and I will do what I can for my Clan and my Division. You have my word."

* * *

 _ **A** **uthor's Note**_

 _Am I the only one who sees a Shikiki/Madeki pairing?_


	43. Midnight Summons

**Chapter 42: Midnight Summons**

"Retsu-sama, thank you for coming,"

Seiren greeted the head of the Unohana with a solemn bow, gesturing for her to follow him through the hallways of the Nagoya Estate. Though much smaller than that belonging to the main Kuchiki line, the Nagoya property was sizeable enough to act as an effective place of retreat in circumstances such as this, and for Retsu, as she climbed the stairway towards the chamber in which the unfortunate Guren currently slept, it was not the first visit. In the previous three decades she, or members of her squad, had occasionally been called upon to administer healing in this place, but never in all her time doing so had Guren been among the injured.

"I appreciate it must have been of great inconvenience to come here so swiftly, especially at night and with the Dangai closed. I am grateful for your compassion in this matter."

"It was an emergency, and this is my vocation," Retsu offered a faint smile, taking in as she did so the slightly stiff movement of her companion as they reached the upper landing. Thirty years ago, Retsu had been forced into a medical gamble to try and save the life of this man, whose history of ill health and poisonous levels of spirit power had almost driven him to Hollowfication. Now, three decades on, Retsu could see that the strength of will that had characterised the stubborn Seiren through his fight for life had not left the man and, despite his lack of discernable reiatsu and his increasingly laboured mobility, there was a resolve and purpose running through his frame as they approached the furthermost bedchamber. Seiren was also not fully fit, she could tell this, and she knew, for Kinnya had told her, that he had also been the victim of a powerful spell that had rendered him unconscious. In spite of this, it was Guren's health that was foremost on the other man's mind - that bond of loyalty between a Clan Leader and his shadow.

"You are not entirely well yourself, Seiren-dono," she added now, as Seiren pushed back the door of the chamber, stepping back to allow his companion inside. "You took a blow too, I believe. I hope you will allow me to assist you too, while I am here."

"I don't think that I have much which you are able to repair," Seiren offered the Unohana a sad smile. "Perhaps a slight hangover from the spell and a few bruises, but I am pleased to report that I don't think I was concussed by the fall's impact. I am stiff, but I am more tired and worried than actually unwell. I grant that my life has been saved by you before, so perhaps I am insulting your skill with such a declaration. But for me, I think, age and past injury have just begun to catch up with me a little more. I was knocked out, as were many of the retainers at the main house, but they are minor bruises and if I am truthful, they linger more in my pride than they cause me discomfort. I would probably feel them more if I were forced to rest, and I would rather be of use to my Clan at present, even if that use is very little indeed."

"You are not walking with your stick," Retsu observed, and Seiren shrugged.

"I do not need it always," he replied, "but I admit, perhaps tonight I dislike having it more than I normally do. It reminds me of how feeble this body has become, although I realise that was the cost of choosing for you to save my life all those years ago, and I will not complain about it. My brother needs your help, Retsu-sama. I do not know what is wrong with him, and I can do nothing to aid him - but I am relieved you are here now. He is still breathing, but though we have tried, we cannot rouse him. He seems grey and pale, and somehow, unlike himself. Almost as though he were half a corpse...as though he is not there, although I know that makes no sense. He is alive, and yet..."

He frowned, shaking his head.

"Bad things happened at the main house today," he concluded briefly. "I am amazed that they did not result in a significant loss of life, and I should be grateful they did not, but I confess, I find it hard to be glad when faced with my brother in this pitiful state."

"In that regard, I believe the Kuchiki have been fortunate," Retsu said gravely, moving to kneel at Guren's side, and reaching automatically for his wrist to take the man's pulse. "It is scant fortune when your Clan Leader is rendered in such a state, I agree, but he is alive, Seiren-dono. I can feel his pulse. Kinnya-sama told me that he felt Guren-sama was fighting against something, and that his heart was beating more quickly than usual. I would agree with that judgement. Guren-sama is resting, and his pulse rate should reflect that, but it does not. Still, it remains strong enough that I do not think his heart is about to give way."

"That is a relief," Seiren sank down into a seat on the other side of the bed, and Retsu noticed the missing walking stick propped up against this chair. Seiren had sat guard over his brother himself until her arrival, she realised, and the real reason for the stick's absence on their greeting had probably been Seiren's urgency to bring help to Guren's side.

"How many people do you have here at present?" she asked softly, and Seiren shrugged.

"The Nagoya Estate has a skeleton staff, but my brother and the squad were using it for manoeuvres this morning," he said thoughtfully. "Perhaps yesterday as well. I know that Ryuu was ordered to take the squad back to Inner Seireitei, so there are no longer shinigami here. The manor has permanent domestic staff, however it is a very small one given the frequent disuse of the estate. If you need anything in particular, though, I have people I can call on to complete those tasks. I brought retainers here from the main house, and while a few are still dazed from the attack, most have shaken off the after-effects and are ready and willing to help."

"But no shinigami?" Retsu asked. Seiren shook his head.

"No," he agreed, "and my own manservant is not currently here either. I believe from the word of the groom here that he was sent by Guren to the North with a message for my other brother, Futsuki. Guren wanted to ensure the safety of Shirogane's family, and it is some ride, even for Shibata. I trust he will return here when he has completed that instruction - but I am at your disposal, if I can assist. Everyone here is. Guren is a very important person - not just because of his role in the Clan, but as family, too."

"Indeed." Retsu reached across to touch Guren's brow, pursing her lips. "He shows no sign of fever, which can often cause an elevated heart-rate. He does not feel cold, either, which is a good sign. However I cannot discern any significant reiatsu from him at present. That concerns me. It makes me wonder what nature of spell attacked him."

"Can you help him?" Seiren asked softly. Retsu shrugged.

"I am not sure, at present," she admitted. "It is harder to break a spell when you do not know how it was cast, or what its properties are. This is not an injury, per se, at least not to his body, and nor is it illness. It seems to me that Guren-sama's soul has taken the force of the attack, and it is his soul which is grievously wounded at present. Nonetheless, he is fighting, and I do not believe he is in imminent danger of losing the battle."

"Perhaps it is a battle of wills," Seiren suggested, and Retsu nodded.

"If it is a curse, then that is possible," she agreed. "If not, then I am not sure. But you may be right. From the condition I find him in, I am concerned about what must have happened. It strikes me that a spell capable of taking down Guren-sama with such ease is probably likely to be lethal to most individuals who fall foul of it...and as I understand it, the one who cast the spell is still at large."

"Then that is why you asked about shinigami being here," Seiren's expression darkened. "I see. Well, I have seen these individuals before, although I can remember nothing from the encounter involving my brother, as I was unconscious. Nonetheless, every man here would fight to the death to protect Guren's life. Myself included, if need be - you need not concern yourself with that."

"For a healer, all lives are equally precious," Retsu chided gently. "I no more want you or your men to sacrifice their lives here than I want to see Guren-sama take further harm."

"Well, sometimes, as a soldier, you learn that it can be one thing or the other," Seiren said frankly. "I am not Guren. I am his shadow. My life is for his sake...and I must give it if need be. I confess, I am rather more perturbed that I might end up being the one who lives longer. We are twins, and so we entered this world together. Even when we fought so much as children, we were still constant presences in each other's lives. Now, as adults, we share a good bond and working relationship and it is one I value greatly. I had never imagined such a scenario - my ill health thirty years ago and my lack of spirit power surely means my lifespan ought to be outstripped by his, but...here we are. More, I am the one who sent word to him about the threat. I did not imagine...but I somehow feel that by doing so, I helped to bring this horrendous thing about."

"Life is never certain, but that is one of its charms as well," Retsu reflected, gently lifting Guren's eyelids one by one to examine the eyes beneath. They were empty, she thought, as though Guren himself was no longer there. "You have certainly proven to me that your strength of will is equal to most challenges. Before I leave here, I will put a fresh kidou barrier around the Estate and hope that it will keep further danger away, so that you and your men can concentrate on your vigil. You have done well for many years, to serve your Clan in the way you have. I will do all I can to help your brother, but if I cannot, you must not blame yourself. You have done nothing that he could reproach you for - indeed, your actions probably protected the future of your Clan, by putting yourself in danger and sending the young one away."

"Shirogane was there too," Seiren remembered. "Is he all right? I remember that Ojiue was worried about him."

"I do not believe he sustained any wound that threatens his life," Retsu assured him. "He is battered and dazed but he is with my healers now. I am certain he will live and make a full recovery."

"Good," Seiren looked relieved. "Guren would be glad about that, I think - that whatever happens to him, the family is secure. If watching over him till the end is the last thing I can do for him, at least I can say that I did my utmost as his shadow to ensure that the Clan was protected, and so did Kinnya-sama as well."

"I don't believe Guren-sama is dying, yet, but I am not sure that he will wake any time soon," Retsu decided. "I need to know more about the spell cast over him. I will probably have to speak to Shirogane-dono about what he saw, in order to properly understand how to treat this - if indeed I am able to treat it at all. All I can do for now is use some gentle Kidou to support his body as it fights for survival. I will give him the best chance I can, Seiren-dono, but without knowing more, stabilising his condition is the most I can manage."

"It seems a good place to begin," Seiren replied grimly. "To think that my father was there, roaming the estate. Had it really been him, I would have struggled to assure him that I had met all my obligations."

"Your father?" Retsu paused, gazing at Seiren in consternation, and Seiren nodded.

"I did not see it," he said slowly, "but Ojiue reported that when he arrived, my father was there, and not in good humour."

"But surely, your father...Senaya-sama...? Surely he passed away a long time ago now?" Retsu felt a cold hand clench around her heart, its grip tightening as Seiren nodded again.

"The one who cast the spell on my brother had a friend with him. A friend who apparently likes raising the dead," he said darkly. "Father's tomb was a convenient target. Kinnya-sama said he would deal with it - but just the thought of it...I know Father is long since gone, his soul eaten away by Eiminyaku, but the thought of him there, and Guren like this...I can't help feeling that I've let him down somehow."

"I did not know about that," Retsu chewed on her lip, a troubled expression in her eyes. "I didn't know...do you happen to be aware of the name of this individual? The one who awoke your father's sleeping corpse?"

"I don't know anything," Seiren said regretfully. "I saw the man - he looked of an age with Guren and I, I suppose. Younger than the one who apparently hexed my brother. But that's all. He didn't seem as hostile as his companion, but appearances, as you well know, often deceive."

"So they do," Retsu murmured softly. "Very well. Let me see what I can do to make your brother comfortable. It seems that several distressing things happened to your family today, and I would like to at least give you some peace of mind that Guren-sama is not suffering, and that his life is not in imminent danger."

 _And then I need to get back to Inner Seireitei. I needed to come here, and see this, but this isn't the work of the Soldier. When I saw that, I think I was relieved...but if Seiren-dono is right, then maybe that relief was premature. This is clearly a powerful spell...probably from a sword more powerful than Guren-sama's, and certainly more powerful than my own. It might even need someone of Genryuusai-sama's calibre to interfere with this...but Genryuusai-sama is not a healer, and would probably speak for Guren-sama's life once and for all if he tried._

Retsu spread her hands over Guren's body, murmuring the words to a spell and slowly, a cloud of soft white energy enveloped the sleeping Clansman.

 _While I can keep him stable and alive, I can't wake him without knowing anything of the assailant. He is not dead, but I am not sure if he will ever wake. Still, Seiren-dono has been through enough...I will not raise that possibility with him just yet. I will do what I can for him, and for the people here who need my skills. I must keep my word and ensure this manor is as secure as it can be before I leave - and that all the injured are tended to. As a healer, that is my duty, but I confess, now I am torn._

She sighed.

 _I must also read the letter that Mitsuki-san sent me, before I left. It seemed urgent, but this had to take my attention first. While I cannot imagine her message relates to any of this, there is just the possibility it does. That man, Hiyama-dono, he called me Yachiru...and then, almost at the same time, all of this began. First Ikata and his men, and now the Kuchiki...well, I cannot delay any more. Even without a firm statement to confirm it, I know for certain now that this must be the work of the soldier. Tokitori Tsuneyoshi has returned somehow to Seireitei - and I must work out how best to stop him bringing any more families to ruin._

* * *

The moon was glittering ominously in the sky that night.

Tsuneyoshi leaned up against the trunk of the tree, gazing pensively up at the glittering white orb that seemed to glare down at him, judging him. Unlike the moon over the monochrome world, this was the waxing and waning moon of Seireitei, which showed a different face with each passing day, but that night the heavens were clear of clouds, and the moon, though not quite full, was substantial enough to appear like a shimmering white eye, staring at him unblinkingly through the branches of the cherry tree.  
 _  
Perhaps like the eye of a Dragon, scolding me for what I have done._

"Are you still sulking with me?"

Kunimori's voice from across the clearing broke through his reverie, and he turned his head, reproach in his expression.

"You shouldn't have made me do it," he said softly. "It's bad enough, bringing back corpses...but that wasn't the same. You know it wasn't."

"It's not our problem," Kunimori sank down on the grass opposite, removing Shodoku no Maki from his obi and setting it down beside him. "We needed to cover our escape. You should actually be agreeing with me. If people start to track and challenge us, then we will have to kill more. I'll remind you that I didn't kill anybody today, and nor did you. Surely a rising death toll is far worse to you than raising one conveniently placed Clan corpse from the Kuchiki crypt? Though I admit, I didn't expect you to have found a Royal Blade lying dormant like that. More, I am a little envious."

He patted the sheath of his weapon.

"It's always been my greatest frustration, that Shodoku no Maki is unable to take Knowledge from those who have Royal Swords," he said regretfully. "Apparently you don't have that limitation. You can bring back to life the wielders of Royal Swords - or even reach out to the swords themselves. Your power is so amazingly convenient, and yet you have wasted and neglected it for so long."

"We have different aims," Tsuneyoshi said shortly. "I don't like killing people, whatever I might have done. I also don't like how it makes me feel, raising the dead. And this...was wrong. It felt wrong."

"But you no longer lapse out of sanity when you do it, so you've completely broken through those hesitations and can control the skill far better," Kunimori reflected. "It makes me wonder if there is a way to break my own limitation."

"That Clan Leader didn't give you anything that we can use to find our way?" Tsuneyoshi sent Kuniyoshi a sidelong glance. Kuniyoshi shrugged.

"Very little," he admitted. "Kuchiki Guren doesn't have a Royal Sword, but I suspect you probably resurrected the one he trained with. As for the other one..."

"Your power failed and you got goaded into a fight with a Kuchiki stripling," Tsuneyoshi said acidly.

"Who I would have easily killed, had you not interfered," Kunimori shot back. Tsuneyoshi shrugged.

"I liked his spirit," he said evenly. "He was brave, even if he was outmatched. I don't think the Kuchiki have fallen in pride at all. I think that one was just young, that's all - or we are old, instead. Perhaps that is it. This world is disjointed from the one I remember - it doesn't feel the same, and yet I know that it is. How long have we really been away, Kunimori-dono? Do you truly think it might have been a full thousand years? The boy you fought was probably only half a century at best in age, and his spirit power was still developing. How old and feeble must Harumizu be now, if significant time has passed? He is older than both of us. If his name had not been on that document..."

He faltered, and Kunimori sighed.

"Let's stop this," he suggested pragmatically. "You can remain displeased with me if you like, but it gets us nowhere. Let us instead review what information we have. It may be that at this point, we will do better to separate - as the Kuchiki manor may well leave witnesses and therefore people looking to prevent us reaching our goals. It will be harder for them to find us if we each pursue our own paths from here."

"I was never in a hurry to stay with you, anyway," Tsuneyoshi said bitterly. "Even more so, following events at the Kuchiki manor. I didn't come here for that. But I need your Knowledge too. I don't know how to find Harumizu, and if the Clan Leader didn't give you anything..."

"He didn't tell me the details that I wanted to know," Kunimori admitted. "It was as though he locked down his reiatsu and put up a barrier within his soul to prevent me penetrating deep inside. But most of what he sought to protect was related to the Kuchiki. I cannot tell you anything about their family, or even identify the individual you raised from the dead. I have no idea how to get into the Kuchiki archive, and that grieves me, as I suspect much useful data about swords and power levels is contained there. It was also difficult to draw from him any personal details of any of his comrades. I have the name 'Yuuichi" from that foolish Ikata, and we know that Harumizu is still alive, because we saw his name written down. But it seems the current Kuchiki have bonds of obligation to their peers as well, and try as I might, I wasn't able to draw details from him either."

He sighed.

"I should have used Knowledge on Ikata more thoroughly, but his soul could not endure it for more than a split-second, and I thought he'd already told me what I wanted to know," he acknowledged regretfully. "It cannot be undone now, never mind. I also wish I could have used it on that young Kuchiki, as his potential was better than Ikata's and I imagine he would have lived long enough for me to wipe him clean of information. I cannot for the life of me work out why it didn't engulf him too."

"Perhaps you are getting old," Tsuneyoshi suggested evenly. Kunimori scowled.

"That is the last thing I want to hear from an ingrate who doesn't age," he snapped. "You might not understand the feeling of impending mortality, but believe me, I am all too aware of how much time I have wasted inside that confounded place."

"Don't worry," Tsuneyoshi offered a humourless smile. "Perhaps, if you die of old age, I'll resurrect you."

"The only comfort I can see in that is that I could spend the eternity of death slashing you to pieces," Kunimori growled. "I might not be able to kill you, but I am sure I can find ways to make you bleed all the same."

"Yes, I think it is time we went our separate ways," Tsuneyoshi sighed. "This has never been much of a partnership, and even less so now we are here."

"Well, the one piece of information I was able to source before that Kuchiki Clan Leader started to fight back was the general geographical layout of the land," Kunimori said evenly. "Where we were today was indeed in the heart of the original Kuchiki Province, but the borders are somewhat changed. The land spreads down into the coast and there is a border there between Kuchiki land and that of some other family. I know not which. I remember the Shihouin having land there, once, but they did scuttle into the shadows like the cowards they were at the first sign of warfare, so I imagine they lost it and it was given to someone else." He shrugged. "Maybe that cult of moon-worshippers who refused to sell me gunpowder, or that grotesque family of scientists that operated those damned Zaimon Gates. They both did well out of Heaven's War, by staying out of it and then brownnosing the Regent afterwards for favour. I remember both having representatives at the insulting thing they dared to call my 'trial'. To think such low born ingrates could be called to pass judgement on a Yamamoto."

"You seem bitter," Tsuneyoshi said astutely. "If you mean the Shiba, they didn't sell their gunpowder to anyone, thank goodness. They may have been moon-worshippers, as you call them, but they were inherently uninterested in fighting in that war - for which I rather respected them."

"Well, it's been a long time, but I don't suppose I care that much," Kunimori sighed. "Not enough to waste time killing them, anyway. It isn't them - or the Kuchiki Regent - who really thwarted my intentions, and I am not interested in carving holes in their descendants. But who knows what has become of land here since we left it? Not that it's important to us, anyway. It seems that the oldest families - yours and mine at least - can also be found in roughly the same locations, and that matters more to me."

"And Harumizu?" Tsuneyoshi asked. "This District Eight -where is that?"

"On the far side of the Yamamoto land. I believe some of it might even be what was once Hiyama land, but it now belongs to Harumizu and his family. At least, to a family called Kyouraku," Kunimori eyed his companion keenly, and Tsuneyoshi's eyes clouded.

"Hiyama land? I see. So close to the Yamamoto? But I suppose Hyouzan did only ever have a daughter...and before war broke out, I know he had spoken of a marriage alliance between her and one of the young ones of your Clan. I recall her having an adolescent fondness for one of your nephews, and Hyouzan seemed in favour of making the match. He seemed to think that his land would become her dowry, one day, and be subsumed into your family's holdings...but although he and I did discuss the possibility of her marrying my son, the whole situation of the Unohana back then was so unsteady that he decided she would be safer marrying elsewhere and I...well, I could not blame him for that. I didn't want my son to be in the Unohana, either, so I could hardly encourage my old friend to sacrifice his daughter to it."

"I seem to remember my brother bleating about some such political alliance and the gain to our family from making it," Kunimori rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If it was one of my nephews, then I imagine it must have been Sanjirou. Santarou was a monster that my brother shielded and protected and which was later unleashed on us all. No delicate hime would have wanted to make a match with such a youth. It still pains me that Kunitaka-niisama managed to keep from me for so long the true nature of Santarou's spirit power. To see my armies decimated by a boy who hadn't even had his adult name yet...I'll never forget it. Nor the fact that I probably only escaped the inferno because that power was as yet still immature. No, I can't imagine it was Santarou. It must have been his brother - but it's been too long and I don't recall which meaningless section of Yamamoto earth was given over to him. Second sons always are overlooked in favour of the eldest, as you and I both know well, and I never paid much attention to either of my brother's sons, since my plan had always been to kill them once he was dead."

"I never wanted my brother's land," Tsuneyoshi shook his head. "It should have fallen to his daughter. It should have...but..." He faltered, remembering the ghoulish image of the dark haired young woman, bloodsoaked and screaming with laughter as she slashed apart all who stood before her. He sighed. "In any case, I suppose that Hyouzan's daughter must have made that marriage match...and then the land was taken into the Yamamoto. Santarou-dono must have given it over to Harumizu, after he inherited, since Harumizu was his father's loyal retainer. My old friend's land...I wonder if that is another grievance I have to settle, before I finish here."

"Harumizu probably received it as blood reward for his actions after the war...and his actions towards you," Kunimori said frankly. "That knowledge means that the current Yamamoto land is also somehow curtailed from what should have been mine all those years ago. Well, perhaps you can benefit me, also. You don't care about the land, do you? If you kill Harumizu in the Hiyama territories, then I will simply annexe them when I take back control of my own family's holdings. That suits the both of us, doesn't it?"

"I don't care about your family or their land holdings," Tsuneyoshi retorted. "I will find Harumizu, but for my own reasons, not to benefit you. If it is the Hiyama land, and this land is the old Kuchiki province, then I believe I can find it without your help. If you want to take advantage of Harumizu's death, you will have to do so on your own. I won't help you...to me, that land is no more Yamamoto than it is Kyouraku, and it should not be patronised by any who cannot appreciate the beauty of the flowers that grow there."

He stretched his arms over his head.

"At first light, we part ways," he said firmly. "I want no further part of your mission, not if you intend to kill people. I will find Harumizu and I will settle my grievances myself, in my own way."

"That suits me," Kunimori's lips twitched into a faint smile. "As you said, we never were friends or allies. And we will be harder to track down if we part ways. I can't be held back by your squeamishness any longer, and I don't have endless reams of time. Tomorrow, we follow our own paths, and teach this modern day Seireitei a lesson or two about the past."

* * *

"For a Captain's meeting to be summoned so late at night is never a good sign."

Juushirou smoothed out the sleeves of his haori with a sigh, casting Naoko a resigned glance as he prepared to leave Ugendou. "An even worse sign is the fact that Shunsui sent a Hell Butterfly with absolutely no detail about why the meeting is being summoned at such short notice. But the worst sign of all is that I definitely detected Ojiisama's reiatsu entering Inner Seireitei. He hasn't come here, so all I can do is worry about what he has come here to do."

"I would have thought you had trust in Kinnya-sama and Kyouraku-kun," Naoko observed astutely. "Or is that the problem? You worry they've both come to some dastardly conclusion and they're about to load a lot more work on everyone's shoulders?"

"I don't know what I'm worried about," Juushirou admitted. "Last night, eleven members of Eleventh Division were killed. Tonight, the sun has barely set and there's already something amiss. Naoko, I'm sorry to leave you in these circumstances, but I don't feel like it's a meeting I should miss. Most especially given Thirteenth's current position - Ojiisama sent me a message about something relating to Kohaku and I worry whether or not this meeting may connect to those things as well."

"About Kohaku?" Naoko's eyes narrowed. "He's seemed all right today - has he had another of his visions?"

"Not as far as I know, but it seems his brother has been trying to contact him, with some success," Juushirou wound a loose piece of ribbon into his long hair with a grimace. "I've spoken to the boy, and there's nothing sinister behind it - but I saw Katsura's note and he seems scared of something. Scared enough to tell Koku to come divulge matters to me. If this relates to that..."

"I see," Naoko sighed. "All right. I'll make sure Kirio knows that there's a meeting and we're to make sure nobody enters or leaves till you return. Kohaku especially. Whatever state of mind he might be in. I don't suppose Aizen Katsura is stupid enough to try and enter your Division, but if he is, he'll find a surprise waiting for him."

"I don't think Katsura will come here. I think that was the point of the note, so he didn't have to," Juushirou cast Naoko a fleeting smile. "But I would appreciate you being alert anyway. I think Koku was fine when I spoke to him, but if something else is afoot, it might not take much to destabilise that balance."

"Message understood," Naoko grinned wryly. "You should go. Thirteen is quite secure. Trust me."

"I do, and thank my stars on a regular basis that I have you," Juushirou admitted. "Especially with Enishi away, I don't think we'd manage without you. Right, I'm ready. I'll see you later...and I'll report what I can, providing it's something I can report."

"Let's hope it isn't more bad news," Naoko said simply. "I'll see you later."

Juushirou sent his comrade a rueful look, nodding his head. He pushed back the door of Ugendou, stepping out onto the wooden bridge that stretched out over the koi pond. It had always been his pride and joy, but that night he did not even cast it a glance, slipping into shunpo and racing through the streams of light until he reached the big, official looking building where the Captains always held their meetings. As he arrived, he saw several of his comrades milling around the entrance, and he frowned, making his way briskly towards the door.

"Juu," A hand on his arm made him pause, turning to see Shunsui looking at him with a grave expression on his features. Juushirou frowned, his unease doubling.

"I was hoping you wouldn't skip, given that Thirteenth is short a Vice Captain and that last night you had a bit of a crisis," Shunsui led his friend to one side, out of the way of the door. "Two meetings in one day is more than enough for anyone. Listen. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a bigger heads up. Kinnya-sama came to see me. Something else has happened...something pretty serious. Also, Katsura's reiatsu has been picked up in Ribari-sama's grove. We don't know if the two things are linked - but I wanted you to be aware, because someone is almost certainly going to link them."

"I see," Juushirou's lips thinned. "This has something to do with Ojiisama being here?"

"Not sure," Shunsui admitted. "After the meeting, I've invited him back to Eighth, ostensibly for a drink and official debrief as per my current role. If you can spare a moment, please come too. I feel that it will be less suspicious if it's at Eighth, given my rank right now - but from what Kinnya-sama told me, I think it would be a good idea to talk privately."

"Fine," Juushirou nodded. "I've left Naoko in charge, and I'd rather get back sooner than later, but I can see it's something important, so I'll come."

"Good," Shunsui looked relieved. "As for Katsura's reiatsu, it's Hirata's people who've brought this one to light. Apparently Hirata's Fourth Seat - and Eighth Seat, fresh from his parole - have vanished unexpectedlly. And when he sent out scouts to try and find them, the reiatsu trail led to Ribari-sama's copse. Where they clearly encountered Katsura. And now all three are missing."

"Eighth...Tenichi? And Fourth seat...isn't that Ohara?" Juushirou's eyes widened in dismay, and Shunsui nodded.

"Hirata's not happy," he said evenly. "They had orders to stay put. Kitabata apparently thinks Ohara is behind it, and dragged Tenichi with him - since Ohara's furious about the disappearance of Kikyue and had to be taken off active duty because of it. But Katsura's involvement is problematic. It suggests..."

"Collusion?" Juushirou groaned, rubbing his temples. "Or abduction. Neither is particularly helpful right now."

"Well, Katsura is the only one currently able to open Dangai gates, and we don't know where all of Keitarou's Gates are," Shunsui said wearily. "In any case, just wanted to warn you. When I sent the Hell Butterfly, Hirata came stomping over to rant at me about calling another meeting so soon after the other and I gathered all hell had been let loose at Seventh - but when I told him what was up, he realised I had no choice. I thought you should know though, so expect it to come up. I won't talk about Koku's letter, or his indiscretion, and neither will Kinnya-sama - but I think the sooner we figure out a way to track that boy down and put him in a safe place while we investigate the other stuff, the better."

"Something serious has happened, hasn't it?" Juushirou asked. Shunsui nodded, pushing open the door of the meeting room and leading the way inside.

"You can see by who isn't here that it has," he said grimly, and Juushirou's gaze drifted around the chamber, taking in the faces one by one. Of course, Minaichi was missing, still in a critical condition at Fourth's Healing ward, but as he gazed around, his eyes opened wide with dismay.

"Guren...sama?" he whispered. "Oh God...so that's why...Ojiisama? And Retsu-sama...she's not here either? Surely..."

"Guren-sama isn't dead," Shunsui hurried to reassure his friend, "but he's been...incapacitated and is still in Sixth District as a result. Shirogane-dono was also injured, but he's here at the Fourth's healing station and Kinnya-sama is currently speaking to him. Apparently your Shikiki has ruled out Shirogane-dono coming to speak to us directly, so Kinnya-sama will do so on his behalf and I've asked him to be here soon to report on that. Retsu-sama has gone there at speed to see to Guren-sama's injuries. We'll discuss that as priority tonight...it's the real reason for calling the meeting. Take your position, Juu - I think it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Juushirou grimaced, but nodded his head, and Shunsui cast him a weary smile, moving to take the position at the head of the room. It was more than unusual for two Captains' Meetings to be called within a twenty-four hour period, and there was a low buzz of chatter as the other haori-clad individuals took their places, consternation clear on their features. Once they had settled, Nagesu raised his hand.

"My apologies if I am speaking out of turn, Shunsui-dono." he said softly. "But I am somewhat disturbed by the absence of a couple of our hallowed members this evening. While I am aware Minaichi is still very much out of action, is there a reason why Guren-sama and Retsu-sama have both failed to answer your summons?"

"Yes, there is," Shunsui said grimly, his gaze darting to the two vacant positions with a frown. "At some point after this morning's meeting - perhaps early afternoon, the exact timing is not clear as yet - the main Kuchiki manor was attacked by two unknown assailants. Both appeared to be shinigami, and both used problematic levels of spirit power. The manor was unguarded at the time, and word was sent to Guren-sama. He and Shirogane-dono both answered the call. The result of that encounter is my reason for calling you all together again so soon. Retsu-sama has been excused attending the meeting as she has been called to Sixth District, to assess Guren-sama's condition - but I understand that it is serious. Shirogane-dono was hurt, but has been safely retrieved by Kinnya-sama and brought here for treatment. Kinnya-sama is still in Inner Seireitei and will come speak to us directly about these events - but from the little I already know, this is a very grave incident. It is the second attack on a second Captain within the space of two days. We must face the possibility that there will be further attacks - and that we cannot simply assume that we will overcome them."

"An enemy capable of putting Guren-sama out of action?" Midori looked troubled. "That _is_ concerning. Shunsui-dono, you said that both appeared to be shinigami. Gotei shinigami? Is this like what happened at Eleventh - a case of Guren-sama's own men turning on him and his adjutant?"

"I don't believe so," Shunsui shook his head. "These individuals were not dressed in shihakushou and don't appear to be registered shinigami. Whether or not it is connected, though, right now I haven't a clue."

"Seventh Division have also picked up traces of Katsura's reiatsu in Sixth District, in Ribari-sama's memorial grove. This is near the location of the broken Gate that Sekime-taichou opened for my daughter's patrol and the Eleventh Division officers to enter some days ago." Hirata added softly, and Juushirou could see the frustration and annoyance glittering in his friend's pale eyes. "I do not entirely understand that information - just that Katsura was in Sixth, and used reiryoku of some kind in the vicinity of the Gate. It does not seem to have been an attack, as there is no damage in the area, and his attacks are usually destructive. Nor has any trace been found there of Hollow activity, so I am at a loss to explain it. Two of my officers were also in that location, and also released reiryoku - but are now missing. It is difficult to know what occurred - and we've had no luck tracking any further evidence. I am very much afraid Katsura has entered the Senkaimon through some other Gate - and my men may well have pursued him into it, albeit without receiving instructions to do so. With Kikyue still missing, I'm afraid that Seventh's emotions are still running high."

"If Katsura was at the Gate, then he could have masterminded this attack on Guren-sama?" Hakubei pressed his lips together pensively. "Is that your line of thought, Hirata-dono?"

"I..." Hirata faltered, then sighed.

"I wish I knew," he said helplessly. "My daughter is missing, as are several seated officers. The last time Seventh Division was rent into so many pieces was on account of Keitarou and his family five years ago - when I also lost my son. It should be an obvious connection to make."

"But you're not sure about making it?" Yuuichi looked surprised. "It sounds remarkably convenient as a link to me."

"We have traces of Katsura around the broken Gate," Hirata said slowly. "Around it, but not on it. There's no sign he tampered with or otherwise tried to open that Gate. Now, or in fact, at any point."

"So why was he in that area?" Sora looked confused. "Sightseeing? Hanami?"

"Sora, I don't think it's the right time for joking," Kyouki chided, and Sora shook her head.

"I'm not joking," she said categorically. "Either we suspect this guy of being involved in attacks on Guren-sama and Minaichi or we don't. Right?"

"Well, he was there in the right District and vicinity," Yuuichi began counting the points off on his fingers. "So were Hirata-dono's men. He didn't touch this Gate, but we know he can open others. There's no reason to suppose we'd find his tracks on that Gate, if it's as broken as Sekime maintains it is. So, as Hirata-dono mentioned, there must be another Gate." he lowered his hands. "Find the other Gate and we find his trail - surely?"

"The evidence Kinnya-sama has to bring before this meeting may change that focus somewhat," Shunsui said grimly. "Hirata is hesitating because he heard some of the conversation that we had, and pooled some of his knowledge into the discussion. We know that two unidentified shinigami individuals attacked the Kuchiki estate. Hirata has told me that his officers picked up significant strong and unknown reiatsu emissions at the Gate, which would tally with that. These individuals came out of a Gate that Katsura didn't touch. Either they are allies of Katsura - or the two things are separate and we need to separate them and investigate each on its own merits."

"I suggest we stop speculating," Nagesu sounded weary. "I can sense Kinnya-sama approaching. Perhaps it would be best to hear his account, and then see what we can make of it."

"I agree," Kyouki nodded. "It's unusual for someone like Kinnya-sama to show himself in Inner Seireitei. The fact that he has made the journey proves this is a matter of importance and that we need to hear his testimony."

"I am gratified to hear it, Kyouki-dono."

The doors of the meeting chamber swung back once more at that juncture to reveal the enigmatic Kuchiki, and, as he advanced into the chamber, he paused to nod his acknowledgement in Kyouki's direction. His gaze met Juushirou's for the briefest of moments, and Juushirou's lips thinned at what he saw there - while his Grandfather's words had been spoken in a lighthearted and even tone, his grey eyes were clouded, even stormy - proof that what had happened in Sixth District had affected him down to his core.  
 _  
But Ojiisama is close to Guren-sama. I shouldn't be surprised that he feels it this way._

"Kinnya-sama, thank you for coming to speak with us," Shunsui's tones were unusually formal, lacking in any of the humour with which he usually tackled important topics. "I trust you were able to speak in depth with Shirogane-dono?"

"I bring his words as well as mine, as the healers are not happy for him to come here in person," Kinnya agreed, bowing his head towards the speaker. "His life is in no danger, but he took a good dose of enemy reiryoku and is not steady on his feet. I trust he will be able to speak to you in more detail at a future date - but I didn't think we could wait till then. I have also been to the scene in Sixth District, and while I did not see all that occurred there, I saw and sensed enough to know that what attacked my kinsfolk today is a very real threat to Seireitei."

"Shunsui mentioned two non-registered shinigami," Sora observed. "Did you see them, Kinnya-sama?"

"Not myself, no," Kinnya shook his head. "Shirogane did. He fought with one of them, hence his injuries. They were both shinigami of some experience - one in particular was significantly elderly. Both had very potent reiatsu. I am of the opinion that the one who fought Shirogane-dono may well have been in possession of a Royal Blade."

"A Royal..." Nagesu's eyes opened wide. "But...another one? I thought..."

"Aside from Genryuusai-sensei and myself, the only other one known to be in the hands of a living individual is that of young Kohaku, at Thirteenth," Kinnya agreed. "But I do not think from how Shirogane described them that these are ordinary shinigami. Still, I am theorising. Let me tell you instead what I know - in as much detail as I can."

Carefully and without embellishment or emotion, he outlined the events of the attack at the manor at Sixth, from Seiren's message, to his own involvement, and finally, Shirogane's testimony of the fight itself.

"The spell rendered Guren immobile from the moment it was spoken," he added. "Shirogane doesn't understand how it worked...but it was immediate. The man said Guren's name, and Guren dropped like a stone. When I saw my nephew, I discerned no real reiatsu from him, and he was quite unconscious, his sword sealed on the ground beside him. Shirogane confirms Tenkyourei had been in release at the time of the attack, but the weapon clearly sealed itself when Guren fell. He was alive, but it felt to me as though his soul had been either locked away inside of him, or had been separated from his body in some way."

"Just by speaking Guren-sama's name?" Hakubei whitened. "But how is that even possible?"

"One of the Royal Swords is the Name sword," Juushirou offered quietly. "I remember Sensei telling me, when he came to talk to Kohaku about his weapon five years ago. If Ojii...Kinnya-sama thinks this was a Royal Blade, then maybe...?"

"No...Shirogane said that the old man was preoccupied with Knowledge," Kinnya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He was trying to get Knowledge of some kind from Guren, and then he said he'd take it from Shirogane instead. He also discussed this Knowledge with the other individual as well. I am fairly sure that if we are dealing with such a blade, then it is likely Knowledge, not Name. As I recall it, the Name sword has long since been missing from this spirit plane, anyway - I may be mis-remembering my history, but my brother and I were educated in the legend of the Royal Swords, being that we both held them, and I believe that the Name sword is that which defends the Soul King in the Heaven Realm...at least, so it was in the past, when I was a boy. That was, admittedly, some considerable time ago now."

"Wait," Mareiko frowned. "Kinnya-sama, please, excuse my interruption, but you said that this individual wished to use this spell on Shirogane-dono as well? If Shirogane-dono is here and in a better condition, might I assume that it did not succeed a second time? Perhaps it is a technique that can only be used once."

"Shirogane told me that the old man tried the same technique on him, but it didn't work. It clearly should have, because it unsettled the old man when it failed," Kinnya replied. "He and Shirogane crossed blades. Shirogane would probably have been killed, but for the intervention of the second individual."

"So they aren't both hostile?" Sora asked. Kinnya grimaced.

"I'm afraid it depends how you interpret hostile," he owned. "It seems he took no part in the fighting and stated at several points that he wasn't interested in killing Kuchiki - that in fact, doing so would bring him some distress. He certainly stayed his companion's hand, preventing him from cutting Shirogane's throat. But I do not think he is an innocent. When I arrived at the manor, I encountered the unwelcome sight of my late brother, roaming around the manor grounds with the intent to decapitate his sons - not the thing I most hope to see when I visit my Clan's seat of power, and certainly not something I expected."

"Wait...your late brother?" Nagesu's brows knitted together, and Juushirou's heart lurched in his chest at the implications of his grandfather's words. "Do you mean...Senaya-sama?"

"Yes. For my sins I have no other brothers," Kinnya agreed. "The other man was the one who awoke him. My brother, like myself, held a Royal Sword. Senaya-nii died of Eiminyaku poison and all vestiges of his personality are long gone - but on account of that partnership, my brother's corpse has not yet decayed. Moreover, unlike the reports I have heard of the corpse attacks in Ribari's grove, this corpse reacted to me with recognition and clearly had a level of consciousness - albeit not my brother's. What was awoken seems to have been the Royal Sword Taiyourei, and she's not that happy about Senaya-nii's early death. I have sealed the corpse in Kidou for the time being, but will return there tomorrow and hope to deal with that as a matter of priority. Getting Shirogane to help and alerting your fine selves was more urgent on my agenda, or I would have tackled the issue there and then."

"A necromancer," Hirata breathed, and Kinnya nodded.

"I'm afraid so. Shirogane was quite sure that whatever this man did, it related to a zanpakutou technique."

"Then Ikata and the others were dead..." Yuuichi's gaze drifted towards Juushirou, who stiffened at the sudden attention, shrugging his shoulders.

"My Vice Captain saved lives last night and I stand by his belief that he killed nobody," he said frankly. "My position on that is unchanged. Even though we have no final autopsy results as yet, I think it's quite clear that what happened at Eleventh last night was somehow connected to what happened at Sixth today, and that these individuals - particularly this second individual - are the ones who are truly to blame for Ikata's actions. Moreover," he added, as something else came to mind, "we've discussed already Kohaku's vision and the things that he saw. His delusions often infect those nearby, and his roommate, my Eleventh Seated officer, mentioned seeing an old man and a book. Kinnya-sama just told us that the older attacker's sword became a book when he cast the spell. I think this a strong indication that the attacks are indeed linked."

"You failed to mention that this morning, Ukitake," Nagesu observed, and Juushirou frowned.

"Until now, it didn't seem important," he admitted. "Kayashima mentioned it to me in passing when we were still dealing with the aftermath. It was only after speaking to them both this morning that he mentioned it again. Because Kohaku didn't remember it, we couldn't be sure if it was real - but given what happened to Guren-sama, I have to wonder if it was."

"It will be hard to prove without further evidence," Midori sighed, "but it is a persuasive argument, given the events. Did this get reported to Kai, Juushirou? If not, I shall take it to him. He is working hard on this case, and I am sure he will welcome any further detail that might help."

"But we are still moving away from the point of concern," Mareiko looked troubled. "Why did the spell work on a shinigami of Guren-sama's calibre, and not on his nephew? I don't doubt Shirogane-dono is strong, but in contrast to Guren-sama...should we believe this technique is more dangerous the more powerful a shinigami is?"

"I don't think that's the case, but it's an interesting hypothesis," Kinnya glanced at Mareiko with a faint smile. "I believe you are Sekime Mareiko, and this is the first time we've had the pleasure of meeting, but I have heard much about your scientific abilities from my grandson and my other kinsfolk. You are right, of course. It is a point of issue for us as well."

He spread his hands, as Mareiko pinkened slightly at the compliment. "Shirogane is of the opinion that whatever was done to Guren was not entirely successful. That Guren was ultimately too strong for it to really work. Whatever he wanted to know from hexing my nephew, this assailant didn't obtain it. That's why he turned his attention to Shirogane. Guren is definitely still fighting against something. I imagine that his still being alive is only because of the level of skill he has. Probably it's designed to kill an individual instantaneously."

"Then if we are to counteract such a technique, we must consider other avenues," Mareiko frowned. "I dislike when something is missing from the equation."

"We are also assuming, based on the evidence from Seventh, that these individuals came out of the Dangai - out of the broken Gate," Nagesu interjected. "With permission, Kinnya-sama, I'd like to deploy some officers to the scene to take spiritual samples. We understand the risk involved, but I think it is important we do that. We know nothing about this enemy - probably we need to examine the Kuchiki manor itself, but I imagine that would not be acceptable to your family."

"It's up to Shirogane, but Guren has been evacuated, as have all the staff and retainers, to the Nagoya estate nearby," Kinnya replied. "While my brother's corpse is roaming around, I wouldn't recommend it - but once that matter is settled, it may be possible. I may, of course, have polluted the area with my own reiryoku by then - I can't imagine that I'll be able to take down an angry zanpakutou spirit with just my wits and charm."

"Then we will settle on examining the Gate." Nagesu suggested. "I will see to that first thing in the morning."

"Do we know why they went to the Kuchiki manor?" Yuuichi asked. "First the Eleventh, now the Sixth? It seems arbitrary."

"They wanted access to the archive. Shirogane said that the older of the two - and he believes the name of that individual was 'Kunimori', but that is as much as he recalls - demanded information of Guren before any swords were released, but he isn't clear on what that was. It doesn't seem as though the focus of their attack was the Sixth. It just ended up that way, because my people are keepers of, well..."

"Knowledge," Shunsui murmured, then, "Kinnya-sama, you said the Nagoya estate?"

"I did," Kinnya looked startled. "Is there something amiss with that?"

"No...not at all," Shunsui smiled sheepishly. "It doesn't matter. I just had a half-thought, but it can keep for now. Our bigger problem is that these two people left Sixth as a scene of devastation, and are now missing, location unknown. One of them apparently steals souls and keeps them in a book, the other wakes the dead. Those are not houseguests any of us really want to entertain. I will be going to Eighth in the morning to brief my brother on developments and increase security if I can at the main house there, but I am not really sure what to do to ward off an attack from these individuals. We know so little about them, much less the reason they want to attack us."

"The reiatsu of the one who attacked Shirogane was old and potent. Older than mine. Perhaps even older than Genryuusai-sensei," Kinnya supplemented gravely. "They should not be engaged unprepared. If sighted, I would recommend retreat."

"Kunimori, you said?" Yuuichi's brow creased. "I'm sorry. For a moment I felt as though that meant something to me. The book as well -as though I've heard of it before. Maybe I'm wrong, or perhaps I studied Royal Swords as a boy as well - though I don't recall ever doing so."

"Well, the Eleventh were attacked," Midori pointed out. "If that wasn't a random warning or distraction technique, maybe this has some root connection to your family?"

"I don't know," Yuuichi admitted. "Just something about the name resonates with me. The character 'Kuni' was once passed down between generations of the main line in the Yamamoto, as a signifier of our status as great land holders in Old Seireitei, but such a tradition has not occurred for many centuries, now, even millenia. Certainly not since the founding of the District system and the Council of Elders. Perhaps it is just that...it has the nostalgic ring of familiarity about it."

"Genryuusai-sama's given name is Shigekuni," Hakubei remembered, and Yuuichi nodded.

"Yes, and his father before him was Kunitaka, I believe," he agreed. "My own ancestor, Genryuusai-sama's brother, was Narikuni-sama, and I think the tradition continued some two or three generations beyond that. The names are all very familiar for that reason - perhaps it is simply the similarity between them which has confused me."

"Those kinds of names are old-fashioned indeed," Kinnya looked grave. "No family has followed the practice of handing down a particular kanji in that way across generations in my recollection, and my memory stretches back further than any of yours - albeit I admit, not as far back as Genryuusai-sensei's might. I felt that the individual was old. Now I am sure of it. Yuuichi-sama, you don't recall a Kunimori in your family tree? Perhaps one from such a long time ago?"

"Not off hand," Yuuchi admitted, "but I think I will do as Shunsui-dono is planning, and return home on the morrow to see to security at the main estate. I will also consult some old records then, too - and suggest that the rest of us do the same. While it seems farfetched to me that this could have any association with a tradition so far in the Yamamoto past, the fact remains that Yamamoto have become victims in this wider incident, and so I will do my best to cover all bases and report back here on my findings when I return. If all else fails, I might ask Genryuusai-sama as well - but until I know there's something to look into, I'd rather not bother him unnecessarily."

"If these individuals are older than Genryuusai-sensei, do we think they'd be in league with Aizen Katsura?" Sora asked. There was a moment of silence, then Hirata shrugged.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "But my men are missing. And so is my daughter. And he is there, at the periphery of every incident, as though he's mocking all of us."

"I don't know much about this Aizen loose cannon," Kinnya said thoughtfully, "but I do think that he's probably not involved with the attack on Sixth, at least. He can't be more than what, three decades at most? If these are old shinigami, I think it unlikely they would listen to his orders, even if he wanted them to. He has no sword or status, no influence, and in times past, those things were everything. Besides, I don't know it for sure, but I have a suspicion Katsura may have helped Shirogane's son raise the alarm. Jun'ei has said nothing about it to me, but he arrived at my manor with a young girl. My agents have discovered that this girl has recently been sighted in the company of an individual fitting the description of Aizen Katsura, in one of the local towns close to my manor. She won't talk about him, either, although she is in my custody at present, watched over by my staff. While we have not yet managed to track Katsura's movements, it is possible that having the girl will help to find him, and so I intend to keep pursuing this as a lead - but I think it highly possible that Jun'ei was safely escorted to my estate at speed in order to bring me to the main house in time to prevent any deaths occurring."

"You mean, Katsura is helping us?" Kyouki looked startled. Kinnya shrugged.

"I wouldn't be so grandiose about it," he said cautiously. "I don't suppose he cares for the Gotei, and there is still the matter of the missing Seventh officers who may or may not have pursued him into the Dangai illicitly. But if someone is attacking shinigami...Katsura's brother is also a shinigami, don't forget. I imagine if he did do such a thing, it would be in the interests of preventing harm to his brother, rather than to aid us in any way."

"But if he did do that, it suggests he isn't involved in this as much as we think," Nagesu sighed heavily. "All right. Hirata-dono, I would appreciate the coordinates of where your men found Katsura's reiatsu. We will conduct deeper searches there with Senkaimon and Gate sensitive equipment, and we'll see what we can turn up."

"With pleasure," Hirata said darkly. "Helping or not, I would be much happier if the kind of assistance he gave involved giving himself up, not haunting me at every turn."

"He is certainly inscrutible, but he doesn't appear to be a genius of his father's calibre." Kinnya mused. "Perhaps that fact itself is why he is difficult to catch. He _is_ a loose cannon, thus unpredictable and disorganised in his actions. Perhaps, dare I say, impulsive?"

"My encounter with him would definitely agree with impulsive," Juushirou said heavily. "In any case, I think Katsura is currently a lesser concern. We're two Captains down after a mere twenty-four hours, with two enemies on the loose in an unknown location. One dead Clan Leader is potentially poised to cause havoc in Sixth District, and would have done so if not for Ojiisama's intervention. We don't know anything and we're up against an enemy who apparently seeks Knowledge. If he failed to obtain it from Guren-sama, then he will probably be looking for someone else. And what the Knowledge is he's seeking is anyone's guess...but right now all we have is a single name."

"Juushirou is right," Midori said grimly. "While Katsura is an ongoing concern, if I am blunt, he's killable. He might be Keitarou's son, but even if he has got stronger in the last five years, he's not Kohaku and he's not Keitarou himself. We disposed of Keitarou, and the main reason we haven't dealt with Katsura is that he's been hiding from us. That suggests he knows we can kill him. These individuals, they aren't hiding. They didn't show any hesitation or fear in gatecrashing the Kuchiki manor. They believe we can't kill them. And maybe, based on what we have, we can't."

"Then right now our priority needs to be to shore up our defences and see what we can find out about these individuals," Shunsui said evenly. "Hirata, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to authorise the release of the Dangai seal so you can go hunting for Kikyue or your other missing men. If they followed Katsura, they did it against the current interdict. With this situation, I can't risk it."

"I didn't expect you to, and I wasn't going to ask for it," Hirata said sadly. "My Vice Captain believes Ohara went to hunt down Katsura and find Kikyue and he's obstinate enough to pursue that even against my potential wrath. Tenichi's involvement is more concerning but I suspect Hajime is right, and Tenichi was strongarmed into accompanying him. To be honest, with all of this going on, I partly hope they are inside the Dangai. It is probably a safer place to be right now."

"How do you come to that conclusion?" Hakubei frowned.

"Those shinigami came out of the Dangai," Hirata said categorically, "and so did Ikata and the others, dead. If my daughter is still alive, and the necromancer is now here, she is in less danger than we are. Having half of my division disappeared into dark space may actually prove an advantage - providing one of them is intelligent enough to work out how to get back."

"It may not be so simple. We don't know that there are no other threats in the Dangai," Mareiko was troubled. "I wish I had never forced open that Gate. It made me uneasy at the time to do it...and now..."

"You did it because we all agreed on it as a path forward, following the Vice Captains' meeting," Nagesu told her evenly. "It isn't your fault, Mareiko. You should focus on tracking Kikyue-hime's whereabouts. Even if Hirata-dono is right, and it is safer in the Dangai than out of it at present, we will still need to return them all safely to Seireitei and that should be your priority at present."

"I suppose so," Mareiko frowned. "It is proving difficult. While I can trace the signal on Kikyue-hime's device, and know it is resonating to her sword, I am unable to get a location for it that makes any kind of sense."

"Could the device malfunction?" Sora asked. Marieko shrugged.

"If it was subject to a blast of significantly toxic reiryoku, maybe," she agreed. "I don't know. But it is still resonating to Kikyue-hime, so I trust that isn't the case. I will of course keep working on it," she added, offering Hirata a faint smile, "but it is still bothering me, this technique that worked on a Captain but not on his Vice Captain. Such a thing makes no logical sense. There must be a key to why Shirogane-dono was immune...finding that out might be the key to defeating this individual."

"Shirogane's injuries could have easily been much worse than they are," Kinnya said quietly. "If the technique does not work, Sekime-dono, this individual clearly knows how to fight with a blade."

"Well, so do all of us," Midori said pragmatically. "So for now, we need to brief our people to be careful, find out what information we can and work out what method old shinigami are using to get through the Dangai. It's occurred to me that Kai mentioned discussions in the Vice Captain's meeting about how the Punishment Gates used to be used to throw heathens into - so that might be a point to begin."

"You think these are felons?" Sora looked startled, and Midori nodded.

"If they're as old as Kinnya-sama says, then I think it's the logical conclusion," she agreed. "Dead people have been spewing out of the Gates for a while now. Then these people show up. If they are as strong as Kinnya-sama imagines, there's no reason to assume they would be killed by the Dangai itself. Maybe it's not as inhospitable as it seems. Why it's taken this long for them to break out and invade Seireitei, I've no idea. But I think that looking at past felons who were consigned to the Dangai is probably our first point of call."

"I have already looked at some of the prison rolls." Shunsui admitted, and Nagesu shot him a surprised glance.

"Shunsui-dono? But I thought they were largely missing. Certainly I haven't seen any such rolls in a long time, and that job, distasteful as I find it to admit, was the province of my family originally."

"They were dumped in the archive here en masse, probably by your family during a clearout, and mice have seen to the catalogue," Shunsui said ruefully. "I think Midori-sama is right as well. But what we don't know is which felons and which century. Criminals stopped being thrown into the Dangai three millennia or so ago. But there seem to have been a lot chucked in there before that. It might be hard to track them down."

"No. No, it won't be," Juushirou looked thoughtful. "We know the name of one of them, and Ojiisama thinks he had the Knowledge sword. How many records like that can there be? All we need to do is find out who the last wielder of the Knowledge sword was...and if his name was Kunimori, then we know when. If we know when, we may be able to figure out why, and what they're looking for. Seireitei keeps records on that stuff, right?"

"Unless something got cleared out and dumped there, like the rolls Shunsui mentioned, the Inner Seireitei shinigami archive only dates back to the establishment of the District system and the Council of Elders." Kyouki shook her head.

"Our archive may have that kind of information," Kinnya reflected, "but I wouldn't know where to begin looking for it. To be truthful, Juushirou, while the Kuchiki archive is the oldest and the most complete record of Seireitei, I am not sure what its limits are. Let's just say that while we now have very detailed information about swords and wielders, such registration began at the same point Kyouki-dono mentions. A lot changed then, and became more organised, but records before that are more haphazard. I imagine that all swords belonging to the Kuchiki may be registered in our archive, going back to the first Kuchiki or even maybe beyond that - but I don't know if all the swords ever held would be recorded there. And at present, it doesn't seem that this Kunimori was a Kuchiki. He certainly didn't act as though he had any personal connection or grievance to our Clan - he just wanted access to information."

"But if he wanted that, couldn't he have just broken into the archive and raided it?" Hakubei wondered. Kinnya shrugged.

"The Kuchiki Archive is a complex space," he said regretfully. "There is an expansive general level, which contains contemporary and recent material and which is easily accessible, given the right permissions. But the most secure areas of the archive are sealed and only accessible to the Clan Leader and those in whom he invests certain trust. These areas are much harder to locate and enter and they are very strictly guarded. I had access once, when I was Senaya-nii's right hand man, but not any more. Guren's right hand man is Seiren, who has no spirit power. It's possible my other nephew, Futsuki has access - but I imagine that was the Knowledge that this Kunimori sought. Access to the full archive, not just the superficial documents of recent Council and Clan meetings and Kuchiki genealogy which are accessible to all."

"So he assumed Shirogane-dono had access, because Shirogane-dono told him he was Guren-sama's heir?" Mareiko looked thoughtful, and Kinnya nodded.

"That would be my supposition, yes."

"And does he?" Shunsui looked quizzical. Kinnya shook his head.

"Some aspects of it, possibly," he replied slowly, "but not all of it. It's a strict Clan tradition within what is still a very strict Clan - access belongs to the Clan Leader and those who immediately support him in government. In a time where an heir and a Clan Leader are at odds, it protects the Clan Leader from mutiny to have certain priveleges kept hidden and in the hands of trusted advisors instead. Right now those who support Guren are Seiren and Futsuki, but probably nobody else, and I am not certain Futsuki has access. It's possible that, if Seiren doesn't, Futsuki doesn't either - Guren wouldn't want to show favouritism, but because Futsuki often works in intelligence and security aspects, I suspect he probably does. Right now he's in the North and I believe Guren sent a message for him to stay there - but if it comes to it, I'll try and get him to come back. Without knowing exactly what it was they wanted to find out, though, it's difficult to override my nephew's orders. He clearly sent Futsuki there with a purpose in mind."

"Maybe they didn't know themselves," Kyouki suggested. "If Midori is right and they've been exiled for as long as she's suggesting, they wouldn't know anything about Seireitei. This whole complex, the Council of Elders, and Inner Seireitei's archive are all new since the establishment of the District system, and so probably completely off their radar. But the Kuchiki have had an archive forever. It's the one place someone would go if they only had a really old knowledge of Seireitei. Maybe they didn't know what they wanted to find out - but felt sure that it would be at the Kuchiki manor, and so went there to find it."

"That makes sense," Yuuichi acknowledged. "The Kuchiki archive predates all other archives in Seireitei. It's a logical place to go if you want to find something out. And it isn't as though the Kuchiki manor has moved much over time, has it?" he glanced at Kinnya, who shook his head.

"Not once," he agreed. "The legend states that the founder of our Clan built the estate in view of the Great Sakura who taught him the lessons of beauty and substance. That is where the estate has always been, and will always be, I suppose, so long as the Kuchiki endure."

"Then I suppose if we all look into our own family records, we might find clues to the things Juushirou was suggesting," Sora reflected. "I can't do much with the Shiba records, but I imagine Ryuusei-niisama would dig around if he felt it was important."

"I will be sending him a message tonight to do so," Kyouki agreed. "I vote we find out what we can about skeletons in our own closets, and bring them to the next meeting. Any felons in our family histories who might have been dumped into the Dangai - unsavoury as it is, I think we need to know what we're up against."

"It probably counts my people out, then, as the Kyouraku came into being pretty much around the time all that stopped," Shunsui reflected. "But I'll ask Oniisama anyway. He might know something I don't."

He sighed.

"For now, I guess, we're dismissed," he added. "It's too dangerous to send out a search party for these aggressors so for now, I vote we return to base and strategise for defence rather than offence. When we have more knowledge of what we're dealing with, then we can act...and hopefully, bring the chaos to a swift and resolute conclusion without any further blood being shed or corpses being awoken."

"Wait a minute, Shunsui-dono," Nagesu held up his hand, and Shunsui cast him a quizzical look.

"Nagesu-sama?"

"Given the circumstances, the new information at our disposal, and the potential threat posed by today's events, not to mention last night's, I think we need to consider the current status of Thirteenth Division's Vice Captain," Nagesu looked grim. "Clearly Ukitake should not be expected to defend his division on his own."

"Enishi?" Juushirou's eyes widened, and Nagesu nodded.

"Houjou Enishi is currently arraigned under suspicion of vigilante action, and that investigation remains ongoing," Midori objected. "Even with this new information, Nagesu-sama, we can't guarantee that Houjou was correct in his assumptions."

"But does anyone here really believe Houjou went out to Eleventh to kill people?" Sora arched an eyebrow. "Nagesu-sama is right. We all know that he went to Eleventh because something was wrong there. Whether he should have gone or not is another question, but he didn't go to murder people. He isn't a danger to Seireitei - and it makes no sense to leave him locked up when there's a serious threat to all of us lurking around the corner."

"I wouldn't have thought Enishi would be able to fight this kind of enemy that easily," Juushirou reflected bleakly.

"No, but Nagesu-sama does have a good point," Shunsui reflected. "We can't guarantee there will be no more corpse attacks, and there aren't many corpses of Senaya-sama's calibre to work with. Enishi has the muscle to fight that kind of enemy. And, as Sora says, he doesn't have the mentality as an individual to plot murder or sedition against anyone. I know him as well as Sora and Juushirou do, and whatever happened at Eleventh, I'm sure Enishi didn't go there intending to kill the Vice Captain. He did what he did because Minaichi and the others were under attack, even if we have yet to prove all the details of that circumstance. We also now know one thing we did not know before, in that there is definitely a necromancer involved in all of this. We have a viable witness in Shirogane-dono, and Kinnya-sama is witness to Senaya-sama's current state, which, logically, could only have been brought about by someone with the power to wake a corpse. That means that Enishi's story is now possible, even if this morning it didn't sound as though it was."

He glanced towards the direction of the Second Division Captain.

"Midori-sama, do you believe Houjou Enishi is a danger to Seireitei if he were to be released from the Maggots' Nest?"

"I can't drop all charges against someone in a case as serious as this without Retsu-sama's autopsy evidence, and she isn't here to speak," Midori said categorically. "I understand that many people here like and respect the man, and I don't personally think he's a risk. But there is protocol. I have to follow it, else I start deciding on my own whim who is guilty and who isn't. Kai is the same. We are tied by the laws the Council have decided and which we are all here to uphold."

"Nobody is asking you to drop the charges, Midori-dono. We all agree there should be an investigation," Nagesu said evenly, "but, as Shunsui-dono just articulated, we now know there is a strong likelihood that Houjou Enishi's story is in fact the true account of what occurred at Eleventh. I still remember, years ago, when we voted to condemn your Uncle to death, we did not understand the full nature of his involvement, and dark forces at work within District Seven ultimately caused much more harm. While I know you and he accepted his fate, and your family have never reproached the Council for it, I often wonder whether, if we had known other factors, his life might have been spared in the way of your father and brother. More, whether we might have prevented some of Seimaru-dono's atrocities. It is true, a full investigation must be carried out. We must have a hearing, and Retsu-sama must present her evidence from the autopsies. Her absence tonight prevents her doing that here, so I agree, we cannot be decisive on the matter of guilt. I am not suggesting the matter be disregarded. Just that Houjou Enishi be released back to his Division on licence until the matter can be resolved, because we are clearly in a situation where combat skill may be important."

"I see," Midori sighed. "I can't dispute what you say about my Uncle, although I do believe he was guilty and probably received the right punishment. I also know you have reservations about the fate of your own Uncle, and the impact that his son's resentment had on all of us, to devastating effect. The truth is that Kai - thanks to the Fourth's cooperation - has uncovered witness testimony that suggests Houjou was summoned to Eleventh by Minaichi, even though the message never got through. I have reviewed the statements and they are sound. I cannot prove that Houjou didn't kill anyone at Eleventh, nor can I currently prove he didn't use excessive force to prevent a mutiny - but I can prove that he didn't act with malicious intent. As Juushirou pointed out at this morning's meeting, Thirteenth and Eleventh were involved in this matter together. Minaichi's instruction to his men to summon Houjou bears that out. It is true Houjou did not receive this message, but that fact aside, Minaichi's order to his men means that Houjou's presence at Eleventh was not unwanted, and in fact, probably fortuitous."

She glanced at Juushirou, who eyed the Second Division Captain hopefully.

"If I release him back to you, Juushirou, he is your responsibility," she said quietly. "Anything he does out of line between now and the hearing will reflect on you as Captain and on your Division. I can't return his badge to him until the matter is closed, so if I release him, he is simply a member of your squad with suspended rank. He will not be allowed to undertake any normal Vice Captain duties, and I would prefer him not to be involved in out-of-barracks patrols for the time being - but he will be allowed to fight and defend the Thirteenth should the need arise. In the meantime, I suggest you appoint a substitute to continue the Vice Captain duties on your behalf. With everything this way, it may be a while before we can hold a proper hearing, and I don't think Thirteenth should be without attendance at Vice Captain meetings if possible. It strikes me that communication will be important going forward."

"I'll send my Third Seat to attend them, with the permission of the chamber," Juushirou's heart leapt.

"I don't suppose anyone will object to that," Shunsui smiled faintly. "She'll be thorough, if nothing else."

"Your Third seat is Shikibu Naoko, correct?" Nagesu pursed his lips, and Juushirou nodded. "I have worked with her before, during the incident with Keitarou, and she is indeed a thorough and meticulous officer. I am willing to second her recommendation as Thirteenth's temporary Vice Captain representative and authorise her presence at Vice Captain meetings. I think such a thing should be done here officially, as while I realise different squads place different levels of trust on their seated officers, Vice Captains are often privy to particular details that other officers may not be."

"I remember Shikibu Naoko," Yuuichi's lips thinned, and Juushirou frowned, a look of annoyance crossing his features as he discerned the other man's disapproval. "I am still not quite sure why a sword of that nature is allowed free reign in the Gotei, given its track record."

"Naoko-chan was manipulated to attack your officers, Yuuichi-sama," before Juushirou could speak in his officer's defence, however, Sora spoke up, indignation and anger blazing in her green eyes. "I know this better than anyone here, because I was there. With the greatest of respect, you don't understand exactly what happened that day. Naoko saw her kinswoman die in the Real World, where she was attacked by Keitarou. Nobody knew that he had burrowed his power into her, not even Genryuusai-sensei, so there's no way she or anyone else could have known what would happen. And, when Mitsuki and I found her in the school grounds, she fought against it. She would have killed herself that day to protect us, and she would have killed herself to eradicate that man's control. She didn't want to hurt people, and I'll never forget it, the moment she broke his control enough to put that sword right through her own body. The only reason she didn't die is because Mitsuki and I were there to save her. To be able to be here in the capacity she is, with the memory of that inside her every time she uses her sword, takes a level of courage that you clearly don't understand."

"Sora," Kyouki's reproach was gentle, and Sora glanced at her mother, then shook her head.

"I'm not the one speaking out of line," she said frankly. "I'm not a Clan Leader, it's true, but this room isn't the Council of Elders, it's a Captain's meeting. We are equals here. I am the Captain of the Ninth. Whatever our Clan ranks may or may not be outside this room, in this place I am within my rights to refute the words of the First Division Captain, because they are misinformed. Moreover, if they impact negatively on a colleague's career and her ability to serve her division effectively, then doing so is my duty as well."

She shrugged.

"I'm also speaking as Naoko's friend," she added, "and as a witness to what happened that day. If Yuuichi-sama has a problem with the fact some of his officers were manipulated by a schoolgirl not yet graduated, and blames her for the event, I suggest he maybe reviews his training practices, as apparently his officers are sub-par."

"Sora-dono!" Yuuichi's eyes could not get any bigger, indignation glittering at the angry Shiba's implications, but before it could get out of control, Shunsui held up his hands.

"This is an old story," he said mildly. "Yuuichi-sama, Sora is right. Naoko went through hell and back after that incident, and she was used by Keitarou and discarded. She had no choice in what she did. We are willing to believe the possibility that your kinsman, Ikata, also didn't choose to attack the Eleventh. We accept that Mareiko-chan and Hakubei and Anabomi didn't choose to attack us five years ago, either - and those people were Captains and Vice Captains, not a student like Naoko was back then. Juushirou probably knows best how strong Naoko is to be able to put this behind her, but it's not something we should dwell on now. Neither Naoko nor her sword are culpable for anything, and it should not be part of this decision we are making now."

"I agree," Hakubei said frankly. "If you want to blame Shikibu, Yuuichi-sama, you better arrest me too - since I attacked Sora, Shunsui and Shindou Tetsuya at Eighth Division five years ago. Keitarou made me do it, but I still did it, and by your logic, I'm guilty of something too."

He held out his hands, and at this, Yuuichi sighed, his anger dispelling into irritation. He rubbed his temples, letting out a sigh.

"All right," he said grudgingly. "I take the point. My apologies, Sora-dono. I lost good men in that incident. I suppose I hadn't thought of it in those terms before."

"If it comes to it, I'm also guilty of trying to kill Shunsui because of Keitarou's sword," Juushirou added now. "Keitarou was the enemy of all of us, and we shouldn't fight over it now he's dead. As for this incident, we don't talk about it. It's something that hurt Naoko more deeply than it hurt anyone else. I don't suppose she's as good with her sword as she would have been if not for that. But she is strong and she is thorough. And I trust her implicitly. I wish to send her to the Vice Captain meetings in Enishi's absence. I didn't quite expect there to be such a discussion over it - but do I have permission to do so?"

"Does anyone object?" Shunsui glanced around the room, but there was silence, and he sighed, nodding. "All right. Juu, you do what you think is best. I think Naoko-chan is probably the best choice in the circumstances. Just be careful. She's the kind of person who'd work herself to death if you didn't stop her."

"Understood," Juushirou nodded gravely. "She is, and I'll keep it in mind. Fortunately I have a good Fourth and Fifth seat to back her up, so I'm sure it will be fine."

He cast Midori a smile.

"We became somewhat derailed, but I understand the conditions, Midori-sama, and thank you," he added. "Having Enishi back will be a boost for the squad, and I will take your words seriously. Having him in the case of an attack could make a difference, as it did at Eleventh. Maybe not against these shinigami, but against any of their other puppets, if they happen to come our way."

"Then I will tell Kai that Houjou is to be released to you under conditions agreed here at dawn tomorrow," Midori sighed. "I will impress the same rules on Houjou himself before he leaves our custody. The matter is not resolved, but for the time being, I accept he is not a threat and that he is more useful to all of us out of jail than he is locked inside of it."

"In that case, on that positive note, I guess we can adjourn," Shunsui smiled wryly. "Let's hope that the next meeting we have is more fruitful, and we can finally challenge these interlopers at their own game of Knowledge."


	44. Parley

**Chapter 43: Parley**

"I have to say, I never imagined that Captains' Meetings could be such lively affairs."

Kinnya settled himself on one of the cushions in Shunsui's spacious office, setting the sheathed Raiurei down at his side with a sigh. "I must admit, it was quite the experience."

"I think a lot of tempers are running high over everything that's happened in the last few days," Juushirou grimaced. "Though I can't pretend they're always quiet. I suppose we've destroyed your impression of us as sage rulers of the military Gotei now, haven't we?"

"Not at all," Kinnya assured his grandson with a wry smile. "On the contrary, given the contents of the day overall, it was a welcome distraction and relief. I don't miss being at the heart of the political scene, but it is always interesting, seeing such influential individuals in their natural habitat."

"I could do without seeing them twice in one day," Shunsui placed a bottle of expensive Kyouraku sake on the small, low slung table, pushing sakazuki in the direction of his guests. "It's already late and I fear nobody's getting any sleep tonight, but it can't be helped. Thank you for your tolerance, Kinnya-sama, and for coming to report as you did. It's not the first time that Yuuichi-dono has made digs at Naoko - but I somehow think it's the last time he will, thanks to Sora's interference."

"I wanted to applaud her, but that would have been unprofessional," Juushirou sighed. "At least with this, we have a reason to get Enishi bailed. Okay, it's not a complete pardon yet, but it's a step in the right direction."

"I understood from the Fourth and from Ryuu the closer details of that event," Kinnya looked grave. "I rather like Houjou Enishi, and I recall he was the boy who saved Ryuu from the assassin that day in the Real World. Ryuu is certainly convinced of his innocence, and if you are as well, then I trust your judgement. Besides, there is beyond doubt a necromancer. It seems most likely to me that the answer is the simplest, even if it is the hardest to fathom. If a good officer not known for vigilante tendencies goes to another Division and claims it has been attacked by corpses, then probably that is what happened. And the existence of this necromancer just adds to the evidence in his favour. I am sure it will not be long before his name is cleared, Juushirou - and you can get back to normal service."

"But the more frightening thing is that we are dealing with an enemy that took out Guren-sama with just words," Juushirou reached across to pour the sake. "Guren-sama is not the kind of person anyone would choose to fight. Even Keitarou took precautions to prevent it happening. What kind of enemy is this that we're facing, if they can do that?"

"More importantly, how do we stop them?" Shunsui said grimly. "I don't care so much about who they are, unless it leads to how to stop them. Besides, I also haven't forgotten that Keitarou's corpse is relatively fresh still, thanks to his use of reidoku. Do we think that he can be awakened as well? And if so, will he be like Senaya-sama, and have consciousness?"

"The Urahara have him, correct?" Kinnya took a sip of sake, looking thoughtful, and Shunsui nodded. "Well, that's a shame. Burning the corpse seems the obvious solution, but you won't get any joy taking that argument to District Three. They have always been averse to the practice of cremation."

"Besides, all the corpses, including Ikata and the others, were just corpses. Mindless drones, fighting until they couldn't stop," Juushirou pointed out. "Senaya-sama is different because of the Royal Sword - it's that which is controlling him, isn't that what you said, Ojiisama? Royal Swords have their own rules, clearly - but Chudokuga isn't one of those. It's a dead sword now, and so even if Keitarou was awakened, he'd just be another random corpse. He'd be easy enough to cut down."

"But it does suggest more and more that Katsura took Chudokuga from his father's grave in order to prevent the possibility of anything else," Shunsui reflected. "What with his letter as well - I am inclined to be convinced he is innocent in any of this, except trying to prevent more trouble."

"I don't know what details Keiichi might have extracted from Jun'ei and the young girl, yet," Kinnya admitted. "But I do believe Jun'ei probably had Katsura's help. I didn't say it in the meeting, on account of discretion over young Kohaku's letter and such, but it was Keiichi who indicated to me the connection. He told me that the child - Homare, I believe - was the same child from whom he took Katsura's letter. Jun'ei could not have travelled to my estate so quickly without a horse - yet he arrived at the manor at around the same time as the horse did, even though it panicked and bolted. That suggests shunpo - a skill which Jun'ei does not yet have."

"But Katsura does," Juushirou rubbed his temples. "He used it to escape that day he attacked Seventh."

"It must be of a good level, too, which suggests he was taught it by someone with skill," Kinnya agreed. "Probably Keitarou. How is Kohaku's shunpo coming on?" he glanced at Juushirou, who groaned.

"If he really focuses, he can do it," he said bleakly. "But he struggles with it, even now. I think he does it more naturally when he's sleepwalking or hallucinating than he does when he's trying to do it normally - although in his delusion last night he managed to crash into a table and smash a jug, so maybe I'm exaggerating his ability. In any case, if Katsura learned it from Keitarou, Koku didn't. But Keitarou did deploy his sons in different ways - and Koku was useful to him because he could see the future. He didn't need to teach him anything else - in some ways, I think it was better for Keitarou if Koku had no control over his reiryoku at all. That way he could pick up some of the things Koku saw through spiritual leaks. We've worked on that, and having the sword means he's much better - but sometimes his dreams infect other people. Last night, it affected pretty much everyone at Thirteenth in some way or other, though most people probably don't realise it was Koku causing it."

"If Katsura isn't the enemy, what's he doing playing around with Seventh Division officers in the Dangai, though," Shunsui sat back on his hands pensively. "Is Tenichi so excited by the idea of abduction now that he's determined to make it happen again? It sounds too convenient that it would be him, of all people, getting dragged in. And Ohara, too - with his fancy for Kikyue-hime..."

"I see. There's an element of romance involved in this business, too," Kinnya toasted Shunsui with a smile. "Seireitei is indeed an interesting place."

"More like an unrequited desire to give his life for Kikyue's sake," Juushirou frowned. "Ohara was also controlled by Keitarou five years ago, and tried to attack Hirata's daughter. Now he seems to feel it's his duty to protect her. Apparently he was taken off duty because of this, as Kikyue's still in the Dangai and, as far as we know, alive. What Hirata said makes sense - it may be safer them being in there than not, right now, although it's a bleak thing to consider. In any case, do we think Katsura abducted them? Two shinigami? Even if Tenichi is still getting back up to speed..."

"As I said before, sometimes simple is best," Kinnya set his sakazuki down on the table, smiling at Shunsui as the Eighth Captain moved to refill it. "Thank you. It is good quality stuff - I haven't drunk Kyouraku sake in a while, but I must see about getting Keiichi to import some. It has a unique quality, which must be due to the abundant harvests in your part of the world."

"Niisama takes pride in it," Shunsui admitted. "But I don't mind if he feels the urge to send it to me on a regular basis."

"Well, it's welcome, after a day like this," Kinnya sighed. "In any case, as I was saying, simple seems best. To me, especially given the involvement with Jun'ei, I suspect the Seventh officers weren't kidnapped. Nor do I think they forced entry to the Dangai, either. Most likely they negotiated for it."

"Made a deal with Katsura to get access, so they could go find Kikyue?" Juushirou asked. Kinnya nodded.

"You know the officers and the dynamic better than I do," he agreed. "But the facts stack up in that direction. Katsura has access to the Dangai. His letter to young Kohaku tells us so. He helped Jun'ei to get to my manor, which was definitely a conscious act to help combat this threat. Now he's vanished with some shinigami to a place which is doubtless also connected to this. Katsura is investigating this too. Why, I don't know - but he is. And right now, their aims are the same. For whatever motivation of his own, Katsura doesn't want these shinigami acting like this, either. So we should discard him as a criminal in this and look at the other issues - the matter of his prior guilt can be settled later."

"There was one thing I was thinking about in the meeting," Shunsui admitted. "It was when you mentioned the Nagoya estate, Kinnya-sama. I had a thought...maybe it's random, but...this guy's sword. Are you certain that it is the Knowledge sword, and not the Name sword?"

"Yes," Kinnya agreed. "The spell that Shirogane described did involve the use of Guren's name, it's true. But it wasn't so much the name as knowing the name that gave it power. At least, that was my impression. I can't see how else it was used - the name became a spell, but...the Name sword's power is different. I am struggling to recall my childhood education, now, but if I remember rightly, the power of the Name sword is to bestow names on things. Not use them to steal lives and souls. I don't recall exactly how it works, but all Royal Swords are designed to be powerful enough to protect, create and destroy worlds. That's why it's not good when multiple swords collide. In this era, there's been just Genryuusai-sensei and I since my brother died - until Koku appeared, of course - but my being here is less of a risk and Genryuusai-sensei is not prone to burning down swathes of Seireitei, so it's generally not been a problem."

"Do you think Koku will be a problem, going forward?" Juushirou asked tentatively, and Kinnya shrugged.

"You know him best," he said evenly. "I don't see him as a danger, personally. I wanted to meet him, because I wanted to see for myself, and so did Raiurei - but while Kyouka Raigen is arrogant, opinionated and somewhat demanding, it's not a hostile entity. The Mirror Sword...well, I never met one before, but I remember that it's the sword of Existence. It shows things how they are - in one means or another."

He took a thoughtful sip of sake.

"Perhaps this is knowledge you already have," he continued pensively, "but as you asked the question, Juushirou, I feel I should answer it as fully as I am able. I was taught that this sword is especially subject to the character and personality of the wielder. Unlike some sword spirits, who are content to lie dormant, the Mirror dislikes being abandoned, and seeks companionship. Despite this, they are particularly unforgiving in the forging of the bond, and selective in their choice of a partner. Where some swords have only ever been reborn in this world once, the Mirror rarely sleeps for more than a few centuries between masters, although that does not mean their chosen souls necessarily make it to summoning. Mirror blades often first manifest in juveniles, as they lack the patience to await the soul's maturity. Even if they do so, they make no allowance for youth and are not above killing a potential host in infancy if they are displeased with it. For that reason the people they bond with are often perceived as physically weak or prone to ill health when young. Of course, the reality is the opposite. Weak souls and weak personalities they will not bend to, and ultimately, a feeble-minded wielder, no matter how strong their spirit power, will end up consumed by it instead. There are often many years between first hearing the voice and the learning of its name...they are demanding and the summoning process itself has sometimes proven fatal. In spite of all of this, Mirror swords are not generally malign. Rather they seek the security and stability of a wielder who can manage them and thus with whom they can forge a true bond. The strong ones - the ones who have purpose and belief, and those who survive - they ultimately bend the Mirror to their will. The Mirror really reflects the soul as the wielder chooses to make it, going forward. In a boy like Koku, who believes in peace and dislikes war, I think that to be a good thing. He has already proven himself capable of making difficult decisions. So long as he keeps strong and maintains control as he trains, I don't think his presence here is a problem. Mirror Swords are only really dangerous if the wielder is left to forge a bond alone with the sword, with no other outside influence. If they don't learn quickly that their master has other voices to heed and learn from, then they can completely monopolise the soul's own will, and damage it permanently."

"Then that's why Genryuusai-sensei was so anxious for me to take on the mantle of surrogate father," Juushirou mused. "Keitarou tried to keep him isolated, but I suppose probably Koku's bond with Katsura prevented him being entirely alone growing up. Sensei wanted me to prevent Koku being lonely as he learned to use his sword - so that he could forge his own opinions, rather than just relying on Kyouka Raigen alone."

"I would imagine so," Kinnya offered his grandson a wry smile. "Not that you needed much encouraging. And it is also why I wished to meet him, as any addition to your family is also an addition to mine as well. But he is a pleasant lad, all things considered, and I am happy to consider him part of that extended family. I imagine he will do quite well here in Seireitei - Thirteenth Division doesn't seem like a place where anyone can be isolated or lonely, not even if they wanted to be."

He glanced at Shunsui.

"But you were asking about Name and Knowledge. I'm sorry. I've deviated away."

"No. This is interesting, because it's still all new to me," Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "You're not a threat, I assume, because your sword is the Rebel? The one that doesn't want power and ambition and is happy to live quietly, contrary to the will of the others?"

"It's rather like me in that regard," Kinnya grinned, "although being the Rebel doesn't just mean being quiet and away from the centre of things. It means being contrary to the way of things - taking one's own path. And I'm afraid, I'm a little like that, too. But my brother, he needed me to be. He would've taken over the world, probably, if I hadn't been."

He shrugged.

"I chose a District girl for my consort, and I never regretted it, even though we couldn't marry," he added. "I got Raiko from that, and then Juushirou - and from Juushirou, his wider family, who I treasure more than the majority of Kuchiki kinsfolk. Though I am fond of Guren and even Seiren, now, and my brother's grandchildren, for most Kuchiki I am still the strange old hermit who lives by the sea. And that's fine by me - it means they expect nothing of me, so when I need to act, it scares them all into obedience."

"Spoken like a true rebel," Despite himself, Juushirou chuckled, and Kinnya nodded.

"You probably inherited that from me," he agreed. "Though I don't think I should apologise for it."

"Then even the Rebel Sword could potentially destroy a society?" Shunsui reflected. Kinnya smiled.

"That's why, when I say something, the Kuchiki mostly just don't fight me," he agreed. "I haven't any intention to disrupt District Six. But I could. If I wanted. And only those I am close to know whether or not I will, if provoked."

"That explains why _you_ are a little scary, then, when you go and yell at the Council about things," Shunsui gestured to Juushirou with his sakazuki, and the white haired Captain held up his hands.

"I make no apologies either," he said evenly. "I do what needs to be done. I don't have the Rebel Sword and I'm not planning on taking over anything. But if I can help, then I will. So I do."

"Besides, Shunsui-dono, the Mirror Sword is the hereditary blade of your family," Kinnya pointed out. "However dilute Kohaku's bloodline might be, he is still somewhere a Kyouraku, deep down. But the traits exist in you too. You have a knack for seeing the truth in things - I'm sure that's because the Mirror is somewhere in your blood."

"I didn't think about that," Shunsui admitted. "Maybe, though that isn't always a good thing. In any case, it's not really in Katen Kyoukotsu. I'm fine with that. I don't need a Royal Sword."

He frowned.

"As regards the Knowledge..." he said slowly. "If I'm understanding you right, this operates around the cliche of Knowledge being power. Correct? That saying has to come from somewhere. Does it literally come from that sword?"

"You mean, Guren-sama was susceptible because the person who attacked him knew who he was?" Juushirou asked. Shunsui shrugged.

"Somewhat," he agreed. "I'm hazy at the moment, but when Kinnya-sama said the spell didn't work on Shirogane-dono, it made me wonder. How did this Kunimori know Shirogane-dono's name?"

"I imagine Guren used it to speak to him," Kinnya looked thoughtful. "I was under the impression the intruders were waiting for Guren and knew him by name, but it would not be hard to discover the name of the current Clan Leader, especially not if they had been in the house. But for Shirogane, it must have been spoken aloud. Shirogane writes his name with just the character for silver, which could just as easily be read as 'Gin'. _Shirogane_ can also be written with two characters, though. Unless it was a lucky guess, I imagine that, to get the correct reading, Guren must have used it. He probably gave Shirogane an order, as he would not have known that he needed to guard such information. If this Kunimori had made a mistake, Shirogane would have mentioned it to me - so he must have known and used the correct name to address the boy."

He eyed Shunsui curiously.

"But I am interested," he added. "Why do you ask?"

"Then he would have called him Kuchiki Shirogane?"

"I would think so," Kinnya confirmed. "I haven't actually asked that question, but I see no reason to assume otherwise. Shirogane did tell me he'd shouted at Kunimori and revealed that he was Guren's nephew and heir to the Clan in his anger, remember. Those are also precious pieces of knowledge...I imagine it was far from difficult for Kunimori to reason out Shirogane's full name, even if he wasn't formally given it."

"I thought so," Shunsui's lips pressed together. "If I'm right, that's why it didn't work. If that's the name he used...that's why it worked on Guren-sama, and not on Shirogane-dono. The spell has rules. It's not about power levels. Shirogane-dono didn't resist it. Just, the conditions for the spell weren't correctly met."

"Not correctly...?" Kinnya's eyes widened in sudden realisation, and Juushirou let out an exclamation.

"The _Nagoya_ estate!" he cried. " _That's_ what you mean, isn't it? That probably, Kunimori was able to work out Shirogane-dono's identity, but he couldn't know that Shirogane-dono's name wasn't always Kuchiki!"

"Exactly," Shunsui nodded, and Kinnya tut-tutted softly under his breath, berating himself inwardly for not seeing the possibility sooner. "If we are talking about someone who came from a long time ago, he'd only know the old way of things. The Kuchiki always pass power through the male line, and always to those with the Kuchiki name. Guren-sama gave Shirogane-dono that name when he adopted him as his heir, because of that tradition. So, with all logic, Kunimori would see him and call him Kuchiki Shirogane. And Shirogane-dono wouldn't have reacted to that, because for the last thirty or so years, that has been his name. But it's not the name he was born with. And Kunimori could not have known that."

Kinnya pursed his lips.

"That makes sense," he agreed. "I feel ashamed that I didn't think of it sooner, not least because of where Guren was evacuated to. But, I suppose my plain Kuchiki blood cannot compare to the truth contained in the Kyouraku family bloodline."

"Don't tease me," Shunsui looked rueful. "More likely it was just me making an outside observation - I didn't get caught up in the scene and so I was able to preen out the details like this."

"But you are right, of course," Kinnya nodded. "The natural assumption for this Kunimori would be that Kuchiki Shirogane would be his name, and Shirogane didn't make any comment about it to me because he is used to answering to that identity. I doubt even he would have thought about it in the heat of battle. Since the day Guren formally adopted him and installed him as heir, Shirogane has discarded the Nagoya name and nobody ever uses it now. I wonder if even Jun'ei and his siblings know, in all truth. But whatever he calls himself to satisfy the Clan, his father's name was Nagoya, and that is the name you both knew him by, when you were at school together. Maybe that is important. Maybe the spell only works if you know the person's real name."

"Which means people who carry the Clan name from the start are probably most at risk," Juushirou glanced between his two companions apprehensively.

"I'm probably fine," Kinnya remarked. "Aside from the fact most people don't know about me, I have a Royal Sword. It sounds like he wasn't able to combat one of those, because he knew Guren had been trained by one, and that made it harder for him to withdraw what he wanted. Guren's sword is also a child of Taiyourei. Even if currently that blade is on a homicidal hunt against Senaya-nii's sons, it's still the case. I don't know about your weapon, Juushirou," he added, "but it has been said that the children of someone with a Royal Blade have higher spiritual potential, even when the blade itself isn't hereditary to a particular family. That may be why Seiren lost his, because it was too much for his body and it deformed - but who knows. It's just a story, and it isn't as though they were his only children."

"Shirogane-dono's mother never raised a sword, did she?" Shunsui asked, and Kinnya shook her head.

"Far too physically frail, for all her razor sharp wits," he confirmed. "She must have passed something on to Shirogane, of course - but his spirit power, while considerable, is probably not the same as what Guren inherited from my brother. And," he glanced at Juushirou pensively, "what perhaps Raiko, and even you, have inherited from me."

"I'm not worried about me," Juushirou dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "Nobody is going to know who Ukitake Juushirou is. Some random District guy? They won't have any idea about me, and won't care, either. If they came from the Dangai, and were in there as long as we were hypothesising, then they wouldn't even think of a lowly name like Ukitake as being worth their knowing. If I had any doubts about that, listening to Yuuichi-sama talking about the handing down of name kanji within Clan lines would soon have disabused me of it, as there's never been any such tradition in my family. But Shunsui..."

"Kyouraku, huh," Shunsui rested his chin in his hands. "I suppose so. I'm not sure that tradition existed in the Kyouraku either - not that I've ever done any digging to find out. But I suppose I'll have to be very careful about giving away my first name, since there's not a lot I can do about my second. Although, like I said in the meeting, my family came into being around the time of Heaven's War. My ancestor was given land and title following the conflict, as far as I know, and we're descended from that. If these are individuals from that time period, they may not know the name at all. I might be like you, Juushirou. Descended from nothing in their eyes."

"The irony of a scenario where being born District is a bonus," Juushirou said dryly. "Perhaps that's so."

"No, the Kyouraku must have older roots than that," Kinnya frowned. "Your family has a hereditary Royal Blade, Shunsui-dono. There are generally two types of Royal Sword. There are those which pick individual souls based on their own criteria - these manifest in any family, and depend entirely on the individual. There are also those which are cast down through inheritance, and thus are uniquely found in a particular family. The Moon sword, for example, is always held by a Shiba. Kyouki-dono's Gekkoushin isn't a Royal sword, but it's unsurprising she should produce such a weapon considering what's in the Shiba blood."

"I suppose Sora's Hotarue can be put in the same category, being that it deals with gravity," Juushirou mused, and Kinnya nodded.

"Probably. And the Mirror...as I said before, it definitely adheres to the Kyouraku bloodline," he continued. "It's a sword carried through blood inheritance. That being the case, Shunsui-dono, you must have had an ancestor who received a sword from the Soul King. That would make your family especially old - not one of the most recent."

"I know nothing about that," Shunsui owned. "I mean, obviously they came from somewhere, but to receive a Royal Sword implies rank. I think if there were any stories like that, my family would have been all over them already. In any case, the name Kyouraku comes from Heaven's War. A soldier who fought bravely and received land and title. His name was Harumizu. I know that because I'm named after him. Sort of. It was apparently an auspicious thing to do. But I don't know who his ancestors were. The popular story was that he was a courtesan's byblow who rose through the ranks through military diligence - though a lot of the Kyouraku prefer to put emphasis on the diligence part rather than the courtesan part. But that is where the name is said to come from - Kyouraku, written with the characters for 'city' and 'pleasure'."

"Harumizu...Shunsui. I see," Kinnya reflected. "Your family really did expect a lot from you, didn't they?"

"Sadly, yes," Shunsui pulled a face.

"Well, I don't suppose they're too disappointed," Kinnya looked amused. "In any case, while it's possible for a Shiba or a Kyouraku soul to bond individually with a different Royal Sword, only a Shiba can summon the Moon sword and only a Kyouraku can summon the Mirror. It's in the bloodline, right back to the first wielder of that sword - although there are no rules relating to status or legitimacy in those cases. All it needs is the bloodline, however broken or disgraced, in order to manifest itself. Whatever the ancestry of your courtesan's get, it must have been fairly illustrious. Whatever the nature of his birth, one of his parents brought the sword gene into the Kyouraku family line."

"Then I'm surprised my family aren't aware of it," Shunsui remarked. "They are rather fond of bragging about their heritage, mostly because of insecurity about being one of the newer noble families. When you live next door to the Yamamoto, whose name literally suggests they are older than the hills, apparently much bragging is necessary."

He drained his sakazuki, setting it back on the table.

"But that tidbit of information is something I'll look into, tomorrow, when I go see my brother," he added. "If there's any clue in what we have, I'll see if I can find it in our own records."

"I imagine that if your family believe they originated three milennia ago, there may not be older material there," Kinnya rubbed his chin. "It's probable that there would be some record of prior Mirror swords in the Kuchiki archive, which may give you a clue as to what family your ancestor was originally descended from in order to carry that bloodline forward. Unfortunately I don't know right now how to get access to that. I will ask Shirogane about Futsuki, but...I don't know. He probably has access, but I imagine he's been sent North for a reason, and so he might not be willing or able to leave. It occurs to me that Shirogane's own family - his wife and his other children - were not at the manor. It makes me wonder if Guren sent Futsuki after them to keep them safe, in which case, I can't ask for him to come back. I'll find out, but it seems like something my nephew would do."

"Protecting the Clan first," Juushirou said sadly. "That makes sense. Shirogane-dono and his children are precious for the Kuchiki going forward, and after losing his own son, I imagine Guren-sama would go to some lengths to protect Shirogane-dono's."

"Well, Jun'ei is safe with Keiichi at my manor, which I am gambling these invaders don't know or care about," Kinnya admitted. "The manor was given me by my late father, but I know that there wasn't always Clan property in that area. In fact, it was once unclaimed land which the Kuchiki expanded into under one of my ancestors. That happened as a result of the Kuchiki being appointed as Heaven's Regents, and their increased level of power and influence as a result. It was actually unusual for land to be given to First Degree Kuchiki so far from the main house, so it was originally held by lesser Clansmen - but it borders District Five and Father was fed up with people squabbling over controlling it and spatting with the Shiba over where the border line was drawn. He gave it to me because he realised that I wouldn't be easily swayed and that if the son of the Clan Leader was based there, the Shiba would think twice about invading it. I happened to like it, though. I spent a lot of my time at court when my brother was in charge - but I always think of the Coastal Province as the real treasure of District Six, and my personal paradise."

"I can't argue," Juushirou acknowledged. "It's that to me, too. With the sea and the forests, it's perfect. But it is quite a distance from the Kuchiki manor - I mean, the Nagoya Estate we just mentioned and Seiren-dono's home estate are also much closer, aren't they?"

"They are," Kinnya agreed. "I suppose Ryuu will inherit Seiren's manor, one day. Who knows," his eyes twinkled. "Maybe I'll leave my manor to you. That would really put the cat among the pigeons within the Clan."

"What would I do with a great big manor like that?" Juushirou snorted. "Don't be ridiculous, Ojiisama."

"Marry Mitsuki, start a family, take a holiday," Shunsui counted them off on his fingers lazily, and Juushirou groaned.

"I will tip that over your head if you continue that list," he warned, gesturing to the sakazuki, and his friend sent him a wry grimace. "It's been too long a day for that kind of joke."

"Where is Mitsuki, anyway?" Kinnya wondered. "I got the impression from Ryuu she wasn't here in Seireitei...and she wasn't around to treat Shirogane. I would have thought she would have been eager to do that, although Shikiki did a fine job managing his attempts to rebel. He wanted to report to you all, but she told him she'd tie him up with Kidou and leave him to explain it to visitors, and it had the desired effect."

"Shikiki and Shirogane-dono have a special bond," Juushirou said appreciatively. "Mitsuki's in District Four, anyway. She's working at a hospital there under Retsu-sama's orders. It's something to do with developing cures for particular diseases. I don't know the details, but she's enjoying it."

"I see," Kinnya eyed his grandson speculatively. "Maybe I do need to leave you my manor. Clearly you're not doing very well in the nest-building department, if your belle is spending most of her time roaming around the Districts healing strangers."

"Ojiisama!" Juushirou flushed red at this, and Shunsui chuckled.

"See, it's not just me," he said playfully. "We all want you to have a happy ending."

"It is entirely not the right atmosphere to discuss it, even if you are both trying to dispel tension at my expense," Juushirou said firmly. "And, if we're not going to discuss the situation any more, I should be getting back. I promised Naoko not to leave her much longer than I needed, and I need to tell her about the decisions in the meeting, as they affect her."

He drained his sakazuki, getting to his feet.

"I'll see myself out," he added. "Don't drink too much, either of you. We still have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Spoilsport," Shunsui sighed, but nodded. "All right. I suppose you do have to be up early to receive your Vice Captain, and I don't want Naoko shouting at me because I kept you here. You didn't get much sleep last night, either, with Koku and everything."

"I'm surprised you managed to remember that," came the retort. "I'll speak to you when you get back from Eighth. Ojiisama, good luck with things tomorrow. Thank you for coming yourself to report. We'll try to find a way to get to the bottom of it all."

"I have no doubt," Kinnya said warmly. "Sleep well, Juushirou. You are prone to working too hard, as well."

Juushirou bowed his head in the older man's direction, then, with a rueful smile, he withdrew, closing the door behind him. As his footsteps disappeared down the hallway, Shunsui cast Kinnya a glance.

"I see you share my opinion of the Mitsuki situation," he said blithely, and Kinnya laughed, nodding his head.

"I take every opportunity I can to remind my grandson that happiness is fleeting and shouldn't be taken for granted," he agreed, "but I realise that his happiness is also here, and I suppose Mitsuki's is in Fourth as well. But family is there to tease, and I confess, I lost the chance to do that with my daughter. Juushirou is my only blood descendant, so he has to bear the brunt of this lonely old man's fancies."

"You needn't worry. I tease him plenty when he's working, too," Shunsui picked up the sake bottle, eying the contents. "We're almost out of this one. Do you fancy opening another or do you want to rush back to District Six tonight?"

"I have agreed with Ryuu that I will stay at Sixth Division tonight," Kinnya shook his head. "It seems better that way, and I sent word to Keiichi to that effect. I did put a barrier around the manor before I left, though - I hope that the messenger can find it. Still, if not, Seiren is planning to send word too. Hopefully one of them will get through, or if not, mine will be left with one of Keiichi's local agents to collect. I imagine they'll know I'm safe enough, so I'm more than happy to partake of your excellent hospitality."

"Seiren-dono was unharmed in this attack?" Shunsui asked. Kinnya shrugged.

"Knocked out but not really hurt. Apparently not spiritually important enough to kill," he said honestly. "I imagine that smarts a bit against Seiren's pride as a warrior. Shirogane said that this Kunimori called Seiren a runt - which I didn't tell Seiren, by the way. The last thing I need is him going off on a hot-headed mission to restore his pride. His mental strength has always been stronger than his physical strength, and now he sometimes walks with a stick. He is far from capable of fighting a decent battle these days, and even if he was still the sword fighter he used to be, he wouldn't stand a chance with this level of spirit power."

"But this Kunimori didn't use the Knowledge spell on him?"

"No..." Kinnya's eyes narrowed. "Which implies that he couldn't, doesn't it? He was the Kuchiki present at the main estate, and his attire would have quickly given him away as a significant man of rank. It would be easy to assume he might know whatever information the invaders wanted, and he would have had no defences against any kind of magic. Maybe there is some truth in Sekime-dono's suggestion. Perhaps it does require a certain level of skill, and thus is more damaging to individuals with strength."

"More likely knowledge is stolen - or read - from reiatsu," Shunsui suggested, getting to his feet and rummaging in his cupboard for a fresh bottle of sake. "Ah, here we go. This is a good vintage. I think you'll appreciate this one - I only share it with the most illustrious of guests. In any case, it made me think of Kohaku. He reads information from reishi, and so he's able to predict much more quickly than anyone else how that reishi changes. It allows him a glimpse into what we would consider the future, and Kyouka Raigen enables him to hone that skill so that he can not only read it, but actually predict and preempt it. In doing so, he must read elements of reiatsu from people, too, to discern their movements and thus predict them. I wondered whether maybe this power is also like that. You said that Guren-sama seemed as though he had lost his normal reiatsu. Maybe this is why. This sword is taking and perhaps reading information from stolen reiatsu. I am not sure if that is good news or not for anyone trying to save Guren-sama's life, but it means that Seiren-dono not having any real amount of reiatsu made it impossible for him to be breached."

"Breached? That sounds rather painful," Kinnya held out his sakazuki obediently, amusement in his expression. "I do see what you mean, though. I had the same concern about Guren, and I admit, I prioritised Shirogane's safety because of it - so I suppose that one rests at present with Retsu-dono. But while this Kunimori could easily have killed Seiren with kidou or his blade if he had wanted, he didn't try and use this technique on him. I imagine he didn't kill Seiren only because it wasn't necessary. Seiren couldn't fight him. It sounds like Shirogane attacked Kunimori, and Kunimori was angry that his spell didn't work, so he responded with his blade as well, but he didn't try to assault Seiren with his release."

"Then there are limits to this skill," Shunsui pursed his lips. "It doesn't work on Royal Blades - we think. He had trouble with Guren-sama, so there is a level of strength that makes it harder for him to read reiatsu, even if he can still cast his spell. He needs to know the subject's real name - and it doesn't work if the subject has no reiatsu at all."

"It's as you said," Kinnya tilted his sakazuki slightly in acknowledgement. "Knowledge is power."

"Well, let's hope so," Shunsui said grimly, "because I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning to find another of my comrades has been taken out."

* * *

It felt as though he had been searching the same halls of the Dome forever.

Takasugi dropped back against the smooth curve of the wall with a heavy sigh, frustration glittering in his expression as he reflected on his surroundings anew. Although his spell had clearly identified the faint traces of Kikyue's aura in the close vicinity, he had been unable to track it beyond the central chamber. Moreover, the longer he had searched, the more fleeting the impression had become. Wherever the Seventh Division hime was, it seemed as though she was moving further from his grasp with every passing minute, and yet he could not see for the life of him how.

The central portion of the Dome building led off into a series of surrounding chambers, each of which wrapped around the circular room in the middle like a tire surrounding a wheel. These rooms contained books and papers, and even a writing desk, but Takasugi had not been interested in these things. He had quickly ascertained that none of his comrades had been in those areas, but no matter where he began, he always ended up back in the main central chamber. The moonlight glittered in through the hazy dome ceiling overhead, as though mocking his attempts.

 _I don't know what I should even do now. I know they're here, but I can't find them. Should I go back out into the sand? Would I find them there? But..._

His gaze drifted to the charred remains of the sand he had used to cast his impromptu locating spell, and sighed.

 _Maybe that didn't work as well as I thought. Maybe it has to be the right kind of powder. Perhaps I'm chasing ghosts._

He clenched his fists, pounding them absently against the smooth wall in his frustration.

 _If I can't find Kikyue-hime, then I can't go back, either. But that's the least of my problems. Somewhere in this godforsaken place are my comrades. And the Eleventh...although I don't sense them. And there's no sign of Kunimori-dono or that other guy. That's maybe a good sign, but it might mean they've taken my companions somewhere. At worst, they've put them somewhere - but I don't know where, and even if I did, I don't understand how this place works._

A sudden loud explosion, followed by the sound of quick footsteps made him start, and he swung around, eyes glittering with consternation as he realised that he was about to have company. Instinctively he dove for the cover of the nearest sideroom, pulling the door mostly shut behind him and putting his hand on the hilt of his weapon ready to draw it at a moment's notice. He was on his own, and had no way of knowing whether those who were about to enter were his missing comrades or the enigmatic shinigami who had apparently made this place their home, but he did have the element of surprise.  
 _  
And if it is them, then maybe I can take them off guard. Maybe I can...maybe...find out where Kikyue-hime and the others are.  
_  
Takasugi's grasp tightened around the sword hilt, and silently he pulled it free of its scabbard, readying himself.  
 _  
I might get killed. But I don't have many other options. I can't find them by myself, and I can't go back for help, either. I need to do something - so I'll have to take the risk._

He tensed his entire body, leaning up against the door as he prepared to pounce. Though his heart was racing, he forced himself to focus, waiting second after elongated second to hear the door of the Dome's central chamber slide open. Whatever had caused the explosion outside, it was about to meet him face to face, and he muttered a quick prayer to any deity that happened to be listening, before flinging back the door and launching into the room with a loud yell. There was an exclamation of surprise, and then the sound of a blade clattering against his own.

"Takasugi! Have you lost your mind, drawing your sword on a superior officer?"

The voice was Ohara's, and with a jolt Takasugi realised that the man who stood before him was his division's Fourth Seated officer, weapon drawn to repel Takasugi's own blade and a look of reproach on his haughty features. His heart flopped in his chest and he sank back, letting out a heavy sigh of relief as, slowly, the adrenaline began to slip out of his body.

"Masayuki-dono."

He lowered his sword to his side, and Ohara sheathed his own weapon, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Explain yourself," he said crisply, reaching out to grab his subordinate by the shoulders and giving him a short, sharp shake. "Why are you attacking me? Why are you on your own? Where is Kikyue-hime?"

"I thought it might be the other shinigami, coming back," Takasugi replied, somewhat incoherently. "I didn't know it was you, sir. I'm sorry. As for Kikyue-hime - I'm looking for her too. She sent me off to scout and when she did, something happened. She and the others were taken somewhere...but although I can sense her reiatsu, I can't for the life of me work out where."

"Other shinigami?"

A fresh voice cut across the conversation at that juncture, and Takasugi raised his gaze, surprise glittering in his eyes as he recognised that Ohara was not alone.

"Kotetsu? You're here too? I thought Taichou had you chained to barracks!"

"Well, Taichou doesn't know we're here," Tenichi said ruefully, and Takasugi's eyes widened.

"Doesn't know...?"

"We can settle that later, when we find our objective and return safely to Seireitei," Ohara said matter-of-factly. "You said you sensed Kikyue-hime's reiatsu. I am sure that I did, also, but I am not sure where she is located. We need to find her...and Kotetsu is right. We need to know what you mean by 'other shinigami'."

"They're not here anymore," Takasugi admitted. "I don't know where they went, or if they took Kikyue-hime and Ikata with them. I feel like I'm the only one here, and there's no way back. You shouldn't have come, sir - I don't have the device to open the Dangai, and..."

"It's all right, Takasugi. We have our own...erm...device," Tenichi gestured across the chamber, and Takasugi turned, his expression becoming confused as he took in the third member of the group. Dressed in patched peasant clothing, and with no sign of a zanpakutou at his waist, the stranger could easily be mistaken for a random Rukongai youth, and the sleeve of one arm was ripped and soaked in drying blood, as though some rough first aid had been administered recently. He had made no attempt to engage in the conversation with Takasugi, nor had he joined the trio in the centre of the room. Instead he had been examining the curved walls, running his fingers over them as though looking for the slightest crack or divide.

"Device?"

"That would be me," now the stranger turned, offering Takasugi a wry smile. "You're clearly another Endou shinigami, and I'm becoming more outnumbered with every passing minute. You don't look like the hime to me, though, so I'm guessing you're not who we came here to find."

"Katsura," Tenichi sent the dark haired man a warning look, and at the sound of the name, Takasugi's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"Kat...sura?" he whispered. "As in..."

"Aizen Katsura, at your service," Katsura loped across the chamber towards the dismayed shinigami, holding out his unbloody hand as if in greeting, and Takasugi stared at it blankly. "No? Oh well. I suppose I can't expect an Endou to easily shake the hand of an Aizen." He lowered his hand with a shrug. "In any case, it's as Tenichi said. I'm your Dangai device. I'm the only one who can open Gates while they're on Gotei embargo."

"But why..." Takasugi's gaze flitted to Ohara in confusion. "Masayuki-dono, if Taichou finds out...if he realises you've cut a deal with the devil like this..."

"I don't care about such things, not while Kikyue-hime is missing," Ohara cut across him matter-of-factly. "For the time being, I am the senior officer in charge. Besides, he is proving useful thus far."

He glanced at Katsura, who bowed his head, amused.

"Fine praise," he reflected. "Takasugi, did Tenichi say?"

"Takasugi Heita," Takasugi agreed, his expression still one of bewilderment. "But I still don't...I mean...after everything..."

"It's all right, Takasugi," Tenichi came to rest a hand on his bemused comrade's shoulder. "Whatever past issues there are between us, for now, we're on the same side. What he said is true, too. Katsura can open the Dangai gates, even if the Gotei have them sealed. It was the only way we could come here to help find you guys - and both Masayuki-dono and I wanted to do that. Everyone back home is worried...well...I guess you don't know about that, either, but Ikata and the others from Eleventh came back through the Gate by Twelfth. Only they came back as zombies, and so..."

" _What?_ " Takasugi paled.

"We don't know that for certain, yet," Ohara reminded his companion. "We only know that they came back, and attacked their Division."

"Fukutaichou believes they were dead, and so do I," Tenichi shook his head. "They came here and they were turned into corpses and sent back to assault Seireitei."

"But your friend here said something about other shinigami," Katsura folded his arms across his chest, his expression becoming serious. "And we know that shinigami came out of that broken Gate."

"We only have your word for it that they did," Ohara objected. Katsura shook his head.

"Anyone with half a sense would have picked up their auras around the broken Gate, and you're skilled enough to do that, Ohara-dono, even if you don't like to concede any point my way," he said categorically. "Besides, I know they were there. They attacked the Kuchiki manor. I told you, didn't I? I met the Kuchiki's messenger, going for help. He told me about the shinigami - one of whom had an aura of death. Since your comrade here mentioned shinigami, and since we picked up the scent of death coming in here from the Zaimon, I wondered whether they were the same. I realise you don't trust me, and maybe that's a good idea," he added, turning his attention towards Takasugi, "but I'm honestly not interested in killing Endou shinigami, or in upsetting your Captain more than he already is by messing with his subordinates. Besides, if you saw those people, you already know that your organisation have bigger issues than me to worry about. I can't do half the things you people seem to think I can - and while I'm flattered that you think me so omnipotent, the bald truth is that I'm not like my brother or my father. I'm really surprisingly ordinary. I can't manipulate corpses or wake the dead, and I certainly can't do so across multiple locations at once. Nor do I really want to. But I can open Dangai Gates, and all of those corpsey things are bothersome to me too. I called a temporary truce with your superior officer here because he wants to find his missing hime, and I want to find out what's going on with the undead. My father is also a corpse, let's not forget - and not a very well decayed one. And I would rather not see him risen from the grave, if it's all the same to you."

"Nobody wants that," Tenichi shuddered.

"An aura of death..." Takasugi faltered, his mind flitting back to the last time he had seen Kikyue and his fellows. He glanced at Ohara hesitantly, and with a sigh, Ohara nodded.

"Say what you know," he said softly. "For the time being, Katsura has done nothing to breach the truce we agreed in the Kuchiki grove."

"All right," Takasugi shrugged. "There were at least two shinigami here. I haven't seen any others, just those two. They were both dressed in old-fashioned clothing, but one was a lot older than the other - maybe as old as Genryuusai-sama. One of them, the younger one, definitely had a dark aura about him. We sensed it too, coming in. We came through the Hollow forest - you must have seen that too?"

"Decidedly," Tenichi put a hand to his ribcage with a grimace, and Takasugi nodded.

"We would've been done for, probably. Ikata was there, too, and the Eleventh, but there were a lot of Hollows, and probably more than we could comfortably take down without taking injury," he remembered. "Then this guy appeared - the older guy, dressed in silver and white. He had a zanpakutou, and he cast Kidou. It drove the Hollows back and he brought us up here, to the Dome. Then, outside, we separated. Ikata and the others went with him inside the Dome, and Kikyue-hime wanted to explore outside."

"This guy didn't mind her doing that?" Tenichi frowned, and Takasugi shook his head.

"He didn't seem worried about it," he replied. "But there's literally nothing here. I know. Kikyue-hime sent me to scout, but there's nothing to scout."

"And that was the last time you saw Ikata?" Ohara asked.

"Mm," Takasugi agreed. "But that guy - his name was Kunimori - he wasn't the one with the aura of death. He told us he'd got stranded here by mistake trying to cross from Seireitei to the Real World, but I don't know...if any of us really believed it. Kikyue-hime and Hashimori were discussing the possibility that he might have been a Dangai criminal, and what his motivations might be for helping us."

"Put into the Zaimon Gates?" Katsura pursed his lips. "Then he would have to be considerably old."

"Three thousand years, give or take," Tenichi agreed.

"I thought so too," Takasugi sighed. "In any case, he wasn't really interested in us. Only Ikata and the others from Eleventh. I think Ikata told him that he was a Yamamoto - and Kunimori said he was also from the same Clan. He called himself Yamamoto no Jirou Kunimori, which would make him someone pretty close to the centre of the Clan, but Ikata had never heard of him. Kunimori had some Yamamoto trinket, though, that convinced Ikata that the man was telling the truth. So I guess he was. I suppose he was a Yamamoto of some kind."

"Silver and white makes that likely," Ohara said thoughtfully. "I see."

"Masayuki-dono?" Tenichi cast his companion a quizzical glance, and Ohara sighed.

"Perhaps we have been looking at this mistakenly," he reflected. "Whatever occurred to Ikata and the others happened _after_ they parted ways with Kikyue-hime. Sekime-taichou reported to the Captains that Kikyue-hime was definitely still alive, even after Ikata returned to Seireitei and launched his attack. Whether he was or wasn't a corpse at the time is for the Fourth to resolve - but it seems as though that action was not random after all. If this Kunimori person was a Yamamoto, then perhaps that was the reason Ikata and the rest were attacked. This may be a Clan matter - and one not involving the Endou."

"But Kikyue-hime is still missing, and I don't know where she or the others are," Takasugi looked troubled. "She sent me off to scout, as I said, but I saw what happened. There was another guy - a younger one - and he's the one with the aura of death. I don't know what he did with them. He cast some kind of spell, and they disappeared. I've been looking ever since, but haven't found them. I sensed something like a Senkaimon opening, and I think that happened in here - but I can't find it. And even though it opened, I think...Kikyue-hime and the others are still here. Somewhere. Wherever 'here' is."

"Some kind of Hollow world," Katsura mused.

"If you know anything about this..." Ohara sent him a warning look, and Katsura shook his head.

"Father never mentioned anything like this, and I've not been here, either, not once," he replied. "I've used the Dangai for years, but I've never found my way to this place. Whatever those shinigami did to get to Seireitei, it opened up the passage more easily. I don't suppose that's a good thing...but that's a Gotei problem to resolve, not mine."

He shrugged.

"If nothing else, Takasugi here has backed up my claim that there are rogue shinigami roaming around the place," he added gravely. "Not that I need to prove myself to you, but I am worried about them and what they intend to do. Also, why they're causing trouble now. A lot of things bother me about this, not least because I saw the Dangai react to my brother's reiatsu at least once since these corpse attacks began."

"Kohaku?" Tenichi blinked, and Katsura nodded.

"He didn't see me," he agreed, "but I saw him. He was attacked by a corpse at the border camp, and it dazed him. He was completely thrown by whatever reishi that thing was giving off, so I blasted it out of existence before it could hurt him. But he was investigating the scene...and the Gate reacted to his aura. It shouldn't do that. I can't open Gates that corpses come out of - but it reacted to him and opened automatically. It almost got him killed...so naturally I'm eager to resolve this as quickly as possible."

"That also makes sense," Ohara's eyes became slits.

"If you're going to accuse my brother of treason..." Katsura began, and Ohara held up his hand, shaking his head impatiently.

"Don't be foolish. You might be a disgusting outlaw, but Kohaku is trusted by the Gotei and I have no reason to think otherwise," he said scathingly. "Kikyue-hime and Taichou are both happy with his presence in Thirteenth Division, and I trust their judgement on this. No. But your brother destroyed the Senkaimon at Third Division as part of the battle against your even more disgusting father. I know..."

He frowned, pressing his lips together, then,

"His doing so freed me from Keitarou's control, as well as others," he added softly. "It is not something that I would forget. But that Gate controlled the whole network. It is possible that he left some trace of his aura on it when he did so - and that is why these loose Gates are now reacting to him."

"In which case, he is in danger from another random corpse attack and another randomly opening Gate," Takasugi's expression cleared, and he glanced at Katsura. "I suppose that does give you a reason to work with us...and for us to trust you, at least for now."

"I am not interested in killing shinigami," Katsura shook his head. "Not now, not ever again. I won't pretend I won't fight back if attacked," he added, sending Ohara a pointed look, "but only in self-defence. I won't be the aggressor. It would upset Koku, if I did that. He's made his choice about what life he wants to lead and I will die to protect that choice, if I need to."

"I am not so ill-bred that I am interested in ambushing outlaws," Ohara said aloofly, and Tenichi sent him an incredulous look which told Takasugi that the fourth seat had already tried that tactic with little success. "You need not worry about that."

"We really need to find Kikyue-hime, and we need to go back and raise the alarm about what Takasugi saw here and the potential dangers," The older Kotetsu said grimly. "There are four of us now. Surely we should be able to track one of them down?"

"If Takasugi has searched all around this area of the Dome, then probably they're not inside here at all," Katsura pointed out, offering Ohara a benign smile. Ohara bristled, but made no response.

"I sensed them here." Takasugi protested. "I thought they might be underground, but I can't find a way in. I don't know how this place works, but it's like a maze. All the rooms up here lead back to this one, and there's no other way out than the one you came in through. That leads back out into the sand, so..."

"There's no sign of a trapdoor, or any indication of an underground room," Tenichi paced across the smooth floor, examing it for any tiny hairline crack or break that might suggest an opening. "Wherever that shinigami you saw took them, it doesn't seem like it was here."

"There's probably a way through that we haven't seen yet," Ohara suggested. "Perhaps in one of the other side rooms. Maybe it is well hidden, or not obvious."

"Maybe it's up," Katsura mused.

"Up?" Tenichi stared. Katsura nodded.

"Not in here, of course. That's the sky, so there's no going up there," he responded. "But Ohara-dono mentioned the other rooms. Takasugi, did you check all the ceilings? It would be easy to hide a doorway in a ceiling panel or a stone carving. Maybe you need to go up to go down."

"I didn't see anything," Takasugi pursed his lips. "But I suppose I wasn't really looking for that. This place doesn't make any sense, though. I guess it's worth a shot."

"No...wait." Katsura held up his hands, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Wait a minute. Something's up."

"Something?" Tenichi's fingers drifted to his zanpakutou. "Something that means us harm?"

"Probably, but..." Katsura frowned, then, "I don't know what, exactly. Just...something. The Hollows...I can sense it. They're excited. Something's happened down there."

"You can sense Hollows from up here?" Takasugi looked confused, and Katsura nodded grimly.

"I can read their minds," he said evenly. "It's apparently not a popular party trick, but I can. I also roundly upset them when we came through their forest. Doing that means I'm on their frequency, and they on mine. They're excited about something all right. It feels as though...they've found prey."

"Kikyue-hime?" Ohara's eyes widened with alarm. "You mean...she was still down there and we came up here for no reason?"

"No, Takasugi is here. They came up here all right," Tenichi said grimly. "But we don't know where they are now. If Takasugi thought they were somehow underground...well, the Hollow Forest is down there. Maybe wherever that guy put them was near the Hollows. And if so..."

"The Hollows have found them," Takasugi looked grave. Katsura shrugged.

"No idea," he admitted. "Hollows don't care about the names or identities of the things they hunt. These Hollows are smarter than most Hollows I've met before, but it doesn't mean they see the faces of the ones they want to kill. I can't tell what they've found. Just that they've locked on to a small group of targets with high spiritual potential. From here, it's hard to be sure, but I think...there are four of them. Does that tally with your missing comrades?"

"There should be five," Ohara's lips pressed together in consternation.

"Takasugi is here, though," Tenichi pointed out. Ohara shook his head.

"We assigned five officers with Kikyue-hime," he replied grimly. "Including Takasugi, it is six overall. If Katsura is right, and that is Kikyue-hime, someone is missing. Maybe hurt. We can't waste any more time here."

"What if it isn't Kikyue-hime?" Takasugi asked. Ohara shrugged.

"We came here to take risks," he replied. "That means we should go to check it out. So you had better be telling us the truth," he added, glaring at Katsura. "Otherwise there will be consequences for you too."

"Oh, stop threatening me. I'm not making things up," Katsura was impatient. "You're wasting time baiting me. I don't know who the target is, but the Hollows are going to kill them. If we're going back down there, I suggest we go, before you have even fewer comrades to take back with you to Seireitei!"

* * *

It was late.

Shinobu stretched out on the grass, gazing up pensively at the stars that twinkled overhead. It was long after curfew, and the Division was quiet, for the night patrol had been suspended. Although the usual night gate duty was being observed in the main courtyard, the continued presence of Onmitsukidou officers meant that nobody was in the mood to try and slip out into Inner Seireitei for a late night drink or assignation, and the Thirteenth Division was eerily quiet as a result.  
 _  
Taichou isn't back yet, either. He went to a meeting this morning, and now another one this evening. I wonder if that's also because of Eleventh. I wish I knew - it feels so unsettled right now.  
_  
He sighed, slipping his fingers behind his head as he made himself more comfortable.  
 _  
It's an advantage, taking the window bunk. It's easy to slip out like this without waking anyone...but after last night, I don't think I could sleep. I can't forget it, that thing we saw...whatever it was. The whole room went cold. If that thing wasn't even aimed at us - what the hell must it have been like at Eleventh?_

He shivered.  
 _  
Whatever happened there, I'm glad Fukutaichou went. I'm glad he did, but he's still not back, and now we have no Captain and Vice Captain on site. I know Kohaku-san said that nothing would happen, but...I still don't know if I can trust him. I don't know his motives - I can't read him. It bothers me. Everyone seems to trust in him and what he says...even Hiroshi. I wish I knew whether I was over-thinking the whole thing. Right now, if there are things like that, out there, that could attack us, I feel like...I don't want there to be something here, within the Division, that I can't trust. I want to trust in the people here, else how can I feel Thirteenth is safe? But he's an Aizen. He's Keitarou's son. And I can't...quite forget that. I can't quite...let it go._

"Shinobu?"

A soft voice made him start, turning his head to see Hiroshi standing at the edge of the grass, watching him. He was wearing his nightclothes, with no robe against the cool air, and Shinobu pulled himself into a sitting position, staring at his friend in confusion.

"Hiroshi? Did I wake you?"

"What are you doing out here? You'll get into trouble if you're caught," Hiroshi padded across the grass towards him, squatting down opposite him about a foot away and meeting his gaze quizzically. "What's up? Aren't you tired? It's not like we haven't worked like crazy today, with chores and drill and everything else."

"It's not that I'm not tired," Shinobu reflected. "I am. But I don't like...how everything feels tonight. It's all peaceful but after last night..."

"You're wondering where the next attack is going to come from?" Hiroshi asked. Shinobu shrugged.

"Taichou isn't back. Fukutaichou isn't here," he said sadly. "Shikibu-san is, but she must be dead tired too, since she's had hardly any break. And if something did attack us - what would we do? I don't like it, that's all."

"We're just recruits. Nobody would expect us to fight something horrible if it attacked here," Hiroshi said sensibly, settling himself down on the grass with a shiver. "It's chilly out here. I should have brought my robe. You know that that's the case. We're still learning the ropes."

"No..." Shinobu's gaze darkened, and he shook his head. "We're not. This is real, Hiroshi. I realised it today, for the first time, I think. We did well at the Academy, and we know a lot of stuff. But today, in the yard, Kayashima-san and Kohaku-san weren't really going through technique. They were trying to give us guidance on what to do if we come under attack. Otherwise why did Kayashima-san make such a point over the sword selecting and fighting the unexpected? The drill itself was unexpected. It came out of nowhere. No, Taichou ordered them to do that so that we were ready. In case."

"In case of what?"

"Whatever it was that attacked the Eleventh, coming back," Shinobu replied bleakly. "Which means whatever Fukutaichou did do, he didn't get rid of it completely."

"Kohaku-san said he didn't think whatever it was was going to come here," Hiroshi pointed out. "He said that Thirteenth isn't about to be attacked."

"Would a Twelfth Seat know that?" Shinobu wondered. "Even if he was sensitive to reishi, would he know what danger it posed? He said himself he didn't know what would come out of the Gate - isn't that what you said?"  
 _  
And I still don't know if I believe him. It's true, he trained with us today, but...I don't know. I still don't know...if we should...trust him._

"Well, of course not," Hiroshi said impatiently. "He's a shinigami, not a fortune cookie. How would he know that? I just meant that he didn't sense any dangerous reishi around the Division, and since bad reishi came out of the Gate, that has to be a good thing."

"Maybe," Shinobu looked thoughtful. "I dunno. I wonder if he just said that to stop us from worrying. So we didn't think about it too much - the things we're not meant to talk about, or ask about, because we're only recruits."

"I thought you had settled over Kohaku-san?" Hiroshi looked startled. "You seemed fine with him in that drill session - you said you wanted to spar with him, even."

Shinobu was silent for a moment, considering how to answer. Then he sighed heavily.

"I don't really understand," he admitted. "I didn't want to talk about it, especially not to you, being that you were so spooked by the Real World thing, and also because I can tell you like Kohaku-san. But I...don't know why he's here. And it bothers me when I don't know things. And I don't want you to start saying I'm jealous or stupid things like that. I'm not a child. But I don't understand why Keitarou's son is in the Gotei. It doesn't make sense to me. And so I suppose I want to know...that I can really trust him. That's all."

"Really?" Hiroshi arched an eyebrow, and Shinobu held up his hands.

"I didn't say those things on patrol because I wanted to upset him," he said hurriedly. "They slipped out. They slipped out because I feel like I only have pieces of the puzzle. And I need the whole puzzle, Hiroshi. I know I'm just a recruit and I don't have the right - but I don't like things being unsettled or uncertain. I don't like not knowing all the details of what this enemy was, because them not telling us means it's something we can't handle. And we weren't trained in survival techniques this afternoon because Taichou thought it would be fun. If something attacks here, Hiroshi, we die. And our best chance of not dying is that seated officers protect us. But I don't...know..."

"If you trust Kohaku-san to protect us?" Hiroshi's lips thinned.

"Don't be angry," Shinobu said softly. "I told you, I didn't want to bother you with it. I just...after whatever happened last night, I suppose I didn't want to be alone with it. With the doubts. I suppose I want you tell me I'm being stupid...because right now, I want it to be that simple. That I'm overthinking it. That he's Keitarou's son but it doesn't matter. That if it came to it...he'd be on our side."

"You want me to tell you you're stupid?" Hiroshi tut-tutted. "That's easy. You are. You're looking for enemies. Look, I'm sorry I said you were jealous. I won't say it again, if my doing so meant you stopped talking to me about things that bother you. You're stubborn when you get fixed on an idea, and it's fine, most of the time, but this time it isn't. Kohaku-san is not his father. You're not yours and I'm not mine, either. We're ourselves. Right? Kohaku didn't do the things that you hate Keitarou for. He didn't touch your family. He didn't hurt District Seven. He didn't kill anyone."

"Do we know that for sure?" Shinobu asked. Hiroshi snorted.

"For someone who idolises Ukitake-taichou, you're being very dense," he scolded. "If he had, would the Captain allow him to be a member here? Don't be ridiculous. Whatever happened with Keitarou, Kohaku-san chose _this_ side. And honestly, you'd do better accepting that and working with him, not against him. If you hadn't noticed, none of us managed to disarm him today, even though he wasn't entirely well. Kayashima-san made it sound like if he was fully fit, it would've been worse. True, he might have been joking...but..."

"I know," Shinobu admitted. "Maybe that's why I'm talking like this now. I realised in that session. He's really very strong, isn't he? He talks like he isn't, and he doesn't look that strong...but I could tell. He really is. And yes, maybe he wasn't well, and he certainly didn't look very well when he'd done with us - but it was the first time I'd done any kind of training with him. I think I underestimated...but maybe that made me feel all the more insecure about the whole thing."

"Are you afraid of him?" Hiroshi asked. Shinobu shrugged.

"He's someone I don't know much about, and can't defeat at present," he said categorically. "It's always wise to be a bit wary of people like that."

"But most of Thirteenth are also like that," Hiroshi pointed out. "For us, at least."

"Maybe," Shinobu vouchsafed. "But Kohaku-san is different. I can't explain it, but I felt it, with that last swing. Something else. Something that told me that he was capable of doing much more if he chose to. You sparred against him. Did you feel like that?"

"A bit," Hiroshi acknowledged, "but he's Twelfth seat. He outranks us. He might not have gone to the Academy, but he's had more years in the field and it matters. I think what I've learned from today - from last night - is that we're all green. It's a bit of a relief to know you have doubts about it too, what would happen if there was an attack. Whatever it was last night, it frightened me and I am not ashamed to say so. If it frightened you too, then fine. And I'm sure that probably is why they don't want to confide too much in us. But whatever it is, it's much more dangerous than Kohaku-san's swing potential. Don't you think so? Or do you think _Kohaku-san_ was the one who went and attacked the Eleventh last night?"

He sent his friend a sidelong glance, and Shinobu grimaced, reaching across to swipe his friend's shoulder playfully.

"Don't be an idiot. Besides, I know where Kohaku-san was last night, and so do you. Kayashima-san was watching over him, remember? He was probably puking his guts up - if what he saw and felt was ten times worse than what we did, I'd be surprised if he didn't pass right out. He certainly looked pretty dizzy when we were done sparring, and, if I think about it, he was pale when we began. Kayashima-san asked him, before we started, whether he was okay. It didn't mean anything to me until later on, but he really wasn't up to that training session."

"But he still participated in it," Hiroshi said sensibly. "Because the Captain wanted us to be better protected against danger."

"I suppose you're right," Shinobu sent his friend a rueful smile. "When you put it like that, it seems simple. And stupid. Maybe I've been hallucinating an enemy, when in fact there are real enemies lurking about. I think what happened last night put it into perspective. Something like this would never happen at the Academy. Maybe Sensei could take a risk, there, in trusting a student, because a student is still training and Sensei could have stopped anything before it began. But here, it's different. If Kohaku-san was really a threat, Taichou wouldn't have been allowed to keep him here. Besides, I've been thinking, too. All the odd things that have happened - him cutting out of that patrol, the Border Camp, and his behaviour after we came back with Fukutaichou, past that Gate. What Kayashima-san said about his sensitivity to reishi kind of explains all of those things. He didn't look well on any of those occasions. If he's really that sensitive, what if he picked something up? Something we couldn't sense. Something relating to this. If he's that good at sensing things, then maybe that's why the Captain wanted to see him."

"And why Fukutaichou was prepared for last night," Hiroshi agreed. "I heard Furuta-san was sent to guard the Gate, from one of the Twentieth seated officers at dinner. And he came back injured, but he came and reported to Fukutaichou all right. If it was Kohaku-san who reported those things to the Captain, then it would have made sense. If he picked up reishi leaking from the Gate early - and maybe in other places, too - perhaps that's why he was cut from your patrol the other day. Maybe he's being used as a spiritual bloodhound of some kind - and that's why he's seemed so off-colour. It can't be nice, especially if it's like last night was. But if he is doing that, then it means Taichou trusts him to. And it means that he's helping to prevent things like last night, which proves he's on our side."

"Yeah." Shinobu agreed. "I suppose you're right. And I won't mind, if we do more training drills like today. I won't complain, if Kohaku-san is the one training us. I don't know...about Keitarou. It still bothers me. But I suppose...putting it all in perspective...whatever it is that attacked Eleventh isn't Kohaku-san. And I need to focus on the real threat. Not one I think might be there. It might not make sense to me - but I suppose it isn't any of my business. And there's time to figure that out when the whole of Seireitei isn't on high alert."

"Well said," Hiroshi grinned. "I think so too. Besides, if Kohaku-san was as devious as you are suggesting, it would be pretty dumb to join a Division under his own name, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it be more sneaky and dastardly to pretend to be someone else?"

"That is true, too," Shinobu acknowledged. "We don't really know how he came to be here at all, do we?"

"He told me that it was maybe for his own protection, but that he was probably most at risk from himself. His spirit power," Hiroshi said thoughtfully. "I don't know what it is, but I gather his sword is a tough nut and demanding. That's why he doesn't use it in spars and training so much."

"Probably it's not suited for that," Shinobu reflected. "Well, that's fine, too. Not everyone's has to be. In any case, one thing I did learn from today. Having that level of reishi perception is pretty rare. Also, he can fight quickly. That means he's got a lot of reiryoku and he can use it for some time, probably without getting tired. Fighting against that...seems an interesting prospect. It seems a good training option. Kayashima-san called him the unexpected, as well. I don't know what that means - but Kayashima-san has probably trained with Kohaku-san a fair bit. That means I should train with him, too. I want to get stronger. I want to rank up, like I said before. But more, I want to be able to defend myself. And after last night, I'm wondering if I really can. Today, we fought two seated officers and failed to really challenge either of them. That's not good enough, especially when there are at least ten other officers who outrank those two we trained with today, and neither one of them was necessarily going at us all out. We need to learn quickly and do better, because it's like Kayashima-san said. Enemies don't care. They don't care if you're a recruit or you're ill or anything like that. They want to kill you and aren't going to listen to excuses or wait meekly for an appointment."

"So you're really okay with Kohaku-san now?" Hiroshi cast his friend a questioning look, and Shinobu shrugged.

"I don't like things I can't explain," he admitted. "I don't know what to make of him, still, and I'm not going to lie about it. I can't completely cut Keitarou out of my mind, I suppose. But I do want to understand him better. Figure it out for myself. And I am serious about wanting to spar or train with him. Working with someone unpredictable can only help my sword skills improve, and that's what we're here to do, really. This isn't the Academy, where we can spend time deciding on a weapon and picking our spot or timing. Fukutaichou didn't do any of that before he went to Eleventh. From what we've been told, he just went, because he knew he was needed. I want to be able to make that kind of split-second decision...and I want to be strong enough to pull them off and survive the aftermath. Today, after that spar, I think, maybe, Kohaku-san is the person who can best teach me how to do that. I think Kayashima-san is strong, and he's definitely the better swordsman. I wouldn't be able to disarm him now and I don't know how easily I would if I trained with him, either. But he was trained by Minabe and there are some similarities in his style to the way I learned to fight as well. Perhaps, with some time, I might figure it out - how to beat his pattern. Kohaku-san is different, though. He wasn't taught by Minabe. I suppose maybe he was taught by Keitarou - I don't know. Either way, it isn't a style I'm used to. I think training with Kohaku-san will teach me more. I feel like...he's probably more of a challenge overall, and for that reason...I think maybe my best plan is to get to know him better. Learn what I can about him, and maybe then...I'll be able to settle my other fears once and for all."

"Well, okay," Hiroshi shrugged, offering a rueful smile. "That sounds sane and honest, and quite reasonable for you. I don't mind sharing Kohaku-san as a training partner, either. He explains things pretty well. It must suck, though. Being so sensitive to reishi, I mean. Whatever it was we felt that night was spooky enough - but to pick it up enough to be physically ill..."

"I thought people who were super sensitive were usually healers," Shinobu admitted, "but I don't think Kohaku-san is a healer. I guess it's just one of those things. It spooks me to think now that we walked past that Gate too, all of us. Not a single one of us picked up anything. Not even Fukutaichou. But Kohaku-san looked like someone walked over his grave. What kind of spiritual awareness do you need to have to be able to do something _the Vice Captain_ can't do? And then today...the Gate is closed and sealed off now...but he can still sense it, hovering in the atmosphere?"

"I think we can all sense something in the air," Hiroshi pointed out. "I guess for him it's just stronger."

"I hate to admit it, but maybe it's actually _because_ he's Keitarou's son."

"Shinobu?"

"Keitarou was supposedly a genius and he had Bankai, too," Shinobu said evenly. "To be descended from someone like that means you probably have decent spiritual awareness and skill. I guess those things can be inherited...I mean, Keitarou might have been a monster, but he was clearly still capable of breeding. And Keitarou's partner was a hime from the Endou Clan, so if you think about it, Kohaku-san's blood is Clan blood on two sides. He might be illegitimate, and District, but really it's Clan blood dictating his spirit power. I hadn't thought of it till now, but it's true. Stands to reason that he'd have skills the Gotei would be interested in."

"Which explains why he's here," Hiroshi shot his friend a sidelong glance. "Right?"

"I guess so," Shinobu returned the glance with a rueful smile. "For now, I'll say that seeing him fight made me interested to spar with him more, and that understanding about his reishi sensitivity maybe makes me feel I should get to know him better before I jump to any futher conclusions about trusting him. Either way, I guess he's become my benchmark."

"You mean like when you decided you were going to work day and night training for your zanpakutou, because you wanted to force Sakuraba-senpai to release his sword and spar with you properly?" Hiroshi rolled his eyes. "Please tell me you're going to be a bit more subtle about it this time. We are in uniform, and you are a touch embarrassing when you get obsessed about something."

"I'm not going to go that far," Shinobu reddened slightly at the recollection, looking sheepish. "I was just eager, that's all. I'm not going to lurk outside Kohaku-san's chambers or anything like that, waiting to pounce on him for extra training sessions. I have grown up since then, and trained juniors myself, if it comes to it. But I do want to be able to work out how to disarm Kohaku-san, because I couldn't do it in that session. The only way to do that is to improve, so I guess that's what I'll try to do."

"Well, he doesn't seem to have a grudge against you for the stuff you said on the patrol, so all's well that ends well, I suppose," Hiroshi said philosophically. He stretched his arms over his head, stifling a yawn.

"And if you don't mind, I'm going to head back to bed," he added. "It's late, I'm cold, and I don't fancy punishment chores tomorrow."

"I might go to the bathhouse, and see if I can't wind down there for a bit," Shinobu decided. "I'm not quite sleepy yet, but thank you - I think you helped."

"Glad to be of service," Hiroshi's eyes twinkled. "I guess I'll see you later, then. Don't fall asleep in the water. It won't be nice if you drown yourself by accident."

"Idiot," Shinobu retorted, but Hiroshi just grinned back at him unrepentantly. Then he was gone across the grass towards the recruit chamber, and Shinobu sighed, pulling himself to his feet and dusting down his robe.  
 _  
I'll just go for a short while. Just enough to unwind, and then I'll go to bed. Tomorrow I want to be fresh and alert for whatever comes our way. Whether Kohaku-san is an ally or an enemy, I don't really know yet. But I'll find out more quickly by getting to know him, and if I train with him, I'll also learn his weaknesses. Maybe even how to defeat him, if the worst turns out to be true. Hiroshi and the others all believe in him and I admit, after today, I'm not sure what I should think - but I can't help remembering what Kayashima-san said. That fighting Kohaku-san was always fighting the unexpected. I guess I don't know what that means, yet, not entirely...but suddenly I really want to find out._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Japanese and names.**

The Yamamoto name suggesting them being more than older than the hills - the name Yamamoto means either base of the mountain or, possibly, origin of the mountain, depending on how you choose to interpret 'moto'.

Shirogane's name is written like this: 銀. This can also be read as 'Gin', as I think referenced in an earlier Meifu story. Shirogane can also be written like this 白銀, however, which is what Kinnya was referring to in his explanation. There is also a third way of writing it, too.

Shunsui's name is written like this: 京楽春水 (kyou-raku-shun-sui). The first character means 'capital'. The second character means "fun", although it can also mean "music". These two characters form the name "Kyouraku".

The other two characters 春水 (Shun-sui) literally mean 'spring' and 'water' respectively. Their more normal readings as words outside of Shunsui's name are "haru" and "mizu." Hence the name Harumizu as a Kyouraku ancestor, and Shunsui saying he was named after this individual.


	45. Hunted

**Chapter 44: Hunted**

"I have to admit, I didn't expect to be cut loose quite this quickly."

Enishi rubbed his wrists ruefully, casting the watching Kai a pensive glance as he did so. On the bed beside him lay the silver spirit cuffs which had confined his reiryoku since his arrest, and, at the corner of the chamber stood Madeki, who had been summoned to oversee the removal procedure. Removal of cuffs was always an unpredictable process, but Enishi was a strong and sturdy individual not given to unnecessary dramas, and so, although the immediate removal had made him unsteady enough to need to sit down, he had not lost consciousness and was already beginning to regain his colour.

"I suppose I owe Nagesu-sama a thank you, for raising it in the meeting. Given everything, I was prepared to be shut away here for the long haul."

"Fortunately for you, you've made a good impression on important members of the Gotei," Kai sighed, moving to pick up the cuffs and snapping them shut, sliding them into his obi. "I have to admit, Houjou, I've never seen anyone react to a cuff removal so stoically before. I am starting to wonder what you're actually made of. Most people are laid out on the floor after being cuffed for twenty-four hours."

"I'm not the steadiest," Enishi said ruefully. "But I'm fine. There's no time to be hanging around feeling sorry for myself, anyway. I realise I'm being released for a reason, and that it's not necessarily a good one. If I can be of use to Ukitake and the rest, then I want to be able to do that. Enemies don't wait for shinigami to be fully fit before they strike."

"True enough," Kai grimaced, casting Madeki a rueful glance. "Thank you for coming, Madeki-dono. Apparently your skills are less needed than I thought."

"I don't mind," Madeki returned the look with a smile. "If anything, it's nice to have something go smoothly. It's also nice to get away from everything else, even if just for a few moments. Taichou isn't back yet, but we hope she will be soon, with news from Sixth District. So much has happened in a short space of time."

"That it has," Kai agreed darkly. "Houjou, listen. The fact that a necromancer has apparently appeared in Sixth District is one of the main reasons you're being bailed like this, but Oneesama is still intending to hold a proper inquiry into what happened at Eleventh. Until Retsu-sama rules on the deaths of Ikata and the others, and can determine whether you were right or not in your actions to bring them down, your rank remains suspended. You are a member of the Thirteenth and your combat skills can't be ignored - but you won't be allowed to give orders or supervise, nothing like that, until we can firmly say the matter is settled. Nobody here seems to think you're any kind of risk - but there's protocol, and you need to respect it. Any more mad acts of vigilanteeism will reflect on Ukitake - so keep that in mind."

"You have my word," Enishi said solemnly. "I won't bring Thirteenth into trouble. I did what I did because I had to do it - but I won't be putting my Captain in a tight spot."

"Then I suppose I have no qualms about letting you go," Kai offered a faint smile. "The witness statements from the Eleventh stand up to scrutiny, so we do at least know Minaichi summoned you and can prove it. It all rests on the autopsy reports now - Madeki-dono, you can't give us any insight into that, I suppose?"

"No," Madeki looked troubled. "Retsu-sama has been taking care of the key evidence herself. Plus, with Shirogane-dono being admitted late last night, everything got shuffled around a bit as well. Taking care of the living wounded from Eleventh has taken priority for me - so while they are all recovering well, I haven't had any chance to ask her about Ikata and the others."

"Atsushi-dono too?" Enishi asked, and Madeki shrugged.

"He's still unconscious. Retsu-sama's instructed us to keep him sedated for now, but he's stable," he said thoughtfully. "He's not had any seizures overnight, which suggests the swelling in his brain may be starting to subside. I don't know how much he will recover, yet, Houjou-dono - but his life is not in immediate danger. I think we can say he's improving, but in his case, progress is likely to be slow."

"But that's better than nothing, right?" Kai sent Enishi a glance, and Enishi sighed, nodding.

"If I'd got there sooner, maybe I'd have been able to do more," he reflected. "Still, at least he's doing better. I might not like him all that much, but he's still a kinsman and a Captain and he didn't deserve it. Plus, as for Shirogane-dono..."

"Shirogane-dono will recover just fine," Madeki assured him. "He pushed himself too far yesterday, defending his life and his honour, but his wounds are not life-threatening and Shikiki has seen to his care since Kinnya-sama brought him to us. She handled him very firmly and he's therefore been forced to rest, which is the greatest healer in these cases. He was asleep when I left, and all his vital signs were strong. A couple of days more of quiet recuperation and he'll be fit enough to discharge."

"And when Retsu-sama returns, we'll know the situation with Guren-sama," Kai mused. "Even as a Shihouin, and thus the natural rival of the Kuchiki, such news comes as a shock. But Retsu-sama is skilled. If anyone can help, I imagine she can."

"In the meantime, I should go report to my Captain," Enishi pulled himself to his feet, putting his hand against the wall to steady himself before shooting Kai a rueful grin. "Do you want to send me with an escort to make sure I get there safely, or do you trust me to do it on my own? I promise, I won't stray. I understand the terms of my bail - I'm to obey orders, keep my head down, stay at Thirteenth and be ready in case another violent incident occurs."

"I don't think you need supervision," Kai shook his head. "You keep your word, and nobody thinks you're a particular danger. That is, providing you're really fit enough to make the journey? You did just have cuffs off."

"I'm okay," Enishi assured his friend. "More than good enough to walk from here to Thirteenth. Maybe I'll leave the shunpo for a bit, till my head clears more - but I should be there, not here."

"Then I imagine I'll speak to you again soon," Kai said evenly. "Hopefully when I've had a chance to speak to Retsu-sama about the corpses at Eleventh. If I can get the charges dropped entirely and your rank reinstated, I will, but I need to be able to prove it before I can make any decisions. Since word came of the necromancer, I have no doubts at all that what you told me is true - but because we're friends, I have to be stricter on this than I might otherwise want to be. Without a formal autopsy report supporting your account, there are still charges to face...so don't do anything to add to them."

"Yes, sir," Enishi saluted his companion, and Kai grinned.

"All right. Get lost," he instructed. "Make sure you're at Thirteenth if I need to come find you."

"You have my word," Enishi said solemnly. "Thank you for your help, Madeki-dono - and for taking care of the Eleventh officers. It's good to know that some good came from that night, even if there's still a lot left to settle in the eyes of the Council."

He lifted his zanpakutou, which had stood propped up against the wall of the chamber, sliding it pensively through the sash of his obi. Then, with a further nod of acknowledgement towards his old friend, he pushed back the door of the chamber, stepping out into the corridor beyond. His holding cell was far from the secure depths of the Maggots' Nest, and he had been moved even closer to the main exit before his cuff removal that morning, so it was not long before he was crossing the courtyard of the Second, pausing to take in a few breaths of fresh air before heading out into the main thoroughfare beyond. Though the rush of spiritual energy through his body following the cuff removal had blindsided him a little, he felt better striding along the familiar dirt pathway that connected all the Divisions together. Some officers glanced at him as he passed, others staring and a few whispering, but he paid them no attention. They had reason to gossip, he reflected to himself as he picked up his pace, resisting the urge to hum a tune under his breath, for a full and comprehensive report on the events at Eleventh had not yet been written, let alone circulated, and rumours were probably rife as a result. But, for Enishi, who cared nothing for hearsay and everything for the blunt truth, the words of Madeki about the improving health of the Eleventh Division officers were enough to make him completely impervious to any negativity being thrown his way. Lives had been saved, and so he had no regrets - not even if the badge that had adorned his arm for so long were never to be returned to his care.  
 _  
And if something is going around picking on squads one by one, I need to be back at Thirteenth, just in case._

He pursed his lips at this sobering thought.  
 _  
There are recruits there, and while they're a plucky bunch, they probably wouldn't stand up to an assault like the other night. Well, I'm not sure I could stand up to an enemy who's capable of downing Guren-sama, and to be frank, I'm not certain if even Ukitake would be able - but regardless, my place is there with them. I was stupid enough to say at the Vice Captain's meeting that I wanted some action with these corpses - I'll be more careful what I wish for in future, and make sure I prioritise protecting the living for a bit_.

"Fukutaichou!"

As Enishi crossed the threshold of his own Division, a delighted cry went up from the yard, and he glanced up, seeing Kohaku hurrying towards him. It was still early, barely past dawn, but from the young man's sweat drenched uniform, it was clear that he had been running through a rigorous and private drill session, probably since before it was light. At the relief in the Twelfth seat's eyes, Enishi allowed himself a smile, pausing to wait for his junior to reach him.

"You aren't to call me that," he scolded lightly. "Not for now, anyway. I'm here on licence, in case there's further danger - but right now, I'm not your Vice Captain."

"I'm sorry," Kohaku's eyes became clouded. "I didn't mean for you to get into trouble. If I'd seen things more clearly..."

"Listen to me, kid," despite himself, Enishi's eyes softened, and he rested large hands on the other's skinny shoulders, meeting his gaze head on. "The other night was outside normal protocol. Nobody has an action plan or a foolproof solution for that kind of incident. You did everything you could do and so did I. Maybe we were both lacking, but we did what we could. You aren't to blame - on the contrary, I'm grateful to you for reporting what you saw. You should take that with pride. There are officers in the care of healers right now who, without your vision and my intervention, would be dead."

"But if you lose your rank because of it..."

"Then it will be because I acted rashly on your guidance and made the wrong call, somewhere along the line," Enishi said matter-of-factly. "In the meantime, I need you to remember that every action has a consequence and we're all subject to the objective decisions of Seireitei justice. I am not worried, so you shouldn't look like that, either. I have faith in the system. You should, too."

"Mm," Kohaku glanced down at the ground, and Enishi sighed, releasing his hold on his companion.

"I need your support in this," he said softly, and Kohaku's gaze jerked up, a startled look in the dark eyes.

"Support?" he echoed, and Enishi nodded.

"You and Kayashima are involved with the recruits this term, and so you should be, at your rank level," he said evenly. "Your actions set their example more, maybe, than some of the others. I'm not Vice Captain for now, and I won't be leading patrols or doing anything like that for the forseeable future. You need to lead by example and respect that fact. No more calling me Fukutaichou - not for the time being. Do you understand?"

"I...suppose so," Kohaku looked troubled, but he nodded. "I'll try to remember...Houjou-san."

"Good lad," Enishi cast him a warm grin. "That's the last instruction I'll be giving for a while, I imagine, so keep it in mind. Though I want you to remember that what you reported did make a difference, even if right now the consequences are bothersome. If you see anything else, I want you to promise you'll report it to Shikibu or the Captain. Preferably both. There's no point telling me, as I can't leave here without permission and I'm really here in case the Division is attacked - but what you saw was important, and it might be important again. I don't pretend I understand what you do, but I know you can do it. And you doing it saves lives, so don't worry about me. Make sure you report it, whatever it is. Let us worry about the consequences...better that than not being prepared at all."

"Yes sir," Kohaku bit his lip, then he reddened, shaking his head. "I mean...yes, Houjou-san."

"Better," despite himself, amusement glittered in Enishi's kind eyes. "Okay. I'm done lecturing. Go back to your drill. It's good to see you up and working hard so early."

"I didn't sleep so well," Kohaku admitted. "But doing practical stuff like this helps me focus."

He offered a faint smile.

"I'm glad you're back, Houjou-san," he added sincerely. "I hope everything is straightened out soon, though, because it's going to be hard, not calling you Fukutaichou."

"Houjou-kun!" Before Enishi could reply, a fresh voice, crisp and to the point echoed across the courtyard, and both men turned, seeing Naoko heading their way. Her expression was unreadable, and Enishi sighed, inwardly preparing himself for the scolding that was likely to follow.

"I'll go practice," Kohaku clearly sensed the same, because he quickly excused himself, bowing his head and withdrawing to the far side of the courtyard. Naoko cast him a brief glance, but made no comment, instead reaching out to grab Enishi by the arm. She gave it a little tug, gesturing towards the direction of the Vice Captain's office.

"You and I have things to talk about," she said frankly. "Your office is the best place, so we'll go there."

"Guess it isn't my office right at the moment," Enishi scratched his head pensively with his free hand, nonetheless allowing the more slightly built third seated officer to lead him across the cobbles. "I'm sorry, Shikibu. I've landed a lot of extra work on your head, haven't I?"

"That would be an understatement," was the brisk reply, and Enishi winced, bracing himself for receiving the rough side of his subordinate's tongue. Though he had always been Thirteenth's adjutant, Naoko had never held back on giving a scathing point of view if ever something did not meet her standards, and with the tension running through her body language, the broad-built Yamamoto wondered exactly how much verbal bruising he was about to get from this encounter.

"Ukitake's not around," he reflected, as they reached the office. "Did he assign you to deal with me?"

"Taichou's not up yet," Naoko said simply, pushing open the office door and gesturing for him to enter. He did so, hesitantly, flinching as she banged the door shut behind them. "He's been pretty worn ragged with everything else, and he was late back last night - there was another emergency meeting, and then he ended up at Eighth with Kyouraku-kun and Kinnya-sama, discussing something that's none of our business, but probably, highly important to this whole mess. In any case, I left him to sleep in this morning. He's fine, I think, healthwise," as Enishi looked worried, "But I don't want to take risks. If there's danger coming, we need our Captain on point."

"No kidding," Enishi agreed fervently, dropping down on one of the office's scattered cushions and folding his arms across his chest. "Well? Give it to me, then. I'm ready."

"Give it?" Naoko looked blank, and Enishi grimaced.

"The scolding for reckless vigilanteeism," he said resignedly. "I can tell it's coming, so I'd rather you got it over with while my head's still buzzing from having cuffs removed. That way it'll bruise less."

Naoko stared at him for a moment, then she sighed, sinking back against the wall and shaking her head.

"I don't have one," she admitted, and Enishi stared at her in surprise.

"Shikibu?"

"I don't," Naoko shrugged. "On the contrary, I'm glad you're back. I might not kill someone by accident if you're here to act as a verbal punchbag for my frustration."

"Sounds to me like you have something to get off your chest," Enishi observed, and Naoko offered a pained smile. She shrugged.

"I was on patrol when the attack happened at Eleventh. I wasn't around to help you, and I wasn't here to help Taichou deal with Kohaku's delusions," she said wearily. "I hate that those things are true, but I can't do a lot about it except try to pull things together now. I know you're suspended from duty, and that's really why I pulled you in here. I need to pick your brains. Taichou seems to think that, in the meantime, I should deputise officially outside the Division as well as in it - if there's a Vice Captain meeting, or whatever...so I'd like to know what I'm up against, just in case that comes to pass. Within Thirteenth, I know what I'm doing and we work together so much that I'm pretty sure I can handle it - but I've never had to take it outside of this sphere before, and I'm realising I'm not relishing the possibility."

"I see," Enishi's broad features took on a look of comprehension. "You want insider information on the politics of being a Vice Captain?"

"Enough to get me through without savaging anyone," Naoko agreed. "I know you didn't do anything wrong, Houjou-kun - so does everyone here, everyone who knows the details at least - but with Guren-sama being injured, it might take a long time for them to prove it. I don't want to be Vice Captain, not even temporarily, but I can't let the Taichou down. So even if you have no rank right now, I still want your help. You're here, so you might as well be useful."

"Is that an order from my acting Vice Captain?" Enishi asked playfully, and Naoko grimaced.

"Stop it," she instructed, but there was a faint glitter of humour in her green eyes as well. "Don't mess with me. It's not the right atmosphere."

"I guess not," Enishi acknowledged sheepishly. "All right. Does Taichou know about this?"

"Of course," Naoko nodded. "We discussed it last night, when he got back from Eighth. I made interrogating you a condition of my accepting this state of affairs."

"Then I'll do what I can, if you think it will help you," Enishi rubbed his chin pensively. "I'm not the most gifted person when it comes to insider information. You probably will pick up on lots of things I don't see, if I'm honest. They're not a bad bunch, not really - all different, of course, but mostly things pan out democratically. Although it will be different, anyway. It always is, when someone is either promoted or is killed. Changes the mix, if that makes sense. Especially when it's sudden and violent. I mean, nobody really got along with Ikata. I probably got on with him best, to be truthful, but we all rubbed along with him enough to feel it, this whole business. Although I don't know how the Vice Captains see this - or me. Maybe they think I killed him. It's hard to be sure what they've been told."

"If they do, I'll put them right," Naoko said acidly, and Enishi grinned.

"Your vote of confidence is appreciated," he said warmly, and Naoko shrugged.

"Common sense," she said frankly. "We all know you're capable of killing something if it needs to be killed. You took down Onoe Tomoyuki in the real world because of that. But you never lied about it. You always said it how it was, and didn't try to sugarcoat it or make yourself sound better or worse for having done it. If you say they were all dead, I believe you. Even without Kohaku, I'd still believe you. You don't tell lies, Houjou-kun - and even if I might rip you to shreds sometimes over paperwork, you don't make mistakes in combat. If you'd killed them, you'd have known it and you'd have said so. In any case, Tsukabishi backs you up. Meantime, there's a crazy necromancer on the loose, and that's a much bigger issue."

"No kidding," Enishi looked grave. "All right, then. Whatever you want to know, I'll try and give you. You might not want the job, Shikibu, but we both know you're capable of doing it. I'll help you if I can - because we both need to back up our Captain, whatever it takes to do that with things as they are right now."

* * *

The Kuchiki manor was eerily silent when Kinnya dropped out of shunpo, walking slowly across the now deserted cobbles where, only the previous day, so many of his kinsfolk had almost lost their lives. The recollection of Guren, lying still and unresponsive on the stone caused him to draw his brows together in frustration, and, as he registered the faint, drying splatters of Shirogane's blood, he was once more reminded of the danger that still roamed Seireitei, unchecked and unrepentant.

 _But I'm not here to chase after ancient rogues. I'm here to do something far more personal._

He turned away from the main manor, picking his way carefully through the grounds towards the desecrated remains of the family's proud mausoleum. Situated a short distance from the estate itself, the ornately carved stone building lay across a wide courtyard decorated with cherry trees, the blossoms of which had long since scattered to reveal the green leaves of summer. Kinnya had not been to this place in a long time, and for a moment he stood before what was left of the structure, his keen gaze tracing the damage that Senaya's resurrection had caused. To his relief, the sturdy pillars and thick slabs that made up the walls had withstood the force of the necromancer's power remarkably well, and it was only Senaya's own crypt which had taken the bulk of the damage. Although Kinnya had not attended the funeral of his great nephew Ribari, thirty years earlier, it did not take much to realise that the newer seal on one of the other entrances marked the resting place of Guren's only son. This chamber had not been desecrated, although there were fine cracks in the stone that indicated it had been a close-run thing.

Kinnya bowed his head solemnly towards the sealed door.  
 _  
I'm sorry for the disturbance, Ribari...although we never met, your father loved you very much, and would be grieved if he thought your resting place had been disturbed. You are doubtless long since gone from this place - I only hope that your father isn't about to join you. But there is nothing I can do for him at present. I have another blood obligation to settle._

He turned his back on Ribari's crypt, approaching the damaged chamber and resting a hand against the shattered edge of one of the stone walls. Though large parts of the roof had been blown away by Senaya's emergence, the remains of the four walls still stood forlornly in place, shielding from immediate view the ball of sealed kidou energy that lurked within. Senaya's corpse was still wrapped in Kinnya's powerful spell, but, as he cautiously approached, Kinnya was aware that faint tendrils of the incantation were beginning to unravel, as the powerful entity within struggled to force its way out into the world once more.  
 _  
It looks like I arrived here just in time. I thought the spell would hold a little longer, but I should know better than to underestimate my brother - or his sword._

Kinnya leapt deftly over a pile of uneven rocks and rubble, dropping into the remains of the chamber and approaching the haze of kidou energy. Without a moment of hesitation, he reached his hands through the spell, grabbing firm hold of his brother's funeral robes. Murmuring a faint prayer to any folk deities that happened to be listening, Kinnya dragged the corpse into a resolute flash-step, re-materialising some two hundred metres away from the mausoleum. There were few places near to the Kuchiki manor which were well suited to violent conflict, but Kinnya could remember with vivid clarity the number of times he and his brother had sparred here, in the lull between the main house and the resting place of their ancestors. It was the only part of the Kuchiki grounds that was not covered with cherry blossom trees, the desecration of which had always brought fierce scolding from their strict father. The ground was uneven here, for in the ancient past, it had marked the bed of a river that had long since been diverted to better serve the growing population of District Six. Consequently, the land now formed a shallow, wide valley, with the manor forming an imposing sight on one bank, and the crypt standing proud on the other.  
 _  
So the present and the past Kuchiki can look down on it, no doubt._

Kinnya's heart felt heavy in his chest.

I wish I wasn't coming here with such emotions, not when this was always more of a happy place.

He closed his eyes, his mind flowing back to another day when he and his brother had crossed swords here, a time so far into the past that Kinnya felt half-sure that it was a memory from another lifetime. Even now he could see their youthful forms, darting and parrying across the grass. Back then, neither of them had had any idea of the paths that lay before them, nor the grief or pain that both would experience in the pursuit of protecting the Kuchiki Clan. And yet, even as he felt the prickling energy from his brother's corpse beneath his spell, it was easy to remember another Senaya on another day, when they had truly been brothers and had understood each other better than anyone else. He could hear his own voice, and Senaya's, and the laughter that they had shared as they had sparred in this place, so many years before.  
 _  
"You don't think you can get the better of me that easily, do you, Oniisama?"_

 _Kinnya darted forward, slashing Raiurei up to meet Senaya's speculative swing with a grin of amusement on his face. Senaya snorted, ducking and darting out of range before bringing his own weapon down towards his brother's once again._

 _"You're still too slow," he countered. "You're never going to take my blade with a lazy attitude like that."_

 _"I don't need full power to spar with you," Kinnya responded comfortably. "You know that, if you killed me, Father would be very put out. He's been training me diligently for the day you inherit, and you know how much he hates his time being wasted."_

 _"It will be your corpse he curses over if you're complacent when facing me," Senaya shot back. "I'm sure I've told you before, but I intend to surpass Father. I'm going to be the greatest Kuchiki ever - so if you want to be my shadow, you're going to have to be worthy of that rank."_

 _"Big words, small blade," Kinnya retorted, neatly parrying his brother's strike before slipping into shunpo, rematerialising a few steps back. "This is pointless, Oniisama. I don't need to spar you, and you don't need to spar me. We both know that, in a battle of blades, we're evenly matched. There's no challenge in fighting this kind of battle, and there aren't any impressionable lesser kinsfolk for you to impress with your swings. Though Father would probably be glad about that - given the fact you've been paying a particular amount of attention to the wife of one lord in the past few weeks."_

 _"I have done no such thing!" Senaya was indignant, his weapon glittering as he struck across the divide towards his opponent, but Kinnya chuckled, neatly evading the swing and pushing the probing weapon back with ease._

 _"And see, now you are distracted," he scolded. "A great Kuchiki can't be sidetracked by a little gossip or scandal, now can he?"_

 _"You can talk about scandal," Senaya muttered, lowering his blade with a sigh. "You are the one cavorting with members of the serving classes, and in full view of the manor as well. Father is beside himself with rage over it - you do know that, I hope? A son of his, flirting with a District wench...however comely and sparky she may be, you surely don't think that he'll tolerate it, if you take that woman as your mistress?"_

 _"I don't really mind what he thinks, and I've told him so," Kinnya swung Raiurei speculatively around in a circle, before lowering it to his side. "I'm twenty years old. I'm an adult. I'm not going to inherit the Clan and it probably benefits you if I don't marry some rich woman and produce sons that might compete with yours for the future inheritance of this family. I'm not going to do anything to betray this Clan, and I'll do as I'm meant to, to support you as Lord - but I won't be tied into something I don't believe in."_

 _"I heard the girl had rejected you, anyway," Senaya's eyes narrowed. "Maybe Father already got to her. She's what, barely eighteen, yet? She's poor, so she probably has an army of siblings to feed, as well as idle parents. Peasants always do have such unnecessarily large broods. I also heard she was sickly and feeble. However sharp her wit might be and however much you enjoy verbally sparring with her, she's hardly a match for Father's disapproval. He could fire her from her job at the manor. He could even have her killed, you know - and then what would you do?"_

 _"Kill him, probably," Kinnya's response came without a moment of hesitation, and Senaya paused, eying his brother thoughtfully._

 _"I believe you mean that," he said at length, and Kinnya laughed, shrugging his shoulders._

 _"Whether I do or not doesn't really matter," he said flippantly. "Father knows I am capable of it, and he knows I have this," he swung Raiurei's blade as if to illustrate his point. "So long as I do, nobody really knows what to think of anything I choose to do. So whether he likes it or not, he'll let it slide. So long as I'm rebelling in such an inconsequential way, he'll leave me be. I happen to like the pursuit, and I can take a little rejection along the way, if it means I win in the end. I am fond of her, even if she is just a sickly peasant in your eyes - and her conversation is far more interesting than any of the dull-witted princesses that get dumped on our court to snare unsuspecting young men like you and I as husbands. Father will have to learn quickly that I mean what I say and I won't be swayed. I don't intend to kill him - or anyone else. But I'm not going to be forced or moulded into something I'm not. Not for him, or for you...not for anyone."_

 _"I see," Senaya sheathed his sword, dropping down onto the grass and gesturing for his brother to join him. "And if I were to kill you, what then?"_

 _"You'd have a lot more work to do when you inherit," Kinnya said evenly, nonetheless sheathing his own blade and crossing the grass to where Senaya sat. "Besides, are you sure you can? Genryuusai-sensei says there's nothing to choose between us, skill-wise. I might kill you in self-defence, and then what would happen?"_

 _"That wouldn't suit either of us," despite himself, Senaya's expression twitched into a wry smile. "If you killed me, you'd end up having to be Father's heir. Then he'd be able to force you into the arranged match you so despise the idea of...and would have reason to send your serving girl far from this place. If you want to continue being the rebellious son who acts out and flirts with common folk, you need me to be there to take on his pride and his burden for the Clan going forward."_

 _Kinnya chuckled, nodding his head._

 _"That's true," he said appreciatively. "In that case, I suppose I won't be trying to kill you."_

 _"It's too much bother for me to kill you, either," Senaya admitted. "Being head of the Clan would be a lot more boring and dull if I had to see to all the annoying munitiae as well. You're better suited to messing around with those things than me."_

 _"Mm," Kinnya's expression became serious, and he sighed, resting his chin in his hands._

 _"Father isn't well, you know," he said softly, and Senaya glanced at his brother, eyes narrowing as he took in this tidbit of information._

 _"You've noticed it too?" he asked. Kinnya nodded._

 _"He hides it, but I'm not fooled," he agreed. "I think it will be sooner, rather than later - your accession to the Kuchiki Clan title. And that is why he is working me so hard. He wants to be sure that we're both ready...and he worries more about me. You've always known how to do everything to perfection - at least in front of him and Mother. If he knew what a pretentious prima donna you can be, he might have second thoughts - but he doesn't know you as well as I do."_

 _"If he knew you as well as I do, he wouldn't worry," came Senaya's acerbic response. "For all you claim to be a Rebel, you'll do as I say and you'll help me run this Clan. I know your weakness, little brother. It's not a pretty District girl with fine manners and an ability to play hard to get. It's your loyalty. When you give your word to something, you don't break it. Promises are tools and they can be used in so many creative ways - but yours are like chains around your ankles. You've promised me that you will be my shadow, therefore I have no doubts that you will be. For a Rebel, you really are annoyingly dull sometimes...but if it works to my advantage, so be it."_

 _"You should just be glad that I don't want to challenge you for the position," Kinnya flopped back against the grass, sliding his hands behind his head. "But you're probably right. In which case, Oniisama, you can tell me the truth. What are your intentions with Kiriko-dono? Because you might be able to fool Father and the court into thinking you're just being the gallant heir, but I'm not so stupid. You are playing a dangerous game...she's already married."_

 _"Yes..." Senaya rested back on his elbows, looking thoughtful. "It's a nusiance. There aren't any wars to send her husband off to fight in, either. I don't suppose arranging one would be very helpful, if I'm going to inherit soon."_

 _"And you say I'm bad," Kinnya groaned, rolling his eyes. Senaya smiled faintly._

 _"I haven't forgiven Father for blocking my suit, and then arranging her to marry elsewhere," he admitted. "In a way, I am as rebellious as you are, my brother. But it's all right. I will find a way to manage the situation. I just have to be patient. I am only just twenty three, after all. Her husband is much older...he might die of natural causes."_

 _"I suggest waiting for that to happen to be the most prudent thing to do," Kinnya reflected. "As Clan heir, to be implicated in the murder of a man for want of his wife is a scandal you would best avoid. It would make my interest in Sashiko a pale comparison...after all, noble lords do take common mistresses, but another man's wife...? Father would probably die on the spot."_

 _"Well, he need not know," Senaya said matter-of-factly. "I intend to tread carefully, don't you worry. What Father doesn't know won't hurt him, especially if he is not long for this world. But I won't act rashly. I can be patient, if it results in my getting something that I want."_

 _"Father might make you marry before that, if his time is short," Kinnya warned. Senaya snorted, shaking his head._

 _"I will decide my consort," he said dismissively. "I am as stubborn as you, sometimes. I will be the perfect head to this Clan, but I will choose the mother of my children."_

 _"Then you had better hope that Kiriko-dono doesn't love her husband," Kinnya reflected pensively. "If she does, it will be so much harder to woo her when the time comes."_

 _"You need have no concerns about that," Senaya said matter-of-factly. "Besides, the old man is sterile. The whole court knows it. It would be a miracle for them to even be intimate. It was a marriage of favour from my father for one of his favourites, but it was done just as much to vex me as it was to reward him. I am not afraid of Kiriko falling in love with such a person. She may pity him, but he is no competition for me."_

 _"Your modesty has always been your best feature, Oniisama," Kinnya looked amused, and Senaya snorted. "Well, we will see. Perhaps both of us will prove to be Rebels."_

 _"No," Senaya shook his head. "_

 _You are the Rebel. The Clan Leader makes the rules, he doesn't have to obey them."_

 _He got to his feet, reaching out a hand to pull his brother to his._

 _"Let's continue our spar," he suggested. "We've both agreed that, at least for now, killing each other is a bad idea, so we don't have to go all out. But Genryuusai-sensei did say that the more we practiced among ourselves, the better our techniques would be. We are lucky that we have each other to practice with. I am sure I am not far from reaching Bankai, and even if you haven't said anything, I can't imagine you're much behind me."_

 _"I am never behind you in anything, Oniisama, except the order of our birth," Kinnya said lightly, amusement in his grey eyes. "All right. But don't regret it if I bruise you. If you want me to fight you more seriously, you'd better be ready to shed a little blood."_

The memory was gone almost as quickly as it had come, and Kinnya released his grasp on the kidou-bound cadaver, leaping back and putting his hand to the hilt of his sword as he watched the threads of Kidou disintegrate and scatter into dust. A bright glow of energy engulfed the body, illuminating Senaya to the point that Kinnya could not immediately see his brother's features, and he tensed, drawing Raiurei from its sheath and shifting his stance into a more defensive one. The dazzling light seared through the grass around where the corpse now stood, the pitch black shadows it cast against the ground greedily swallowing up each emerald blade of grass and leaving only ash in return. Overhead, the glimmer of the sun began to radiate with an oppressive level of energy, and, as the glare faded, Kinnya found it an effort to meet his brother's gaze.

The grey eyes were angry, but cold, and the killer instinct that rippled from the corpse's aura was enough to chill the old man straight through to his bones, despite the heat of Taiyourei's solar flames.

"Kinnya."

The voice echoed across the river valley, and Kinnya tightened his grip on Raiurei's hilt at the intent in his brother's words.

"Did you really think such a spell as that would hold me?"

"I hoped it would keep you busy for a little while, and it did," Kinnya kept his tones level, although his heart was pounding fit to burst. Although Senaya was dead, the spiritual aura that he was giving out was as potent as Kinnya could remember, taking him back to the days of their youth and the hotly contested spirit spars they had often engaged in. And yet, Kinnya knew this encounter was entirely different. On those occasions, despite his competitive instinct and occasional casual threats, Senaya had never sought to sever his brother's life. Today, though, it was not Senaya, but Taiyourei who was driving the attack, and as he regarded the dead man afresh, Kinnya felt a pang of grief stir up inside of him.  
 _  
I never wanted to fight you like this, Oniisama. Forgive me for it. For the sake of the sons you loved so much - I have no choice._

"I always intended to come back," he added out loud. "I'm not in the habit of running away from you."

"No...you were always in the habit of confounding me," Senaya's body whipped forward, bringing the glittering blade in his hand down in a purposeful strike designed to pierce hot energy right through Kinnya's body from shoulder to hip, but the old man was ready, and he leapt aside, deftly parrying the weapon with Raiurei's own sealed surface. "Now, you come to do it again. When will you learn, Kinnya? You are my shadow...and you should behave like one!"

"But you're not my brother," Kinnya thrust Senaya's next speculative strike away from him with a good amount of force, adrenaline coursing through his veins and making him feel several decades younger. "My brother was Senaya, but he died. You're Taiyourei - and I owe you no bond of obligation or respect."

"Tsch," Senaya flicked his sword discontentedly in the direction of his brother's weapon. "There is no difference. Senaya and I were partners, in life and now in death. You are sworn to obey his commands. You cannot possibly defy mine."

"You wanted to kill his sons," Kinnya was unmoved, neatly parrying a fresh assault before launching one of his own. Overhead, the sky, which had glittered so brightly with sunlight a moment before had begun to cloud over, the clouds darkening with each passing second. "That is something my brother would never sanction."

"He chose them over me," anger glittered in Senaya's eyes. "Of course I would kill them. I have wanted to do so for such a long time. And then, suddenly, something gave me the chance to do just that. I don't question the gifts of Gods. If it means I can avenge what happened all those years ago, of course I will. And you are top of that list, Kinnya. You always were a thorn in my side. You always talked him into following your advice, rather than just doing what I told him."

"That's the job of a shadow," Kinnya shot back.

"No," Senaya swung Taiyourei's blade again, and Kinnya cursed, jumping out of the way just in time as a flare of solar energy burst through the building cloud cover, its intensity casting his form in an ebony silhouette on the ground. Once more, the grass caught in the dark shadow shrivelled and burnt away to nothing more than ash, and Senaya chuckled, an odd, eerie sound lacking in humour.

"That is a shadow," he whispered. "A servant that follows me and destroys what I tell it to, when I tell it to. The Sun cannot be defied, Kinnya. Not even by you and your heretical rainstorm. You may have stayed Senaya's hand, time and time again - but you will not do the same for me. I will kill you...and believe me, I will enjoy it."

"We'll see about that," Kinnya's grey eyes were dark as thunderclouds, and he gritted his teeth, feeling the flicker of Raiurei's spirit rising up to join his as they prepared for the battle ahead. "Senaya-nii was never able to beat me, much less kill me. And I'm not going to let an upstart zanpakutou do any better. Raiu and I are going to settle this, once and for all."

A rumble of thunder overhead echoed through his words, and, as the sky darkened, flickers of electric energy jumped between the clouds, dispersing the rays of sunlight and breaking up the potent shadows building against the grass. Spatters of rain began to fall from the heavens, and, as though answering the lightning in the sky, a spark of electricity darted through Raiurei's blade, the weapon morphing and changing into its shikai form. The jaws of a serpent clasped the silver tachi blade between sharp teeth, its glittering eyes resolute and defiant as the Rebel sword prepared to enter battle, and Kinnya knew that Raiurei had fully answered his call to arms.

"I might have aged, but I'm not that rusty," He added now, lifting the released Raiurei into a more offensive position. "Let's see how your sunshine stands up against the God of the Rainstorm."

* * *

"I am pretty sure that's as much as our Clan records can stretch to."

Tokutarou leaned up against the doorframe of his study, casting his brother a thoughtful glance. "I'm sorry, Shunsui. I don't know anything about Heaven's War or even really our bloodline. Even the founder's story is a bit vague and overly romanticised. We don't have a lot of material from his time, either, and nothing he wrote himself. Just the stories that are written down in later papers, by his descendents, glorifying his deeds...not much more."

"I didn't think we'd have anything useful, but I had to try it," Shunsui sighed heavily. "Thank you, at least, for humouring me. I don't know what's going on in Seireitei at the moment, and it bothers me - but I suppose at the very least I can go back to my peers and say there are no Dangai exiles clanking around in our family tree."

"I didn't even realise people were thrown in the Dangai," Tokutarou admitted. "It seems overly theatrical when a good, clean beheading is all that's really needed."

"There speaks the descendant of the great warrior Harumizu," Shunsui grinned despite himself, bowing his head in his brother's direction playfully, and Tokutarou snorted.

"Idiot," he said disparagingly. "In any case, I can't help you. But I am concerned by the reports you've brought. Is it possible to increase shinigami patrols and protection around the main estate here? If the Kuchiki can be attacked unawares, I'd rather not take the chance that these folk are done looting. Even if they don't know our family exists, they might get here by mistake...and I'm not much good at fighting shinigami."

"I left Tetsuya with orders to organise a patrol to come here as soon as possible," Shunsui promised. "If these interlopers at Sixth were as old as we think, then there's a good chance they don't have any interest in the Kyouraku family. But I don't want to take any gambles about that. Our ancestor did fight in Heaven's War, and as you say, it's not worth taking the risk."

"Then I'll expect them with pleasure," Tokutarou looked relieved.

"I don't know if anyone in my squad - myself included - is geared up to face these individuals, however," Shunsui said darkly. "Niisama, listen. We've talked it out and theorised a lot about this Knowledge spell. We think that it has power if the wielder knows the name - the full, real, birth-name - of their target victim. That's how it was so ruthlessly successful against Guren-sama, but not so much against Shirogane-dono, who changed his name thirty years ago when he became Clan heir. People like you and I, who carry the Clan name, are thus most at risk as our names are easy to discern. We believe that Seiren-dono was left be because he didn't have enough reiatsu for the spell to work - but even though you don't consider yourself a shinigami, that," he gestured to his brother's sheathed sword, "is a zanpakutou. You have reiatsu, even if you don't use it for fighting Hollows. That means you could be a target. So could Haru. I want you to be on your guard, and promise me not to engage anyone. Haru, yourself - your younger daughters, Rae-hime - if there is any sign of danger, I suggest you withdraw. This is the main Kyouraku manor, but you could go to Rae-chan's family or to your eldest daughter's manor if the worst occurred."

"I don't like to run from my seat of power," Tokutarou admitted. "I take your point, but I don't intend on leaving. However, I may charge Haru with taking his mother and sisters to his grandfather. Your advice is sound. I am the Captain of this manor, if not a Captain of a squad - and you wouldn't run out on your people any more than I will. But I will make arrangements - and if I tell Haru his role is to protect his kinsfolk, he will probably go more easily."

He sighed, folding his arms across his chest.

"I apparently have a lot to do," he added. "What about the other? The necromancer? It sounds barely believable. I have heard, of course, about the corpse attacks, and then the business at Eleventh - but..."

"It seems the necromancer is not necessarily hostile. But that doesn't mean he's not a risk," Shunsui chewed on his lip. "Truth is, Niisama, we don't know anything about him really. He didn't try to kill anyone at the Kuchiki estate. He probably saved Shirogane-dono by preventing his comrade from attacking. But he's clearly here for a reason. I would be wary of him too. He can raise the dead."

"There aren't many useful corpses in this vicinity," Tokutarou said acidly. "I will do my best to ensure I don't become one. Will that do?"

"I suppose it will have to," Shunsui looked rueful. "All right. I must get back to Inner Seireitei. I've spent enough time here given the circumstances, and Tetsuya will make sure that you have increased shinigami protection very soon."

"Thank you, Shunsui," Tokutarou nodded his acknowledgement. "I appreciate it - and I will be in touch if I find anything that I think might be useful to you about all of this."

He stepped back into his study, closing the door behind him with a faint grin, and Shunsui sighed, turning on his heel and making his way slowly back along the hallway. Tokutarou's determination to stay behind concerned him, but he knew that his brother was a soldier, and there was no point in trying to dissuade him.  
 _  
So I suppose my job is to ensure no harm comes to anyone here. Hopefully I can do that, even though there are still too many gaps in what I know._

"Ojiue!"

As he reached the end of the hallway, he saw the tall, lean figure of his nephew, Harumatsu, waiting for him. He paused, eying the young man quizzically, and Harumatsu frowned, hastening to his uncle's side.

"Ojiue, what is going on?" he asked softly. "I was just at the main gate. A patrol of ten or twelve shinigami have arrived here, apparently under your orders. Why? Do we suddenly need extra protection at the main house? Is there some kind of threat?"

"It's a precaution, that's all," Shunsui rested a hand on his companion's arm. "I'm glad they're here, it means Tetsuya has got to grips with my orders quickly and has put everything in place. They will stay here until the danger is past, but I don't really think this will be a target. Just, there was an incident at the Kuchiki manor. Individuals trying to break into their archive. Just in case they came here - I wanted to be sure that you and your father had back-up."

"I see," Harumatsu's clever brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Then that is why you came to see Father. To warn him of this?"

"Yes, and it's a warning I'll pass to you, too," Shunsui said gently. "The enemy is someone not known to us, but we do know they are shinigami. More, that one of their weapons includes using the name of their opponent as a spell of some kind. You must not give your name to any suspicious individual, or even any stranger. Be careful how you allow people to refer to you, as well. I suggest you tell your servants not to call you by your name for the time being. It is a spell to which we do not know the cure - once it is spoken, it cannot be easily reversed."

"A spell...on a name?" Harumatsu looked alarmed, and Shunsui nodded.

"I think Tokutarou-nii intends you to take your mother and younger sisters away from here," he said quietly. "If he does, Haru, don't argue with him. It will be a hard decision for him to make, you know - and you are the only person he could trust to do it. Do you understand? These are all precautions - but the future of the family may rest on them, so listen to me."

"You are hardly ever so serious with me as you are being right now," Harumatsu eyed his uncle thoughtfully. "To come here and speak thus means this is a grave matter. I don't want to leave here if there is danger, Ojiue, but I will take your warning and do as you say. If that's the only way I can support Father for now, I'll do it. You have my word."

"Good man," Shunsui's eyes glittered with relief. "I need to get back to Inner Seireitei, so I'm trusting you."

"I will not let you down," Harumatsu promised. He sighed, looking wistful. "I wish I could do more - I wish I had a sword like yours with which to fight shinigami enemies - but I will do what is necessary to protect my family. That at least I have the skills to complete."

"Good skills, too," Shunsui assured him. "Thank you for understanding. I'll hope to see you soon - in circumstances when it's more appropriate to tease you about finding a wife."

He patted his nephew on the arm, amused at the colour that suddenly rose in Harumatsu's cheeks at this casual reference, and then he was gone, slipping into shunpo as he left the main estate. As he reached the grounds, he paused, turning to glance back pensively at his brother's home.  
 _  
It's strange, since I have such mixed memories of this place, but I want to protect it all the same. Is that the Clan blood inside of me? Or just the knowledge that Tokutarou-nii will also be inside it?  
_  
He hesitated, then spread his hands, murmuring the incantation to a spell and watching as the Kyoumon barrier spread slowly and reassuringly over the estate, glittering faintly in the light. Kyoumon was a spell that allowed those inside to leave, but not those outside to enter, and, while he had no way of knowing if it was powerful enough to deter an enemy, it was all he could do.  
 _  
I've sent shinigami, I've cast a spell, and I've warned Niisama and Haru. I can't do anything else here._

He turned, heading down the path that led away from the main estate. At the edge of the forest land he faltered, turning his gaze towards the dirt track that led first to the military barracks, and then, beyond, to the villages. Juushirou's sister lived in the military encampment, with her husband and family, but Shunsui knew that to bring a warning to their door was more likely to get Chihiro involved in the encounter than it was to keep her away.  
 _  
And then there's Riri._

Shunsui slipped into shunpo, darting through the streams of light towards the small village where his half-sister made her home. Whether warning her of the impending threat was a good idea or not, he didn't know - but although he was conflicted about what to do, he still found himself at the village perimeter, pensively gazing out across the hotch-potch gathering of homes.  
 _  
Riri has spirit power. Chihiro doesn't, so probably isn't going to be a target. But Riri does. She doesn't use it, but it's there...inherited from Father. But then, would they care about a village woman? A seamstress? A former courtesan? I wonder. There's an irony to the story that our first ancestor's mother was a courtesan - and Riri, too, once lived that life. Even with spirit power, though - this isn't an enemy that seeks to victimise ordinary people for their abilities. This is someone from a long time ago. Would they care about such a place and such a person? I wish I knew._

He sauntered through the middle of the village, pausing a short distance away from Riri's home. She was not there, he realised with a jolt, relief coursing through him as he remembered that it was the week of the big fair in a southern town, and she had most likely gone there to trade. In the years since their meeting, Riri had forged many friendships in her chosen trade community, and the town in question was a half-day's ride, far enough from the central manor to make it out of the immediate range of danger.

 _Then that's all right. I can probably rest easy. She's unlikely to gather attention from ancient Clan shinigami who are looking for powerful Clansfolk to annoy. She also doesn't carry the Kyouraku name, and doesn't live by her real name, either. She's not at risk for Knowledge, and I am probably worrying about her for no reason._

He continued through the forest, pausing at the stream beyond to take a break. Although he knew he needed to get back to the Division as soon as possible, his head was still full of conflicting thoughts about the previous night's conversation, and so he settled himself against the broad trunk of a tree, removing his swords from his obi and leaning them up against a nearby stone. It was quiet here, without even the sounds of local children playing, and, away from the hierarchy of divisional power, he found that he could piece together more easily the bits and pieces he had learned since the day before.

 _Villains from the Dangai - not Kyouraku, but we didn't expect them to be. A man who casts a spell of Knowledge through knowing someone's name - so hurt Guren-sama, but not Shirogane-dono. A necromancer who chooses to save the life of the Kuchiki heir...but then raises his grandfather from the grave. Unwillingly? I wonder.  
_  
He sighed, burying his head in his hands.  
 _  
Too many things don't make sense. The necromancer must be responsible for what happened at Eleventh, but why kill all of them and yet let Shirogane-dono go? Maybe I'm missing something important in this. If the other guy is in charge - maybe the Eleventh Division incident was on his orders? But still, why? To distract us? But if they wanted a distraction, why make such a public exhibition at the Kuchiki estate? Now everyone knows they're here. But I suppose...if the Knowledge spell had worked on Shirogane-dono...then...maybe we still wouldn't know there'd been an attack. Maybe that's the point. We see the hand behind the Kuchiki assault because there was a witness left behind. Ah, but then...the necromancer left that witness behind. I wish I understood. It's like they're acting at crossed purposes, but I don't see the ultimate goal. We don't know enough, and it bothers me. I don't like seeing my comrades taken out, but more, I don't like not knowing how to stop the attacks_.

The sound of footsteps, followed by the distinctive, if suppressed flicker of a shinigami's reiatsu made him jerk his head up suddenly at that point, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of the nearest sword as he scanned his surroundings for any sign of the interloper. While he could see nobody, he knew that the sensation was not that of one of his own patrol, sent there by his dutiful Vice Captain, but was something else - unfamiliar, and yet, as the sensation drew stronger, Shunsui knew exactly what it was.

 _The aura of death._

He grabbed his weapons, sliding them as silently as he could from their sheaths and tossing the scabbards down onto the long grass. Concealing the blades as best he could at his sides, he scanned the area once more for any sign of the approaching intruder. Every impulse told him to launch an attack, but he kept himself still, waiting.

Just as the wait was becoming unbearable, there was the rustling of tree branches, and a man stepped out into the river clearing. At the sight of Shunsui, he paused, surprise on his features, and Shunsui gazed up at him through hooded lids, trying his best to maintain a sense of nonchalance while taking in every detail that he could about this newcomer. He appeared to be of middling years, at first glance a man of maybe a few centuries vintage, although his spiritual aura gave him away as someone much older. He was robed in unfamiliar, old-fashioned attire, with hunting _hitatare_ trousers instead of the more familiar _hakama_ commonly worn in Inner Seireitei. There was no badge on the breast of his upper clothing, but instead, a crest of some kind - simple and yet familiar, was embroidered through the fabric itself in a repetitive pattern. He was clearly a man of means, who carried himself like a Clansman, and at his waist was the unmistakeable looped scabbard of an old-fashioned tachi sword. The sensation of death appeared to emanate from this weapon, although at a glance it seemed a nondescript sword in a nondescript sheath. Thick dark hair was pulled back from the man's face in a warrior's queue, but there was nothing especially distinctive in his features to immediately identify him to one or other of Seireitei's current Clans. He was a complete stranger who had just wandered across Shunsui's path as though going for a morning stroll, and Shunsui could not help but remember Midori's words.

 _ **These individuals, they aren't hiding. They didn't show any hesitation or fear in gatecrashing the Kuchiki manor. They believe we can't kill them. And maybe, based on what we have, we can't.**_

 _It's exactly like that._

Shunsui chewed on his lip.  
 _  
Like he just wandered here, but even though he sees me, he's not bothered that I'm here. So it's not about keeping a low profile. They don't want to hide from us. They're not afraid of us - which leaves the matter of Eleventh wide open again. A distraction, maybe, but...not of the kind we think. And with stories circulating all over Inner Seireitei about a man who's reiatsu feels like death itself - this individual either doesn't know or doesn't care about the ruckus it's caused. It's like he's on a completely different planet...as though he's untouchable, just like Midori-sama suggested.  
_  
The scent of death was pervasive, now. Although Shunsui knew this individual was alive and breathing, the sensation that Shirogane had described to Kinnya, and that Kinnya himself had reported at the meeting was unmistakeable. There was darkness and decay in the man's aura, and yet he seemed utterly unaware of it. Moreover, he seemed entirely lacking in hostility.  
 _  
Also, he's alone._

Shunsui's gaze flitted from left to right, his senses trying to pick up the presence of the second shinigami, but he had no success.

 _The man who wakes corpses is here, in District Eight. So where is his companion? The one who hurt Guren-sama...I hope he isn't at the main house._

"I'm sorry. I've disturbed you," The necromancer apparently sensed Shunsui's rising anxiety, for he raised his hands, offering Shunsui a sheepish smile. "I'm lost, you see. I'm looking for someone. I don't know if you'd know him. I'm not sure exactly where I am."

"Looking for someone?" Shunsui affected a look of confusion. "You seem a stranger to me too, my friend. What are you doing in this part of Seireitei? You look well-dressed, like a man who'd travel with servants. Where are your companions? Surely you haven't wandered into this area alone."

"You are a shinigami," the necromancer eyed Shunsui thoughtfully. "I saw someone dressed like you a while ago, with the white cloak and the black hakama. Perhaps you are able to help me find my goal. I am without servants or horse - indeed, you might say I fell on bad times, and no longer have people to call on."

"But to walk through strange lands alone," Shunsui pressed. "Surely not?"

"You are alone," the man pointed out. Shunsui smiled wryly.

"I am," he agreed blithely. "But my squad is nearby, on manoeuvre. I am patrolling, but shinigami on duty are never really on their own."

"I see." The necromancer digested this, then sighed, his expression becoming wistful. "That must be nice."

"You really don't seem like someone who would travel by yourself," Shunsui pressed.

"Well, I had a companion," the necromancer's expression became shadowed. "We disagreed on things, so we parted ways. He's a long way from here, now, I expect. I don't care. He interests me not. I came here on my own errand, and so I don't need him any more."

So they had had a falling out since the assault on the Kuchiki manor. Shunsui processed this carefully.

Perhaps his companion resented the saving of Shirogane-dono's life.

"I don't know if I can help you," he lied now, offering the man a benign smile. "I'm only passing through myself, and I don't know the area at all well. I just patrol where I'm sent. But I could take you back to my base. Maybe someone there could help you."

"The shinigami base?" The necromancer's features went through several different expressions, and he shook his head. "No. I am not welcome in a place like that. It would be a bad idea. They would misunderstand, and I don't want any more people to get hurt unnecessarily. I seek no trouble with you," he added hurriedly, raising his hands again as if to indicate he held no blade. "I prefer to make as little trouble as I can. But I am seeking someone. I have been looking...for a long time. And I was told...he was here. So I have come, but find myself lost."  
 _  
You don't want any_ more _people to get hurt unnecessarily._

Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he digested this.  
 _  
So I'm right. You did fall out with your companion over what happened at the Kuchiki manor. And you protected Shirogane-dono deliberately, for all you raised Senaya-sama from his grave. Maybe that was the payoff. Raising a corpse in exchange for Shirogane-dono's life? I wonder. We've assumed you're together, but maybe that's why this whole thing has been so confusing. You and he are not here to pursue the same ends. You coincidentally ended up back here together, but you have your own agendas, and they conflict. So I need to find out what I can about yours...and hopefully, by a process of elimination, that'll help me figure out your companion's. He apparently doesn't mind hurting people, and I don't really like that, either - so if this is a chance for me to acquire some Knowledge of my own...I need to gamble and take it._

Aloud he said,

"Then perhaps you can tell me who you seek? If I know him, maybe I can help."

His fingers looped casually through the grass, brushing against the hilts of his swords. "I may not, of course. But if you don't tell me, I can't try."

"His name is Harumizu," the necromancer sighed, and Shunsui stiffened, surprise glittering in his expression at the sound of his ancestor's name.

"Haru...mizu?"

"Yes," The necromancer's expression lit up with hope. "That name means something to you? I sensed it, in your aura. It spiked when I said it. You've heard it before - so you must know who he is. _Where_ he is! I must find him. It's very important."

"I don't know anyone called Harumizu," Shunsui replied, gathering his composure and meeting his companion's gaze as evenly as he could manage. "I have heard the name, but not as an acquaintance. I have heard that there was a person with that name, once, who lived in this area. But he died a long time ago. I've never met any such person - so I'm afraid your journey is wasted."

"No...no, he's here," the necromancer's aura flickered with agitation at this, showing the first signs of instability in his genial address, and putting Shunsui immediately on his guard.

 _Wrong answer, huh? But it's the true one...more or less...so I don't really know what else to say. Maybe you're not as passive as I first thought. Maybe I've misread you...my Knowledge is still lacking._

"No, you do know him." The man continued insistently. "I could tell, in your face, in your words, in your reiatsu. You're lying to me. Why? I know he's alive. My companion, he said so. He's a vile person but he speaks truth about things like that. Besides, I saw proof that he was here. I know he's alive still - why would you conceal him from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything," Shunsui got to his feet, lifting his blades and holding them behind his back as he faced the other man head on. "The man called Harumizu did live here, in District Eight...but does so no more. He died. That's the truth. There is no person now called Harumizu."

"You're lying," the necromancer's eyes flickered with anger, and Shunsui swallowed hard, realising that beneath the surface calm and gentility was an unstable spirit whose mental state was now fluctuating quickly out of control. "Why? Are you protecting him? Do you know what he did? What he did to me, all those years ago? You shouldn't protect him...I need...I need to find him. I need to ask...I need..."

He faltered, taking a deep breath as if trying to calm himself down.

"I need answers," he said softly. "I need to put an end to it. All of it. I need to find him. Please, don't lie to me."

"I can only tell you the story I already gave, because it's all I know," Shunsui said evenly, pulling his swords deliberately from behind his back one by one so that his companion could see them. "I don't want to fight with you, but I can't help you. And my job is to protect the people in this area, while I'm patrolling here."

"But I don't mean those people any harm!" the necromancer darted forward, his arm outstretched to grab Shunsui desperately by the sleeve of his haori, and and Shunsui instinctively leapt back, keeping a wary distance between him and his companion. In his eagerness to reach Shunsui's side, the necromancer's old-fashioned sandals caught against the stone, and he stumbled, almost falling headlong into the tree which had been Shunsui's shelter. He put a hand up against the broad bark to steady himself, taking a deep breath.

"I'm not here to cause a fight," he said softly. "I only want Harumizu. I don't want to hurt...I just...want..."

He faltered, and Shunsui tensed as he sensed a prickle of angry reiatsu flicker unexpectedly through the other man's lean frame. Although his stable mask had begun to slip in the previous few moments, there was something different about this, and Shunsui felt a cold chill run down his spine at the suddent intent in the other man's aura. Now he seemed less confused and lost, as though, somewhere inside of him, a switch had been flipped. No longer grabbing out or stumbling around the copse in desperation, he was now completely still. There was a long pause, in which Shunsui felt he hardly dare breathe, and then, in complete silence, the necromancer bent down to pick up one of Shunsui's discarded sword sheaths. He ran his finger over it for a moment, his nails digging in against the polished leather, and at length, he raised his gaze once more to his companion. As their gazes met, Shunsui almost dropped his swords in dismay, for the eyes that now stared at him were the eyes of death itself, glittering ominously with a level of hate and darkness that threatened to swallow him up whole. The aura of death, which had been so firmly controlled just moments before, now rippled out across the whole of the copse in increasingly intense waves, and the man raised the sheath, glaring at Shunsui.

"I knew you were lying to me," he said, his voice trembling with rage. "I knew, but I didn't realise how much. Now I know. Your guilt is written here. _Right here._ This is yours, isn't it? The nest for your blade."

"It's a scabbard," Shunsui was increasingly convinced now that the other individual had lost his mind, and was already debating whether he could disappear into shunpo and out-run him when the scabbard came flying across the clearing towards him, narrowly missing his ear.

" _Kyouraku Harumizu_ ," the name was dropped like pieces of ice into the increasingly ominous atmosphere. "Written in gold as though there to mock me. _You_ are Harumizu, aren't you? Base and lying to the last."

"Hey! Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Too late Shunsui realised how careless he had been, and he berated himself fiercely, raising his swords up in front of him like a barrier as the other man advanced towards him. "You're wrong! I didn't lie to you. I mean, that is my scabbard, but..."

"It says Harumizu. Kyouraku Harumizu. After all these years, are you still trying to mess with my mind?" The other man did not falter, and Shunsui swallowed hard, now sure he had embroiled himself in a fight that could and should have been avoided.  
 _  
I tell Haru and Niisama to protect their names, and then leave mine lying around. Scabbards embossed with the names of the owner - so easy to forget, and yet...so easy to misread._

"You're wrong," he said softly. "My name is written like that, it's true. But my name is _Shunsui._ It's not Harumizu. I swear to you. I didn't lie."

"You must think I've become senile," the necromancer's eyes glittered with deranged energy. "But I've found you. I've found you, and I'll kill you. And then I'll make you into something worse...so you understand what it felt like, when you put me in that place, not alive and not dead. I'll make you understand it, Kyouraku Harumizu. You won't escape me this time."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _  
That's the first time I've written Shunsui's nephew Haru since I wrote about him in Fourth Maki as a toddler causing havoc at the Kyouraku manor. It's sort of nostalgic..._

 _Also, who doesn't want to see Kinnya face off against his brother? Even though, admittedly, it's not really his brother at all..._

 _In case anyone wonders why Kinnya didn't use Raiu's release command - he doesn't need to. He's a Bankai shinigami!_

 _Senaya wins the prize in my stories overall for most posthumous appearances, as well as most posthumous dialogue. Although he's been dead since before the stories began, he has now not only managed to appear in flashbacks in Meifu Fourth Maki, but now he's also up and fighting in Tenka Ransei. Can't keep a good Kuchiki down...not when there's a skilled necromancer in the house!_

 _Also, anyone who thinks I was being uncommonly nice in uploading three chapters today, now you know why. I am actually incredibly evil and leaving you on a double cliffhanger. Have fun ;)_


	46. Soldier's Folly

**Chapter 45: Soldier's Folly**

The moment the necromancer had finished speaking, the entire copse was engulfed in a wave of dark energy, killer instinct rippling from every inch of the man's body.

The stranger had only drawn his sword from its sheath, Shunsui realised dully. Although he had not released the weapon into any kind of shikai, this simple action alone had caused the sudden flood of power. Up till a few moments ago, he had felt no immediate threat from his strange companion, but in a matter of seconds his senses had been shattered by the unexpected outpouring of ominous reiryoku. His tranquil surroundings, which had seemed so lush and green when he had arrived, felt as though they had had all the life and energy dragged out of them. He blinked to bring them back into focus, unnerved by the sudden greyness of his vision. Although he felt sure it must be an illusion, the leaves of the tree under which he had sat moments before seemed to curl at the edges, as though beginning to decay for the autumn fall, and even the soft sound of the flowing river had become eerily silent. No birds sang in the trees, and with every passing moment, the intense shadow that had engulfed this interloper grew ever more cloying, making it difficult even to draw breath. Shunsui was a Captain, and his spiritual skills were strong, but in this unexpected onslaught of reiatsu it had been all he could manage to keep hold of his blades and his position on his feet. He had come to District Eight with concerns for his family and their safety, but, in discarding his scabbards so casually, he had brought himself into danger, and his mind raced as he struggled to rationalise his position.

 _I know little enough about his companion, but I know even less about him. Gambling without understanding is clearly a bad, bad move. So is assuming that he is rational or that he can be reasoned with, just because he didn't kill anybody at the Kuchiki estate. He's the man who brought a dead Clan Leader back to life...and apparently, now I've learned something new. He's looking for my ancestor...and doesn't seem picky in finding a substitute._

He slipped his dazed body into shunpo, rematerialising as far from his companion as he dared without disappearing out of the other man's line of sight. The air was clearer here, and he took advantage of that fact, taking a deep breath into his lungs as he fought to bring clarity back to his thoughts. As frightened as he was, Shunsui knew that to try to retreat from the scene now would be to put the people of District Eight at risk. And, he realised grimly, of all the people in District Eight, he was the best qualified to face an invading enemy. There was nobody else to call on - no hero waiting in the wings to save him. He had created this mess himself, and he needed to resolve it - or the consequences for both the District and his wider family could be severe. Yet despite this knowledge, every instinct urged Shunsui to use his shunpo skills to get as far away from the area as possible. He had seen Death in the man's eyes, and it had frozen him through right to his core. Whatever this individual was, he was not a normal enemy. And Shunsui, who usually had an answer for everything, had no answers about how to escape this situation alive. He gritted his teeth, trying to bring his panic under control.  
 _  
If I run, now, he'll follow. There are no Gates, but I don't know how good he is at shunpo. If he comes after me, he might hurt people along the way. This is not good reiryoku, and I'm struggling to deal with it - but ordinary people would probably be killed if they were to get involved in this. Maybe that's the secret to his power...his aura kills them, and then he brings them back to life._

"Don't try to run from me, you coward!" The necromancer's voice was echoing with rage once more, the gentle approach that he had begun the conversation with now completely subsumed into the pulsing anger that rippled through his body. "Don't think you can escape! I won't let you get away from me...not after all this time!"

"I'm not running away," Shunsui steadied himself, readying his swords as he debated whether or not to release them. "And I'm telling you the truth. I don't even know who you are. How can I be a dead man? I don't understand at all."

"You always did like to mess with people's minds. With their memories," With sudden burst of dark spirit power, the other man appeared at Shunsui's right side in a raw shunpo step, his sword raised as if to slice through the Captain's body. Shunsui cursed, darting back just in time to avoid the swing. In his hurry, he collided with the low hanging branch of another nearby tree, and the jagged wood scraped up across his cheek, digging into his brow and causing blood to trickle down into his eye. He dashed it away with the back of his hand, berating the confined nature of the battle ground. With the trees all around them, stones littering the ground and the river, winding its way provocatively like a barrier protecting the local villages, it was far from ideal for an open sword fight. More, it felt like a cage - and if he wasn't careful, it might end as his mausoleum.  
 _  
If I release Katen here, there's not much shadow to work with._

Shunsui glanced upwards, noting how the sky was broken up by the thick branches of the overhanging trees _._

 _I daren't risk playing games of life and death with a man who controls dead people, so if I have no shadows, I'm at a disadvantage. Well, that's probably true no matter what I do. If I release, I'll also be more susceptible to this horrible reiryoku. It's taking a lot more energy than usual to sense my swords' auras within my own. This atmosphere feels poisonous, exactly like death itself. Releasing Katen here could be a fatal mistake, but I'm low on options. I don't even know if I can fight him - but I'm not sure he's going to listen to reason._

"I'm not messing with anyone's mind," he said now, as the stranger's sword came down towards him again. With each swing, fragments of nauseating reiatsu threatened to engulf him, but he gritted his teeth, again reminding himself of the consequences to District Eight if he were to lose his nerve and try to run. This time he managed to meet the blow with his katana, although as the two weapons made contact, a cold sensation rocketed through his body. He hurriedly pushed the other weapon back before the blade's lingering sense of death could infiltrate Amaki's blade, his action buying him just enough time to allow him to leap once more out of easy range. "I just don't think it's polite to attack a complete stranger without at least introducing yourself. I'm not Harumizu, and you haven't even told me who you are. You must realise it's crazy. If Harumizu did something to you, surely you'd know that I wasn't him!"

He glanced down at the katana, eying with consternation the blackish sheen that now coated the silvery surface where the two weapons had made contact.

 _Amaki? Are you all right?_  
 **  
I won't be if you play too much with that thing.  
**  
Shunsui was relieved to hear the slightly acerbic response of the katana's sword spirit.  
 **  
I'm fine, it's just superficial. A light burn, maybe - but I'll quickly shake it off. I've taken worse from you in one of your mental maelstroms, back when you were a teenager. But this isn't an enemy you can fight, Shunsui. His blade is death. You aren't a healer...it will take longer for you to repair me if you use me in such a reckless way - and if you're careless, he might steal your zanpakutou from you completely. Permanently.**

 _So I guess releasing is out?_

 **Releasing is out. Don't even think about it.  
**

Came Amaki's blunt response.  
 **  
You release in this atmosphere, you take in the aura of death. You do that, and we all die. I might tolerate it, but Seibara won't - you should know that. I can handle decay in your inner world, but right now, she can't even speak to you because of that man's aura wilting the flowers. I made the effort to speak to you because it's dangerous and your life is at stake, even if, this time, you haven't given up on it. Ours is at risk, too. We make a game of life and death, but this one...it's not a game. This** _ **is**_ **life and death, in the form of a blade. You cannot fight it. You need to retreat.  
** _  
You know why I can't do that. You always said I needed to be proactive, and I have people here to protect._  
 **  
Proactive. Not suicidal. This guy is deranged. You won't reason with him - your only options are escape or die. And I'm not really sure about your odds on the first one, but you should at least try.  
**  
 _I guess I'm gambling a little bit more. I can't just leave here. I created this danger. I need to try to deflect it...negotiate...somehow._

 **If you think that's possible, then you really are a fool. The one time I tell you to run away and you ignore it. The irony is palpable.  
**  
Amaki sighed.

 **Death doesn't negotiate. I'm sure you know that by now.**

Shunsui glanced momentarily at his blades and then, after a brief moment of hesitation, he slid Seibara's wakizashi unsheathed through the loops of his obi.  
 _  
If Seibara's especially at risk, I won't use her. I can't release, so I'm sorry, Amaki. You're the one who put up with the worst of my wailings when I was younger...hopefully that means you can hold out a little longer, and buy me some time while I try to reason out a solution._

He heard the sound of Amaki's sigh, but he knew that the blade spirit had accepted his position, and he gathered himself, turning his attention back to his companion. The other man had paused in his assault, but there was something deeply predatorial in his gaze. Those ominous, empty eyes shifted from Amaki's katana, to the sleeping wakizashi, and then back again. With a jolt, Shunsui realised that his opponent had probably sensed the dialogue between him and his sword. Instead of using the momentary lull to launch a sneak attack, the necromancer had waited, but not out of any sense of honour. Instead, the wrinkle of his brow told Shunsui that something in the interaction had bothered him, and it had caused him to momentarily halt his assault.

 _My sword._

Shunsui held up the tarnished katana.

 _His sword is a tachi, but mine is a katana. Harumizu lived a long time ago. All shinigami back then had tachi, so my sword must look wrong. But then, I must look wrong, too, so that doesn't help. Or maybe it's the fact I have two swords. I'm the first and only shinigami to have a double zanpakutou, according to Yama-jii. Maybe that's it. This guy is sharp. His senses are keen. He can clearly tell that both my blades are my zanpakutou, not just one of them - and that's what he's trying to reason out. Why Harumizu has two blades now, when originally, he only had one._

"If I'm Harumizu, then you must know the name of my sword, too," he challenged out loud, swinging the blade experimentally through the air. "Tell me. If I am who you say, then surely, this is your enemy, too? You must know its name, and the form it takes in release."

There was a long pause, and then,

"I don't remember," his opponent said bitterly. "But you know that, don't you? I tried...I looked and tried to remember, but I can't. You did something to me. Something to my mind... Something so that I'd forget."

"How would I do that?" Shunsui demanded.

"I don't remember!" the man snapped back. "Stop it! Stop baiting me. Stop pretending you don't know me! My name is Tsuneyoshi, but you know that already. You know only too well. That's why you tensed, when I said your name - because you didn't expect me to remember that, and I do!"

"I tensed because I know the name," Shunsui made to parry back another two swings, feinting and drawing away at the last minute to prevent his weapon touching against the ominous blade held by his opponent. He leapt back, wiping the persistant blood trickle from his brow once more as he struggled to maintain the distance between them. "Harumizu was an ancestor of mine. I was named after him. But you're being ridiculous. I'm not that old! He died a long time ago. He lived a long time ago. I never met him...and surely you realise that? I'm not old enough to have been here three thousand years ago, you know!"

"Three thousand...?" At this, Tsuneyoshi faltered, the dark aura fluctuating for a moment as though confused, and Shunsui nodded, hope flaring within him at this momentary hesitation.

"Heaven's War was three millenia ago," he said frankly. "Harumizu-dono fought in it. That's all I know. I don't know of any Tsuneyoshi. But I'm not that old. Half a century, give or take. Surely you can tell that?"

"You don't look old," Tsuneyoshi acknowledged. "But...you _are_ Harumizu. You must be! I was told you were here. My companion sensed you. And you're here, in District Eight! Why wouldn't you be? Harumizu is alive, and here you are! You're lying to me again. This is a trap. It's all a trick. You want me to believe it's been that long, but it can't be. You're not old enough...it can't..."

"Because _I'm not Harumizu_!" Shunsui exclaimed, pushing back the probing sword another time. This time the blades briefly made contact once again, sending another icy sensation through Shunsui's body, and he grimaced, knowing that, within his Inner World, Amaki was probably ranting and raving at his carelessness. Tsuneyoshi tut-tutted under his breath, a glitter of energy forming around his fingers. Belatedly Shunsui realised it was Bakudou, and he dove behind a nearby tree as the speculative spell wound itself around the branches. Tsuneyoshi let out a roar of frustration, pulling his arm back and the tree shattered beneath the pull of his magic, sending splinters all over the place. Some of them tried to embed themselves in Shunsui's arms and upper body, and he found himself grateful for the thick fabric of the haori preventing them from drawing blood. The trickle above his eye was now a virtual torrent, however, and it was beginning to impair his vision.

"You said you wanted answers," he hazarded, trying to buy time as Tsuneyoshi began to advance again. "How can you get any of those if you kill me?"

"I've decided that the only answer I want is Harumizu's corpse," Tsuneyoshi said categorically. "You're here, so that will do. My sword wants your blood...it wants Harumizu. Release your blade, you coward. Release it and prove me right!"

"But _I'm not him_!" Shunsui was becoming frustrated now. "Why won't you listen to me? I don't have a clue who you are! **"**

"And I will have you admit your guilt before I slit your throat and make you cursed beyond this world," Tsuneyoshi said ominously. "If I have to cut you limb from limb to do it, I shall. Meidoushi wants your blood...it wants it, and I will sate that thirst. I will..." **  
**  
"Stand down your blade _at once_ , Tokitori-dono, before you commit an atrocity that not even your kin will forgive you for!"

The voice came out of nowhere, making Shunsui jump, and there was the clatter of weapons as someone came between them. A white haori fluttered in the breeze as a glittering tachi smashed into Tsuneyoshi's eerie weapon, shoving it back without a moment of hesitation. A thick tail of dark hair flowed out behind her, concealing the number slashed across the white fabric, but there was no mistaking that the newcomer was the Captain of the Fourth Division.

"Retsu...sama?" Not quite believing what he was seeing, Shunsui took a step back. Though Retsu was a renowned Captain, a healer and a powerful shinigami, he had never once seen her use her weapon in such a way, and had generally assumed, as most of Soul Society did, that it was a healing blade, not suited for combat. Yet in that moment, Retsu was using it as a weapon, pushing Tsuneyoshi back onto the defensive and swinging the long, elegant weapon down to capitalise on the advantage the element of surprise had given her. Moreover, despite the danger of making contact with the dark blade, Retsu had shown not a moment of hesitation.  
 _  
Amaki said that I wasn't a healer, so couldn't repair the damage. But Retsu-sama is a healer. Maybe that's why she can do this - because she can heal her blade more quickly and prevent death from creeping over it._

"Stay back, Shunsui-dono," Retsu did not look around, and her words were as calm and reasoned as they were in the Captain's chamber, belying the tension that rippled through her lithe body. "This is not the place for Katen Kyoukotsu to unleash its games. It would be a bad idea for you to release your sword in this atmosphere, and this is not an opponent who can be killed in such a way."

"You know who this guy is?" Shunsui's eyes opened wide, but Retsu did not respond, her focus entirely on the startled Tsuneyoshi. At her appearance, Shunsui realised, his expression had changed, and the dark flickers that had edged his sword and body had faded away almost to nothing, leaving the blade bare and exposed to the mottled Seireitei sunlight. The man looked like he had seen a ghost, his features suddenly haunted and haggard by the young woman who stood before him, and, as he opened his mouth, Shunsui heard three syllables drop disbelievingly from his lips.

"Ya...chiru?"

"My name is Unohana Retsu, and I am the Captain of the Fourth Division," Retsu seemed unmoved by the other man's distress, readying herself to defend against a fresh attack. "This man you are recklessly assaulting is my comrade, Kyouraku Shunsui. He is not Harumizu, as you would know if you thought to look more closely at his swords. This not the place you should be. Leave, before you bring fresh shame to me and to my family."

"Re...tsu?" Tsuneyoshi looked blank, and he shook his head. "No, I won't...you can't...I don't..."

"I believe I told you to leave this place," Retsu's body glimmered with a hazy surge of reiatsu, and Shunsui swallowed hard, suddenly seeing for the first time the inner fire that had made this woman such a competent defender of Unohana interests over the past several decades. "If you persist in threatening my colleague's life, I will be forced to take additional action against you. You are not wanted here. Leave now, before I use Minazuki to take you into my custody."

"But how is this possible?" Tsuneyoshi whispered, his sword dropping to his side as he took a hesitant step forward, reaching out his free hand to Retsu before allowing it to fall away. "You were dead. I saw you...after all this time...is the curse still not broken?"

Retsu did not respond, but Shunsui could sense his colleague's reiatsu building again, and the blade of Minazuki glowed in answer to its mistress's call. Shunsui had not seen Minazuki in shikai before, though he had heard from comrades on the battlefield that it took the form of a large sea creature with the power to heal dangerous wounds inside its gut. At that moment, though, there was nothing healing about the razor sharp blade Retsu held in her hand, and, as a fresh ripple of light danced across it, Shunsui was suddenly reminded of Naoko, the Unohana who did not heal.

"Yachiru..."

"Take one more step, Tokitori-dono, and I will remove your arm from your body," Retsu's voice remained even and calm, her words all the more chilling for the matter-of-fact way in which she spoke them. "I know killing you is not possible by this blade, but I believe hurting you is. It is not in my nature to cause harm, and I dislike it, but I am willing to do it if it protects life. You are not wanted here. I have told you to leave and this will be the last time I warn you. Minazuki's teeth are sharp, and she can bite."

"Mina...zuki..." Tsuneyoshi murmured the word, as though hearing it distressed him. He cast Shunsui a momentary glance, and then, with a whoosh of energy he disappeared into a shunpo flashstep, his aura dissipating on the spring breeze.

Retsu sheathed her weapon, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Shunsui-dono, I must apologise for the rowdiness of my intrusion," she said softly, turning to face her startled comrade with a pensive, sad smile. "I am afraid that, perhaps, my family have caused you a considerable inconvenience, and I am sorry I was not able to arrive here sooner. I trust he did you no permanent harm?"

"A few scratches, but no, nothing that won't mend," Shunsui gathered his wits, eying Retsu warily. "I didn't know you could fight with a sword, Retsu-sama. I mean, I suppose I should have realised, but with the Unohana's general traditions, I suppose I assumed..."

"That all we do is heal?" Retsu's eyes glittered with faint amusement, and she nodded her head. "Yes, that is the rule and the mantra of my people and has been for a very long time. Perhaps three milennia, in fact. You are not wrong."

"In which case, I hope you won't offer to sever my limbs if I ask you what exactly just happened here?" Shunsui questioned. "I'm grateful for your intrusion, but I don't understand it. I don't know who that person was, except that he called himself Tsuneyoshi. Yet you knew him, didn't you? And he knew you."

"Yes, and maybe, no," Retsu raised a hand to Shunsui's brow, examining the wound there with a soft tut. "I can fix this, if you stand still. A little kidou should mend the wound and stop the bleeding."

"Thank you," Shunsui grinned ruefully. "I won't argue. Truthfully, I don't think I dare."

"I am not a violent person, Shunsui-dono," Retsu chided him gently. "I may have threatened him to get him to leave, but I would not have acted on that violence unnecessarily. I understood the danger and worked to remove it. The Unohana are good at using indirect threats to dissuade hostile intent. It is a survival instinct belonging to my Clan."

She glanced at her sword.

"But I learned my skills from Genryuusai-sama," she added. "You knew, I think, that I studied with him? I am sure you don't think he taught me to heal, not when my family have been famed for that skill for centuries."

"I suppose I didn't think about it," Shunsui admitted, "but it makes sense. If you studied with Yama-jii, it must have been in sword skills. In which case..."

"Yes," Retsu smiled, her fingers glittering with kidou as she gently mended Shunsui's wound. "I approve of the Fourth Division learning to defend themselves because I can lead by example. I am a healer, and I disdain unnecessary death. I am not naive, however. I know that the world is not so convenient as to pass by the opportunity for a fight. To heal, you must also be able to fight and protect those who cannot. That is why I learned, and I do not regret it. I have fought for a long time for my Division to be the same way - but my family have strong views, and it has been hard to overcome them fully."

She sighed.

"The reason for that reluctance is the individual you just encountered," she admitted. "And his being here is an unexpected and disturbing development."

"You do know who he is, then?"

"Every Unohana does, although I confess not all by name," Retsu agreed. "Leaders of the Clan, however, know the history and the story in full, shameful detail. For most Unohana it is little more than a myth, but to us, the threat is and remains real. The man you just fought is Unohana Tokitori no Jirou Tsuneyoshi - though most who know his name just know him as Tokitori Tsuneyoshi. As his name suggests, he is like the _hototogisu_ , calling the living from the world of the dead, or quite possibly, the reverse."

"A member of your Clan, then?" Shunsui's eyes narrowed, and Retsu nodded, lowering her hand.

"There is no doubt," she said heavily. "His robes and his sword identify him immediately, even though I have never seen him in the flesh before."

"I never saw either robes or a weapon quite like that," Shunsui touched his brow, finding that the bleeding had indeed stopped. "Thank you, that helps. Last night, in the meeting that you missed, we discussed the appearance of two individuals. I was sure he was one of them, because of how the witnesses described his aura, and how he was dressed. I didn't know he was an Unohana. When I think about it, though, the colours are Unohana colours. I should have realised, but his whole approach and his eagerness to kill me didn't really resonate to your Clan."

"They are clothes which were commonly worn by members of my family some time ago," Retsu said gravely. "Here is not a good place to discuss it, in case he should come back. Please, Shunsui-dono, come to Fourth with me. I dislike telling this story, but now that my fears have been realised, I have no choice. You are intelligent and I trust you will be able to use the information wisely."

"I'll try," Shunsui agreed, his curiosity piqued. "Since he tried to put an end to me, I'd like to know who he is. I've reasoned out that he's probably the necromancer seen at Sixth, because his aura is one of death, but I don't really know why he's so obsessed with offing me."

"It isn't you he seeks to kill," Retsu replied sadly. "I'm sure you realise that, because of the way he called you."

"Harumizu," Shunsui murmured gravely, moving to retrieve the discarded sword sheaths with a sigh. He paused to examine Amaki's blade, reaching a tentative finger out to touch the tarnished area. Before he could, however, Retsu held out a hand to stop him.

"May I?" she asked softly. Shunsui looked startled, but nodded, obediently handing the weapon over. Retsu glanced at it, a frown touching her expression.

"Making contact with that sword is not wise," she said gravely. "This is superficial, and it will heal...but if you meet him again, Shunsui-dono, you must not take that risk."

She ran her hand lightly over the blade, her fingers glittering with kidou, and Shunsui watched with some relief as, little by little, the dark fragments of reiryoku dissipated to reveal the shining silver surface that lay beneath. She smiled, handing the weapon back.

"It should be all right now," she added. "But please, heed my warning."

"Thank you," Shunsui slowly sheathed each weapon, returning them to his waist. "My sword did warn me, too, but as a shinigami, it's hard to know how to fight an enemy like that. I suppose it was instinctive."

He glanced towards Minazuki.

"Your weapon isn't harmed? My sword said that I wasn't a healer, so couldn't deal with it - I suppose that means you can?"

"Probably not for long periods," Retsu admitted. "Minazuki is both a healer and a fighter - she is a sword with many capabilities, but in a way, you are right. Her ability to heal wounds means that she can also heal herself with startling efficiency. Brief contact in the manner of that confrontation does her no harm. In that situation, I was better placed to repel his attack."

"I see," Shunsui pressed his lips together. "As regards Harumizu...he saw it on my scabbard. I was careless in discarding it so easily in my urgency to have my swords drawn, but nobody has ever read my name that way before."

"It seems to be a name you are familiar with?"

"Harumizu?" Shunsui's brows knitted together, and he nodded. "I'd actually just been at my brother's estate to see what old information there was on Heaven's War, but we don't have much. In last night's meeting, we'd all agreed to do research on our family ancestry to see if we could trace these two individuals. I do know Kyouraku Harumizu was the first proper Kyouraku - my family's founder and thus an ancestor of mine. Now I really wish you had been there, as you clearly had insight."

"Apparently so," Retsu sighed, rubbing her temples. "But I needed to attend Guren-sama."

"How is he?" Shunsui asked apprehensively, and Retsu frowned.

"Alive and stable, but I cannot currently help him without more knowledge of what hurt him," she said frankly. "But that will keep for now. This is more pressing, given the nature of this attack. It was a serious attempt on your life and, while I hope he believed me, I cannot be sure if he will try again."

"Great," Shunsui groaned. "Being attacked like that was a surprise, since our family line and name is not as old as some."

He grimaced.

"But Heaven's War was a very long time ago. Three milennia. Harumizu must have been dead a considerable amount of time, and I don't believe there's ever been another Kyouraku by that name."

"Except you," Retsu pointed out, and Shunsui shook his head.

"I'm not Harumizu, I'm Shunsui," he objected.

"And yet your name is read with the same characters, and that fact excited Tsuneyoshi-dono's confusion," Retsu sighed heavily. "Tsuneyoshi-dono is a contemporary of your ancestor, Shunsui-dono. For that reason, he came here."

"Because he had a grievance with that ancestor?" Shunsui asked softly. Retsu nodded.

"We must go to Fourth," she agreed. "I can explain it better there."

"All right," Shunsui nodded. "You probably just saved my life, and I still have a lot of questions. I'm a bit worried about further danger here, but if it's me that he's targeting, my leaving is probably a good idea, too. I'll come with you, and you can help me fill in the gaps regarding exactly what happened all those years ago."

* * *

It had been a difficult scramble to get out of the hidden library for the group of Seventh Division shinigami. Once they had finally managed to get the doorway open, it had been a struggle to scale the shelves and pull themselves up through the deceptively narrow hole into another yawning dark passageway that had stretched out blindly ahead. It had not been possible to take more than a few items from the chamber, because the weight and practicality of carrying them had proven too much, and for a while they had been forced to crawl in silence, one in front of the other, as this passage was small and cramped, preventing them from standing up. Although still sobered by the loss of Sanekata, and apprehensive about their chances going forward, Kikyue had compelled her forces to press on, knowing that there was no way she could risk taking them back into the Void chamber. Even had the doorway not apparently disappeared behind the identical rows of shelves, she was not willing to lose another officer as payment for trespassing into such an odd environment. Although it was impossible to get her bearings, Kikyue knew that they were moving away from that terrible place. The odd purity that had saturated the atmosphere had begun to wane as they moved forward, and, for the first time, a sense of fatigue had begun to set into their limbs as they pushed themselves ahead.

There was no way of knowing whether they were heading up or down, or how much time had passed since they had embarked on their journey. Their progress became simply a matter of putting one hand in front of one knee and then repeating the action, covering a few inches at a time with the hope that, if they kept moving, they might finally emerge into light and space.

It seemed like forever before the faintest glimmers of light began to filter through cracks in the tunnel walls. At first afraid that this meant a ceiling collapse was imminent, Kikyue quickly realised that the light was reflecting off glittering fragments of crystal embedded into the stone walls, and that it was actually coming from further ahead. Cautiously drawing herself forward, she noticed that the patches of light grew broader, stretching out in front of her as though to show her the way.

"I think there's an opening ahead," she called back to her companions. "There's light, anyway, which has to be a good sign."

"Not necessarily," From behind her, she heard Taizaki sigh. "Do you suppose it's a proper way out? Because I'm starting to feel tired."

"We don't have much choice but to check it out," Hashimori spoke wearily. "I'm feeling more worn out as well, so I guess we've moved away from whatever that source of spiritual purity was. Maybe that's a good sign - when we came in, there was no purity."

"It could be dangerous," Kikyue acknowledged, her hand brushing the hilt of her zanpakutou briefly. "Hashimori is right, though. We can only go forward - there's no going back. So be ready, everyone. Tired or not, we still need to find Takasugi, and we need to find a place that Sekime-taichou's device will resonate to, so we can open a Gate to go home."

"It sounds so simple when you say it that way, hime," Itou said ruefully. "We're right behind you, though. I admit, the thought of going home sounds nice."

"Then let's go," Kikyue gestured to her companions to follow her, approaching the opening with caution. As she reached the edge of the tunnel, she could make out the glitter of blackish stone covered by a light dusting of white sand. It was not as dense as the sand they had found in the vicinity of the Dome, and, as she stepped carefully out onto this rugged and uneven surface, she glanced up, taking in the dense tangle of what she now knew was a false ceiling of tree branches and compacted sand that made up the upper level of this strange monochrome world. Her eyes narrowed.

"I think we might have come further down than we expected," she reflected, beckoning her companions to make their way carefully out to join her. "It seems all quiet here, but..."

She gestured up.

"That isn't the sky, and there's no moon," Hashimori chewed on his lip. "Does that mean we're back in the forest? The Hollow Forest?"

"There aren't many trees around here," Taizaki drew his weapon from its sheath, cautiously poking around the stone face as if expecting it to come to life and attack him at any moment. "These are like the remains of caves...there's a lot of sand and stone, but this isn't the same as where we came in."

"No, but I can definitely sense something else in this vicinity," Kikyue said grimly. "We haven't been attacked - yet - but that doesn't mean there aren't Hollows here. I think this probably is connected to the Hollow Forest. So we have to find trees. We came in through trees...and so we'll need to go out that way. And we need to find the steps again, so we can go get Takasugi. I won't go back without him. Everyone suppress your spirit power down as tight as you can manage. If there are enemies here, we haven't alerted them yet. There's no sense of killer instinct in the air, so we've come out under their radar. Let's keep it that way."

"We could use kyokkou?" Itou suggested, but Kikyue shook her head.

"If we do that, we'll lose track of each other as well," she said frankly. "We need to stick together. I'm not intending to lose anyone else."

"What about the Eleventh officers?" as the group of four shinigami crept carefully through the rocky landscape, ducking into shadows and squeezing between tight walls of stone to avoid the most open pathways, Taizaki raised the unspoken question. "Are we leaving them behind, hime? We don't know where they are."

"We don't, but that's why Ikata and I both had these," Kikyue fumbled at her belt, pulling out the small device with a frown. "We knew we might separate. Ikata can take care of himself, as he's said on many occasions. He's also nominally in charge of the mission. It's not for us to babysit them. We find Takasugi and we go back. We have plenty to report - even if it isn't Aizen Katsura - and Taichou will be worried."

"I can see trees ahead," Hashimori gestured. "Maybe we're getting closer to the place we met that Kunimori."

"Then the stairs he used must be close by as well," Itou said hopefully. "Hime, if this is near where we came in, is the device registering anything at all?"

"No," Kikyue frowned. "I'm not a scientist, but...I don't really know how to switch it on. I mean, Sekime-taichou said that it would resonate - but it isn't. I'm not even sure if it's working, to be honest. It's not reacting to me at all."

"Maybe it's broken?" Taizaki looked anxious. "Or maybe there isn't a way out? Maybe the Gate locked behind us and it won't open again? It was a messed up Gate, after all."

"But this is meant to resonate to the Gate at Twelfth Division," Kikyue reminded him. "Not the Gate in Sixth that we first entered."

She gave the small device a little shake, then sighed.

"But it isn't responding to me at all," she admitted reluctantly. "I suppose we're not close enough to the Gate. We need to keep going...this is probably still outside of the known range, since this place, wherever it is, isn't documented on any Gate map I know of."

"This looks like the place we met Kunimori-dono," Hashimori extended a hand to brush the faint signs of scarring that touched the crystal branches of a nearby tree. "And here...hime, look. Footprints. They're faint, but definitely there."

"Feet? That doesn't sound very Hollowish," Taizaki came to peer over his comrade's shoulder. "Do we think that's the Eleventh? Are they somewhere here too?"

"I don't think so," Hashimori bent to touch the nearest print. "These two pairs do look like shinigami sandals - but there aren't half enough prints here to suggest that. They're also going the wrong way. There's one set that's going back and forwards, and another...I don't even know what that is, it doesn't look like one of us. And something else has been here. Look. Bigger prints...or smudges."

"And blood," Kikyue said grimly, gesturing to a cluster of small, red droplets staining the ground.

"Takasugi?" Hashimori looked alarmed, and Kikyue shook her head.

"No," she admitted. "Hashimori, maybe this place is getting to me, but...for a moment then I almost thought it seemed like Kotetsu's reiatsu. And something else. That's not Kunimori-dono's spell. It's something different. Something...we came here to look for."

"Katsura?" Taizaki's eyes almost fell out of his head, then, "wait a minute! Kotetsu-san? Hime, why would his reiatsu be here? And Katsura's reiatsu? After everything we've seen and done, he appears here now? What...?"

"I don't know," Kikyue sank back against the trunk of the tree with a sigh. "It's true that none of this seems even remotely connected to Katsura. Maybe I'm just tired."

"You are the only one among us who has ever encountered the outlaw, hime," Hashimori said pensively, squatting down next to the splatters of blood. "I agree with you on this, though. This does seem to have Kotetsu's reiatsu lingering around it. I don't know why that makes sense, but it's what it seems like. Something did happen here - maybe Taichou sent people to look for us."

"And Katsura?" Itou wondered. Hashimori shrugged.

"I don't see how he'd be here," he admitted. "I think this is the remains of Kunimori-dono's spell, mixed in with Hollow Cero. It was a major blast. Maybe, if Taichou did send in people to find us, Kotetsu was among them and he had a fight with a Hollow here. That would make sense, because this does seem more like a Cero than a Kidou spell. But there isn't a body, and not much blood. So if Kotetsu did fight, he probably won. And the footprints maybe suggest he's not alone."

"Then we have to find them as well as Takasugi?" Taizaki groaned. "We must have been in here a long time, if Taichou was worried or annoyed enough to send in reinforcements."

"Hime, look out!" Hashimori's yell prevented Kikyue from answering, and she leapt back from the tree, instinctively pulling her zanpakutou from its place at her side as the entire forest began to tremble with the unmistakeable reiatsu of an approaching predator. As she did so, the device given to her by Sekime fell to the ground, but there was no time to retrieve it, for the Hollow was upon them, its huge rippling frame lumbering through the trees and brushing the fragile crystal trunks aside as if they were fronds of grass parted by a windstorm. Huge pincer claws reached speculatively towards the group of tired shinigami, but they were all on their mettle now, the questions raised by the blood and reiatsu forgotten as their instincts to fight took over. The Hollow was big and powerful, its gleaming golden eyes swivelling in bulging sockets as it sized up its targets, assessing which one would provide the juiciest meal. As it lunged towards Kikyue, the Endou hime deftly leapt up onto a nearby rock, bringing her sword down against the pincer claw and shattering the top half of it into a cloud of blackish dust. The Hollow roared and stumbled back, its broad feet crushing the device against the sand and stone, but Kikyue was oblivious, for the other claw was now coming down towards her. Hashimori darted in to block the second swing with his own blade, but the Hollow anticipated him, flinging its arm back and sending Hashimori crashing against the rock wall.

"Hashimori-san!" Itou let out a yell, as the dazed officer struggled to pull himself to his feet.

"Itou, watch out!" Taizaki grabbed his companion by the arm, yanking him out of the way as a second Hollow, followed by a third lumbered into view, their gazes glittering greedily in anticipation of a snack. Kikyue cursed, knowing there was little she could do to defend her companions while the first Hollow had his attention fixed on her, but her own body felt tired and weary, and, although she tried to reach through to Kaisoushu's enigmatic spirit, she could tell that her zanpakutou was also drained from their experiences in this strange world. She would not be able to release her shikai, she realised grimly, but it was becoming harder to parry the strikes of the Hollow's remaining claws, and although she had broken one of the pincers, it was still a barbed weapon which could do her damage if she let her guard down for even a moment. Behind her, Taizaki and Itou were just about keeping pace with the second and third Hollow, and out of the corner of her eye, Kikyue was relieved to see Hashimori struggle to his feet, brushing his uniform down before launching into the fray as well. Between the three of them, she felt sure that they would manage to deal with the threat, but her own opponent was the strongest of the trio, and, as the lead officer in charge, it was her duty to protect her men by bringing it down.  
 _  
But I feel like I've been walking for days. Weeks. I feel like I've been fighting forever. Inside that place, I didn't feel hungry, or thirsty, or tired - but clearly there's a payoff. Coming back out here, it hits you like a ton of bricks. Whatever kept us going down there - this is the real effect of being in this place without adequate nutrition or rest...and I don't know how much longer I can fight_.

She parried back another speculative swing, but she knew the Hollow was toying with her. It was aware of her tiredness, she realised with a jolt. It was expending as little energy as possible, wearing her down until she was too exhausted to keep fighting back. Rather than wanting to engage with her weapon and risk further injury, the beast was exhibiting patience - the patience of a hunter stalking its prey.

 _The Hollows here are just not normal, either. I can't work out how they're going to act, because they're thinking too._

Kikyue brought up Kaisoushu's blade again to knock back the swing of the broken pincer. The Hollow flexed his uninjured claw a couple of times, waiting until Kikyue's focus was on the broken limb before bringing the sharp point of his good claw down towards her upper back. With a yell, Kikyue realised the danger just in time, swinging her body out of the way as the pincer smashed through the stone behind her, leaving a substantial gouge in the rock. At the sight of it, Kikyue swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the hilt of her weapon.

 _Concentrate, Kikyue. You can't get killed here. What would Father do, if you died here? After Oniisama - I can't. I have to go back. I have to be able to go back. I promised him I would be all right. I can't break that promise. I can't!  
_  
Resolved by her inner pep talk, she gathered what energy she could, launching an offensive against the Hollow's good arm, while all the time feinting and dodging the swing of the bad one. She knew that she couldn't keep this up for long, but, just as the Hollow had tried to wear her down, so she could tell that the impetus in the other creature's attack was fading. She could hear the clatter of weapons against chalk bone in the confrontation behind her, but from the sound of her comrades calling to each other, she knew that they were unhurt, and that they were still managing to fight the danger. She would have to trust the other Hollows to them. Her duty was to take this one down, but more, it was to survive the battle, so that her family would not be given more reason to grieve.

A memory of her brother's broken body, bleeding and gasping for breath suddenly penetrated her thoughts, and she gritted her teeth.  
 _  
I won't leave them behind, Oniisama. I promise. I said I'd look after them and I will. You can trust me. I won't be killed here. I'll go home and report to Father. I promise._

She rallied herself, swinging Kaisoushu's blade against the good pincer once more as she summoned together as much reiryoku as she could manage. How accurate her spell would be, she didn't know, but even if she could not use Kaisoushu's shikigami in this battle, she was not beaten yet.

" _Hadou no Sanjuu Ichi! Shakkahou_!" she exclaimed, a burst of raw red energy flaring from her left fist. It caught the Hollow across the shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards, and, as Kikyue watched, breathing heavily from the effort, she saw that her strike had severed through the Hollow's remaining good limb, shattering its connection to the upper body. Thus parted, the unbroken claw disappeared into a cloud of dust, and the Hollow let out a roar, waving its remaining damaged pincer in a gesture of clear rage. Its reiatsu spiked, and Kikyue tensed, sensing that the Hollow might be preparing to release some kind of cero.  
 _  
But I'll just have to deflect it. I'll see if I can manage a bakudou. I'm sure I can. If I can deflect it back to him, then...  
_  
Before she could even finish this thought, however, the broken pincer came swinging down towards her at an unexpected speed. She gasped, bringing her blade up instinctively to meet it, but before she could, the Hollow disappeared in a flash of dark energy, reappearing at her other side.

 _Shunpo?  
_  
Kikyue's heart froze in her chest as she struggled to adjust to this sudden and unexpected change in tactics, but no matter how quickly she moved, her weary body would not respond at the same lightning speed as the Hollow. Even as she tried to leap aside, she knew that she would not make it. The Hollow had beaten her, after all.

And then, something shoved her aside, causing her to fall with a heavy thump onto the hard stone. From somewhere out of her line of vision, she heard a thud and a gasp, and then blood spattered across the rock beside her. Kikyue scrambled into a sitting position, her eyes widening in disbelief and dismay as she realised that someone had come to her rescue - someone had put himself between her and the pincer, and that someone was now pouring with blood from a significant upper body wound which had clearly damaged, if not completely incapacitated the other's right arm. The Hollow shook his arm to dislodge the impaled body of Kikyue's rescuer, causing the individual to fall to the ground like a rag-doll. Blood pooled around him on the ground, and Kikyue cursed, the Hollow momentarily forgotten as she hurried to his side.

"Ohara?" she whispered, and the man's head turned slightly towards her, a faint smile on his lips.

"Kikyue-hime," he murmured, then the eyelids fluttered closed, and he lay still. Confused and dazed, Kikyue could only crawl towards the silent body, not knowing if her companion was alive or dead, but knowing that he had taken a serious injury. As she did so, she noticed the broken remains of the Gate device lying on the stone beside him, and her heart clenched in her chest. Even if Ohara was alive, no matter why it was he was here, she had no way to take him home. She had no way to help him...and the Hollow that had hurt him was still alive, still angry, and looming over them both with its bloody pincer raised.

The next moment, the whole area exploded in a burst of raw, potent spiritual energy. Kikyue could only stare as the Hollow that had tormented them exploded into a blaze of light, disintegrating into fragments of charred reishi before her very eyes. Behind her, she heard an exclamation, and she turned, seeing the two Hollows that had been fighting her companions suddenly turn on one another, stabbing and clawing at each other and paying no attention to the exhausted shinigami. They struggled for a few moments, their claws and horns piercing holes in each other's armour, and then, as the masks began to crack under the pressure, they too fragmented and disappeared into a hazy cloud of spiritual dust.

"Kikyue-hime!" Takasugi's voice sounded like music to Kikyue's ears, and she glanced up, staring at her missing patrol officer blankly. In his slipstream was Tenichi, his features a little pale but clearly none the worse for whatever altercation had taken place before they had met, but as they reached Ohara's side, the older Kotetsu muttered a curse.

"Masayuki-dono!"

"He took the blow for me," Kikyue swallowed hard, aware that she was still the commanding officer, despite all the things that had just taken place. "I don't know...what you're doing here, Tenichi. Did the Captain send you? If so, I hope he gave you a Gate key. The Hollow broke mine...I don't think we can get back."

"Taichou didn't send us," Tenichi crouched at Ohara's side, reaching a finger to touch his pulse. "He's alive, hime, but that's not helpful. I can stop the bleeding, but I don't know that I can get him back."

"You know healing kidou?" Takasugi sent his comrade a startled glance, as Hashimori, followed by Taizaki and Itou hurried to join the scene. Tenichi shrugged.

"Nope," he admitted. "Not a clue. But I did get in enough bloody spars at the Academy to know how to torniquet a wound. Can someone help me? I can't tie it tight on my own."

"I will," Itou volunteered, and Tenichi cast him a grateful smile. "I guess we'll have to carry him back. If there's a way of getting back."

"You said Taichou didn't send you?" Kikyue's gaze drifted towards Tenichi, who offered her a rueful look.

"Ohara decided he wanted to come find you. He was willing to brave all opposition and any punishment, including the Wind Hawk, for defying orders and leaving barracks," he said evenly. "I was assigned to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't do anything crazy like this. Since I failed, I decided I had to at least come with him. I hoped that I'd prevent him doing something stupid. I guess not. But he really was worried about you, hime. About all of you. We all were. Taichou most of all, I think."

"Where's Sanekata?" Takasugi asked. Taizaki frowned.

"He didn't make it," he said softly, and Hashimori nodded.

"We'll work out how to explain that when we work out how to get back," he said grimly. "I don't know what you did, Kotetsu, but whatever it was, it worked and the Hollows are done. However, without a Gate key, we're stuck. We don't know where the Eleventh officers are...and we're all worn out from traipsing around this godawful place for who knows how long without food or water."

"The Eleventh officers won't be helping anyone. They're dead," Takasugi said frankly, and Kikyue gazed at him in alarm.

"Dead?"

"It's true, hime," Tenichi agreed. "That's the reason Ohara was so worried about you. Something dangerous is in here. People are saying that whatever it was, it killed them, and then sent them back as zombies, to attack their Division. In any case, they came back...there was an incident and they're dead. It's a big mess. You were still missing. Sekime-taichou knew you were alive, but she couldn't say where you were. So Ohara and I came to find you...even though it's crazy."

"It is crazy, especially if you have no way to get back," Kikyue groaned. Tenichi cast Takasugi a glance, then shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, we're even more crazy than you know yet, hime," he admitted, tying off the knot on the tourniquet, and Kikyue was relieved to see that the flow of blood from Ohara's wound had stilled to little more than a trickle. "We do have a way to get back. We kind of had to take...a bit of a risk. Maybe a big risk...but it was the only way into the Gate."

"I don't understand," Kikyue frowned, and Tenichi raised his gaze, turning to glance across at the landscape behind them where, silhouetted against the stone was another individual, dressed in patched peasant clothing, and with his dark hair in a messy tail behind his head. One of his arms showed sign of strapping, blood stains indicating that he too had been involved in some kind of violent altercation prior to their encounter. As he met her glance, the young man offered her a smile, and she tensed, her eyes opening wide with dismay as suddenly she knew where she had encountered this individual before.

"Aizen... _Katsura_?"

"Katsura?" Hashimori let out an exclamation, and Kikyue saw the man's hand twitch towards his sword, but she held up her hand to stop him, suddenly knowing that she wanted answers much more than she wanted more conflict and bloodshed. The sight of Ohara's still body lying at her side had shaken her, reminding her yet again of the sacrifices her family had made five years before - and yet, although the wanted eldest son of her Clan's greatest enemy stood before her, for some reason, there was no sense of rage or hatred curling up inside of her. In fact, looking at him now, it was hard to imagine the vengeful fury that had descended on Seventh Division on that fateful day, before being driven away by Juushirou's intervention.

 _But on that day, he lost his sister. And when I saw my brother, broken and bloody on the ground, I attacked Kohaku, even though he did nothing to hurt Oniisama at all._

This sudden realisation pierced her heart like an ice cold blade.

 _Maybe I've grown wiser in five years, but I'm really no different from him. He has Endou blood, just like me - however broken and illegitimate. Now I see him, like this, I realise it. I know nothing about Aizen Katsura. And most especially, I don't know why he's here right now.  
_  
"I'm your Gate key, Kikyue-dono" Katsura sauntered towards them, pausing a short distance away from the gathering of shinigami and bowing his head slightly towards Kikyue. "I'm really outnumbered now, so I'll make my terms clear once again. I'm the only way you can get back to Seireitei, and my key only works if I'm alive to operate it, so killing me here and now, however tempting, is out. I'm also not going to be taken prisoner by the Gotei. So I'll help you get back. I'll help you get your injured idiot to safety. I don't mind doing that, because you're not my enemy. But I won't be taken to your Captain in chains, so it's up to you. If you want to leave here, Kikyue-hime, you have to let me go my own way when we leave the Dangai. I know the Kuchiki honour their word as their bond. I hope the Endou are similarly honourable."

"Kotetsu, you're meant to be on parole. What happened to keeping your head down and obeying rules from now on?" Hashimori stared at Tenichi in disbelief. "A few officers are away from barracks for a while and you start making deals with Seireitei's most wanted?"

Tenichi sighed.

"It wasn't me, really," he protested. "It was Ohara's decision. But I did go along with it. And more than that. Katsura's the reason I'm still alive right now. He saved me from a Hollow, when we first arrived. More importantly, he's the reason all of you are, as well. Katsura just destroyed that Hollow, too. You must have sensed it, right? Kikyue-hime, you know Katsura's reiatsu, so you must know I'm telling the truth. Ohara might have got himself impaled to protect you, but it was Katsura's power that blew it apart, and Katsura who made the others turn on one another."

"Why would you do that?" Kikyue's gaze narrowed on Katsura suspiciously. "The last time we met, you wanted to kill me, and I would have happily slit your throat, too. Why are you now willing to negotiate with us? Clearly there's no benefit to you helping us - if you can leave here, you can easily do so without us, and escape on your own. I don't understand why you'd risk your freedom and safety to help us. I thought I sensed your spirit power before - now one of my officers says you used it to save his life. I can't refute what he says about this Hollow, either. I thought I must have imagined it, before, but now I see you, I know I was right. It was your reiatsu then, and just now, too. You just said I'm not your enemy - but you must know we've been hunting you down for five years."

"Yes," Katsura perched himself on a nearby rock. "Not very successfully, I might add. I know, I'm an idiot, really, putting myself in plain sight. But the problem is, I don't like dead people roaming around Seireitei. Especially since they're killing ordinary people and now, also, shinigami. One of them killed people in the Rukon and I took that amiss, so I blasted it apart. I grew up in the Rukon, and I'm not about to let dead folk roam around slashing those people to pieces on my watch. But it's more serious than just one escaping corpse having a bad day. It's a problem I can't fix on my own, especially since my trying to do so seems to only have made you want to hunt me more."

He sighed heavily.

"You shinigami are so myopic when it comes to danger," he added sadly. "You assume everything is connected to my Father, and maybe that's because in the past, it was - but he's been dead five years and believe me, he is dead. I made sure of it for myself, and that wasn't a pleasant thing to see. This is something else, something bigger, and it's to do with shinigami, not Aizen and not the ordinary people, even though they're going to suffer if it carries on. It's something that you shinigami need to deal with, but you're not really doing great at that, so I have no choice but to be involved."

"Even if all of that is true," Hashimori said slowly, "why would you care? It's not your problem. You just said so. You're not a shinigami. Why put yourself out like this?"

"I have my own motivations," Katsura said casually. "In case you forgot, my brother is a shinigami, too. He is probably in danger from all of this. I don't like that, so I want to stop it happening."

He offered Kikyue a faint smile.

"Maybe you don't understand it," he added. "But I didn't really care about killing you, five years ago. You, or any of your comrades. I wasn't after you - I was after the person who killed my sister, and he wasn't a shinigami. Since Father died, I've left that silver-haired killer alone, because the world is a better place without conflict and bloodshed and I'm not interested in stirring it up again, not even to avenge Sakaki. What she did to your family was no better, and I know that. But I never did have a grievance against your people. I'm not really even interested in shinigami. I only killed them because my father ordered it, and he was pretty scary when his orders were disobeyed. Now he's gone, there's no need for me to kill anyone. And I really don't want to. As for you," he shrugged. "You were stupid to come in here, but somehow saving you seems like poetic justice. I never met your brother, alive or dead. And it isn't as though I feel any responsibility for his death. But I felt your Captain might be even less amused if you disappeared here, or died in this place. I've heard your Captain isn't a man to cross. I don't intend to cross him. So I'll help you. But I won't be taken prisoner by you. Those are my terms. That's all."

He shrugged.

"I am not interested in the Endou, or any Clan, either," he added. "My father might have been, but I'm not. It means nothing to me. The bloodline means nothing. Your father thinks I want his Clan, but I don't. I never did, and I never will. I just want to be left alone. Whatever I did in the past, I've not hurt anyone since Father died. I don't intend to, either. So it would be really nice if you'd go back to Seireitei and tell your Pa and his friends to stop hunting me down and go look for the real danger. Whoever those shinigami were, in this Dangai, they're now in Seireitei. But you know that now, don't you? You know I'm not involved in this. I can tell by your expression. It's totally different from when we met five years ago. Then, you hated me and wanted me dead. Right now, you're just confused. You know I'm not the one who did this...so that being the case, I'm sure you can accept my terms."

"I don't understand a lot of things about this place," Kikyue found her voice at length. "I also don't know if any of us can trust you. You are Keitarou's son...I don't know if you're lying about your motives or if you're not. But we need to get back to Seireitei before the Hollows attack again, and Ohara needs medical help. And whatever else is true...you're right. I don't believe this is involving you, not now. There are shinigami. We've met them - and if those individuals are now in Seireitei, and the Eleventh officers are dead, they must be connected to it. I find it hard to believe you came here to help us - but I admit that your words do make some sense. For now, I'll accept your terms. You help us get back to Inner Seireitei and I promise...on the honour of the Endou...my companions and I will let you go. I can't guarantee that my father or the Gotei won't continue to hunt you after this - but on this occasion, when we reach Seireitei, none of us will pursue you. You have my word."

"Hime, are you sure?" Hashimori looked doubtful. Kikyue nodded.

"We don't have any room for negotation," she said simply. "For now, getting back matters more. We've seen things here that need explaining and reporting - and besides, much as I hate to admit it, I think Katsura's right. What we found...what we saw...the void...everything is bigger than just another Aizen conspiracy. Those shinigami, too - Kunimori-dono and Tsuneyoshi-dono. They weren't right and we have no reason to trust them. One of them probably killed Ikata and the others. Maybe both of them. Who knows what they'll do in Seireitei. We need to take back what we know and we can't waste time. Chasing one low level fugitive is a minor concern in comparison. In this instance, we have no choice but to accept his help and then let him go."

"Low level fugitive," Katsura looked amused. "Well, I suppose it's true, for now. I'm not my father, in any regard. And I'm really not a danger to your family or your Gotei, Kikyue-hime. I promised that I wouldn't hurt people my brother called his allies. The whole Gotei is therefore off-limits to me. You can trust in my word as well - even if you don't think so."

"I'll trust in it," Kikyue said briefly. "You asked if the Endou has honour. We do. Your mother was an Endou, as you reminded me yourself five years ago. Therefore, I expect you to behave with similar honour - or shame her name in betraying it."

"Fortunately for you, I was very fond of my mother," Katsura replied evenly. "And I know your family have treated her with mercy and kindness since Father died, despite her crimes. I guess that means we have a deal."

He extended a dusty hand towards the Endou hime, who hesitated for a moment, then grasped his cool fingers in her grip. Hesitantly she shook his fist, then withdrew her own, glancing at it and then sighing.

"I suppose we do," she acknowledged pensively. "In which case, I guess we have no choice but to follow your lead."

* * *

"I don't think I've ever had cause to come to the Unohana main house before."

Shunsui stepped into the big, airy study, pausing to glance around at his surroundings with interest. "I feel a little bit like I'm trespassing."

"It's hardly trespassing when I have invited you here," Retsu observed drolly.

"It seems very quiet," Shunsui remarked, and Retsu nodded.

"There are few people at the main estate as a rule," she reflected. "Most of my kinsfolk prefer to reside in their own domains, but there is no tension between regions, so it is no bother for people to travel easily and safely here for meetings when such things are called. Even I spend much of my time now between Districts - sometimes in Inner Seireitei, sometimes here, sometimes visiting other places to offer healing skills. I spend less time at the Academy now, with my other pressing duties - but diligently trained Unohana are also on hand to help there and I must often hear their concerns as well when I visit District One. For that reason, this is less of a main house so much as a central base to coordinate from. My home is, in many ways, now at the Fourth Division - which I suppose is where it ought to be."

She offered her companion a smile.

"The reasoning behind this being such a transitory place is that it allows us to ensure proper healing practices are maintained across the District," she added. "Also, of course, to ensure that trade flows well, people are happy, and thus the Clan remains safe and prosperous for generations to come."

"I've always thought the Unohana's way of looking at the world is remarkably refreshing," Shunsui leaned back against the wall, glancing out of the window briefly at the grounds beyond. Deutzia flowers were still in bloom, and he smiled wryly at the sight of them. "No closed borders, no armed guards - and yet no threat of invasion. Traders come, and traders go, and everything is serene."

"Yes, well, that wasn't always the case," Retsu replied sadly. "My family have worked hard to make it thus, but as you encountered this afternoon, the past of my family is not as tranquil as its present."

"I have to admit, I'm intrigued by this whole thing," Shunsui confessed. "Of all the families in Seireitei to have a mad killer in their history, I would not have expected it to be yours."

"It's a story that goes back a long way," Retsu ran her fingers along the volumes that were stacked on the shelf above her desk, pausing at one and extracting it from its fellows. "As I said before, it's a well known legend among the Unohana, but the details of it have become blurred over time. I don't think many of my kinsfolk truly believe it ever happened, or maybe they prefer to think it didn't because the alternative is not palatable to their tastes. Many have forgotten that this manor was not originally the main house, and that the old central estate was essentially destroyed because it was considered to be an ill omen. Tainted by death...well, my ancestors were disturbed by the memory, and so moved here - though why this place was better is not clear to me. In any case, that is what happened, after Heaven's War. The Unohana were rebuilt from this location as a Clan of Healers, and so we remain to this day."

She settled herself down behind her desk, pushing the book across to her curious companion, who took it, turning it over to read the writing etched along the space between the edge and the stitching.

"Unohana Tokitori Tsuneyoshi," he read, running his fingers alongside the characters. "It's written by hand...this is pretty old too, isn't it?"

"It is, and it is a restricted volume, as my predecessors believed the less it was discussed, the better," Retsu agreed. "Tokitori-dono is himself an individual of some vintage."

"If he was around three milennia ago, he looks remarkably young," Shunsui admitted. "I always estimate Yama-jii being about that age, but..."

"Tokitori-dono is a special case, in more ways than one," Retsu sighed, running her fingers through her thick dark hair until it flowed loose across her shoulders and down her back. Shunsui stared at her in fascination at this sudden, casual appearance, and, at his glance, Retsu's lips twitched into a wry smile.

"You may read it," was all she said, however, gesturing to the book. "I confess, I have done so too, recently. It has been...troubling me. Rather more than it should, but in particular since I visited District Six and learned from Seiren-dono that his late father had been brought back from the dead."

"You knew who he was, so you anticipated his appearance?" Shunsui obediently opened the book, eying the contents pensively. "That seems like a jump, to know that some guy from three thousand years ago was about to make a house-call. Even if you had been at the meeting - or even if you received intelligence from Seiren-dono, I still don't see how that leads to me or your perfectly timed rescue."

"I wouldn't put it quite like that," Retsu said cautiously. "It wasn't as much a knowing, then, as a hunch - a fear that some of the events recently were familiar, in a way they should not be."

"So how much of what's happened recently is related to this guy?" Shunsui looked troubled. "Enishi's fight at Eleventh? The corpse attacks? All of that?"

"Probably," Retsu looked weary. "It is unpleasant for me to admit, but Houjou Enishi's testimony is valid. The corpses at Eleventh show signs of being dead before they left the Dangai. They certainly died before the individuals they apparently killed. I have not had an opportunity to report this yet, with Guren-sama's incapacitation - but I fear that the Eleventh incident was probably caused by Tokitori-dono, for reasons unknown."

"And in Rukongai?" Shunsui bit his lip. "There, too? Does he kill random people in Rukongai as well as trying to kill unsuspecting Captains in their own territory?"

"No, but then again, yes," Retsu pulled her hair back from her face, allowing it to fall back around her shoulders with a sigh. "I had a specific warning of a possible threat to you, which drew me to Eighth District today, but I had been concerned about events in Seireitei for a little while before that. The pattern of it troubled me. It reminded me. Of that,"

She indicated the book.

"I went and dug out the story and read through the records for myself. I hadn't, not since I was a child, but when I did, I realised how many details were eerily similar to an incident in the Unohana Clan, some three thousand years ago. An incident involving this man named Tokitori Tsuneyoshi - who, I confess with some shame, is also my ancestor."

"All right, I'm listening," Shunsui folded his arms, meeting the other Captain's gaze. "He seemed to know you, so that makes sense. Though he called you Yachiru, so..."

"He doesn't know me," Retsu shook her head. "Yachiru was his niece - a young woman murdered within the Clan by people plotting insurrection during a time of general warfare in Seireitei. Some ambitious people took matters into their own hands to try and take control over the Unohana."

She smiled bleakly.

"It is hard to countenance in the modern climate, but the Unohana were not always healers," she admitted. "That began with another ancestor of mine - Tokitori-dono's son, Tsunenao-sama. After...everything, he decided to break with the traditions of the past. Truthfully, the family were scared. Those who survived, I mean. They wanted to move away from...that shadow. Tsunenao-sama's grandmother was from a clan of healers and she raised him to those traditions. He was just a young boy when he inherited...the last living heir left following a time of intense bloodshed, and this was the path he chose for us. Little by little, it became encoded into our very being. Unohana are shamed if they shed life, because the last time an Unohana shed life, it almost destroyed the Clan forever. That is why Naoko-san was so unwilling to go home, after the unfortunate incidents so many years ago. It is our only prejudice - but I confess, it is a deep-rooted one, and hard to change."

"And this involved Tsuneyoshi?"

"Yes," Retsu agreed.

"Let me guess," Shunsui's eyes became slits. "He killed his niece, tried to overthrow the family, and failed?"

"No," Retsu shook her head. "Quite the opposite, actually."

"I don't follow," Shunsui was confused, and Retsu reached over to tap the book.

"It is all in here, in detail, and I will entrust this to you, as I think, as Captain Commander and as Harumizu-dono's descendent and namesake, you should know what it contains," she said evenly. "In brief summary, though, it occurred during Heaven's War. During, and after, when the fighting was all but over. The Unohana imploded during this conflict, with different factions following different sides. Yachiru-hime was the heir to the Clan, and she was murdered. Her corpse was abandoned and later found during a search ordered by Tokitori-dono. In the chaos, he was the only Unohana trying to pull things together, but when Yachiru-hime was found murdered, everything changed."

She tilted her head on one side, eying him thoughtfully.

"You know the story of the Royal Swords, I think?"

"All too well," Shunsui agreed. "What of it?"

"Tokitori-dono is the bearer of the sword known as the Soldier," Retsu said heavily. "It is a terrifying blade, said to control the divide between life and death. Not much is known about its true nature, but one thing is certain. Tokitori-dono cannot be killed by another's blade...although it is rumoured that there is a way to kill him, even the Unohana records are vague about that part of the story and our ancestors did not find a way to achieve it. All the information I have indicates that he is a virtual immortal because of the sword he holds. For that reason, fighting him is futile and probably suicidal."

She sighed.

"Tokitori-dono was, as I said, Tsunenao-sama's father," she continued slowly. "All the records from Heaven's War and before detail him as a kind man, not a warrior. He did not take part in battles, but opened his manor to the wounded and arranged for them to be treated. It seems that he inherited the healing traditions from his mother, and sought to follow them. He was isolated from the main centre of the Clan because although he had the training, he was not a warrior at heart...but because he held the Soldier sword, he could not be killed as easily as Yachiru-hime. Still, although he held the blade, he chose to not use it."

"Clearly something changed," Shunsui observed, and Retsu nodded.

"Yachiru-hime's death meant that the Clan circled in on Tsunenao-sama and sought to take him and control him for their own ends," she confirmed. "Tokitori-dono never took up the blade for his own sake, but, as the story goes, he did it to protect his son. Because most of the witnesses of that event did not survive, details are hazy of what precisely occurred that day. However, it is an unforgiving blade, and once it has tasted blood, it wreaks havoc with the wielder's soul. Moreover, Tokitori-dono compounded his sin by using his weapon in another way, too. He began by trying to salvage the future of the Clan...by using the weapon to bring the dead hime back to life."

"A corpse doll," Shunsui whispered. Retsu shrugged.

"Something like that," she replied.

"Then he is definitely the necromancer," Shunsui's lips thinned. "Though with such a strong aura of death about him, it would have been hard to think otherwise."

"I am afraid so." Retsu grimaced. "But although he appears to have lost his inhibitions since returning to this spirit plane, I believe Yachiru-hime to have been the very first time he ever utilised that power. The trouble is, you cannot reanimate a corpse with life and feeling and the emotion that it had before. Yachiru-hime became an instrument of death, and slaughtered her way through several settlements and many retainers before she was eventually cornered and confined. She was sealed up in a stone shrine in the grounds of Tokitori-dono's manor - the manor that is now this Unohana main house - and bound there with powerful magic. The shrine still stands, though no Unohana has ever stepped inside it, for fear of becoming Yachiru-hime's next victim. Perhaps that was the real reason for moving the main house to this location - to make sure that, if she ever did emerge, someone would be ready and waiting to strike her down."

"Is she really still there, seeking to kill?" Shunsui shivered. "That sounds unpleasant. I wouldn't want that in my garden."

"Tokitori-dono's sword reanimates dead souls, but it can't prevent them from their natural decay. They move and fight and kill, but they still follow nature and break down into reishi," Retsu shook her head. "After three milennia, there is nothing left of Yachiru-hime's corpse. The menial staff who clean the shrine and lay the flowers there each year go in and out and all have reported the same thing - there is no corpse, and her robes and the stones from her sword hilt are lain in state upon the altar instead. She is no longer there, no. But from Tokitori-dono's reaction to me, I must remind him of her. It has been said I resemble her. Perhaps after so long, his memory has become muddled. He confused you with Harumizu-dono, so it seems likely but...I don't know."

She glanced at the book.

"In any case, for his crimes, Tokitori-dono was consigned to the Dangai," she concluded. "Because he couldnt be killed, he was exiled in a place from which everyone hoped he would not return. It seems to have succeeded for some length of time, but now we cannot avoid the reality of his having returned."

"No..." Shunsui's lips thinned as he remembered the encounter. "Not unless both you and I are hallucinating."

"We must go to the hospital, I think," Retsu reflected sadly. "With Tokitori-dono here, and with other upsetting events occurring, I fear that I can no longer delay on another matter that has been occupying my people in recent weeks. It was Mitsuki-san who alerted me to the possibility of you being in danger, and, while I feel sure that the threat was misdirected, her words were accurate enough that I must assume a connection between events there and here."

"Events?" Shunsui's ears pricked up, and Retsu nodded.

"There is a patient at the hospital I would like you to meet," she said evenly. "A man called Hiyama-dono. I have needed to speak to him myself, and this seems a good opportunity. Will you accompany me, Shunsui-dono? I feel that, in the circumstances, your input would be invaluable."

"I'm right with you," Shunsui's eyes glittered with interest. "Let's go."

* * *

This was starting to become complicated. ****

Kinnya reached up to wipe his brow, gritting his teeth as he saw the red smear come away with the sweat and rain. Across the valley that lay beneath the main Kuchiki manor, Senaya still seemed barely out of breath, his serene expression only adding to the old shinigami's ire at the confrontation. In the past, he knew, there would have been little to choose between them. But this opponent was not his brother, and he was no longer the young man he had been then. Raiurei had always been more of a leash on Taiyourei's wilder spirit, but now, with Senaya's own soul reduced to a barely flickering ember by the Eiminyaku, there was nothing to keep the angry Goddess sword from showing her full wrath. Taiyourei and Raiurei had been brother and sister, but that bond had been shattered the moment that Kinnya had conspired with his brother to end Senaya's life. Killing Senaya in such a demeaning way had made Taiyourei angry, and the ties of blood were as far from this battle as they could possibly be.

Even though he knew all those things, and that the Senaya that stood before him was an avatar controlled by the ambitious Sun Goddess sword, Kinnya held back. It was not his brother, he knew that, but he had already spent a lifetime regretting his involvement in the scheme that had taken Senaya from the world. Despite his resolve to nullify the threat, kill his brother a second time he could not do, and he knew that Raiurei felt the same. Perhaps he was still strong enough to kill this enemy, but Raiurei's full power would surely tear the man's form limb from limb, leaving him a torn mess of shredded flesh and bone on the grass outside the Kuchiki manor. Not only did Kinnya not want to see such a thing himself, he knew that he would never be able to face his nephews if he left their father in such a state. Moreover, he knew himself that, the longer the battle went on, the more disadvantaged he was in the encounter. Despite his bold claims to the contrary, he was older and rustier than he had been when Senaya was alive, and the drawn out confrontation was eating away slowly at his strength, making it more and more dangerous with every passing moment.  
 _  
Even though it's not you at all, Oniisama. You have no feelings left, nor fondness for me, and so you have the advantage._

"Are you simply going to stand there, Kinnya?"

Senaya's voice echoed coolly across the valley divide, the pitch familiar but the intonation giving away the fact that Taiyourei was controlling this fight, and using her former master as her mouthpiece in the battle. "Is that the best you both can manage? I'm disappointed. What happened to your fine threats? You've become a feeble old man. Or is it sentiment that's stopping you? Do you see this face," his hand moved to brush his pale cheek, "and think how difficult it would be to scar it?"

He snorted, shaking his head.

"You fool. You buried it once. You consigned this body to death and decay and you know it," the tone had changed, the bitter edge sounding less and less like Senaya with every word. "Why do you fear hurting what you already discarded to rot and fester in a dark and empty tomb? Do you understand what that's been like, Kinnya? Do you understand what it is, to slowly lose every facet and faculty, and then be confined away from public gazes, imprisoned and punished although you committed no crime?"

"I followed my brother's orders, Taiyourei," Kinnya raised his voice above the gentle rumble of his sword's storm clouds. "Senaya-nii chose death. He chose it to bring his family together. I never approved of it, but he was my Clan leader. I chose to obey him. What crime is there in that?"

"Senaya was a sentimental fool. He thought he was perfect and that he'd rise and stand above all Kuchiki, and I believed him when he made me that promise," came the cold reply. "I believed him, but he loved those brats of his more. He loved you more. He didn't think of me, not once, when he decided to sacrifice himself. You shinigami are all the same. We give you power and you abandon us, consider us weapons and shut us away. Raiurei, why do you still obey him like an idiot! Your master is no different from mine. Another sentimental fool -why do you obey him, when all he does is stifle you to this level of pitiful attack!"

Raiurei's blade glimmered slightly at these words, and Kinnya glanced down at it, momentarily wondering if something in Taiyourei's words had resonated within his own _zanpakutou_.

 _Raiu?_

 **You shouldn't worry about the words of a spoiled and pampered hime sword, Kinnya. She's petulant because she didn't get her way. You and I, we've always thought much the same. We never aspired for greatness, and I never asked you to sacrifice the people you loved for me.**

Raiurei's gentle, even tones reassured Kinnya.

 **I am not the sword I was, it's true. We have both aged, and my skills have tarnished with time and lack of use. But I don't resent you for this. I enjoy your company and I hope that, when you were most lonely, you knew you still had me by your side. I am a Rebel, but I never rebel against my master. I chose you for a reason, and I don't regret it. Deep down, I suspect Taiyourei feels the same. She's grieving for her master, too - but knows that you are not really the one she should blame. It was Senaya who chose to abandon her. Not you, and not his children, either.**

"Royal Swords are complicated, and troublesome beasts, it seems," Kinnya raised his gaze to the angry Senaya, his composure once more in place by Raiurei's matter-of-fact appraisal. "Raiu and I are old men together, you see. He doesn't see things the way you do, because he and I, we're not like you or Senaya-nii. We never looked for greatness. But you are right, Taiyourei. It grieves me, seeing my brother's body used to fight this fight. I laid him to rest and I grieved. His family all did. We may be pointless souls to you, but we loved him, just like you. Your covenant was with Senaya-nii, but only till he died. He is no longer here and you must know that, better than anyone else. Your duty now is to find a new soul to bond with, and a new life to start. Why are you forcing my brother's empty corpse to walk here again, when he cannot possibly know or remember the things you do?"

"Your Eiminyaku took those things from him. You took my master from me, and took his life from him," Senaya was unmoved. "I know it was your doing. You stopped him from reaching his potential - you and your stupid Rebel sword - and you allowed him to die a death such as that. Not a warrior's death, basked in glorious sunlight, but a dark, seeping death sucked away by clouds into nothing at all."

"He said he was going to his manor in the moon," Kinnya remarked, and the corpse snorted, Senaya's grey eyes becoming suddenly full of scorn. The sky flared with blinding light, and Kinnya hopped back just in time to avoid the sparks of light and energy that burned through the air towards him, sizzling through the ground into the deep core beneath. Kinnya did not know whether Taiyourei could release to Bankai level still, without Senaya's own consciousness there to call the commands, but the hot glow that surrounded his brother's aura told the old shinigami that even if Senaya's spirit power was spent, Taiyourei's was far from expended. The storm clouds with which he had filled the sky moments earlier were already being pushed back, as the sun resolutely cleared the horizon to allow her light to spread over all of them, casting dark shadows against the wet ground. Kinnya had trained with Senaya from infancy, and he knew Taiyourei's abilities well. Knowing them and facing them without his brother at the helm was different, however, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before Taiyourei's attacks became more determined, turning those black shadows into spiritual flames of purity that would swallow up both him and Raiurei in one greedy gulp.

"Taiyourei is a _Sun_ Goddess," she snapped now, Senaya's voice sounded more uneven as her anger once more filtered through. " _Sun_ , do you understand? Do not insult me by confusing me with the base blood of those arrogant Shiba and their ancestral Moon God. Senaya was master of the _Sun Goddess_. What use would he ever have with the moon?"

 **You really shouldn't mention the moon around Taiyourei.**

Raiurei's words were chiding.

 **They are night and day, Kinnya. Do you not understand why that is? Whatever foolish jests Senaya made, Taiyourei is born of the day, and the Moon God sword from the night. They are separated because they can never be together at the same time. Their relationship is volatile, and violent. For that reason, there is never a Moon God in the same world as the Sun Goddess. Taiyourei knows that. So long as she lived within Senaya, she was in the ascendency, and there would be no Moon God. But with Senaya dead, the Moon God can be reborn, and Taiyourei knows that. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is that the Moon God is picky, and prefers to choose his partner from Shiba blood. The present family lack someone capable of holding that sword, but it will come. Taiyourei cannot select a new soul yet. She is trapped - maybe for centuries - until the Moon has held sway.**

 **It's not as though the Shiba themselves haven't shown signs of the Moon's spirit growing stronger within their bloodline. Kyouki-dono's Gekkoushin is a kinswoman of the Moon God, and her daughter's sword plays with gravity. All these things are a sign that the world is shifting from the Day to the Night once more. Taiyourei knows it shouldn't have been this way. Those who hold Royal Swords should live for centuries, but Senaya was young when he decided to leave this world. His comments about the moon were a cruel jest, Kinnya. Maybe a reference, or maybe an accident - I don't know. Probably his meaning was cryptic - a suggestion that even beyond his own death, he would somehow manage to dominate what came after by subjugating the Moon to the Sun's will.**

 **At the time, I imagine Taiyourei found it funny - but this is not that time, and this circumstance is not that. To repeat his words to Taiyourei now is an invitation to her to slay you. We're going to have to fight, my friend - whether either of us want to, there is no other option available to us than that. She is already clearing your clouds and casting shadows. I don't know if I can fill the sky a second time, but if she sets light to your silhouette, then it's over. I can wash the spirit power out of a soul, but only Taiyourei can burn it out. What is washed away can regenerate, but something burned out is gone forever. More, there is no soul here for us to cleanse. Senaya is dead, and his spirit gone, and I cannot expunge Taiyourei's spirit in the same way as I could eradicate your brother's spirit power in the battles you had as youths.**

 _Not at all, huh?_

Kinnya's eyes narrowed as he processed this. **  
** _  
She's already a sword that's survived in the most adverse of conditions, trapped within the dead blade of her master. I don't understand the power that awoke her, but clearly we're at a disadvantage, if you aren't able to wash away her reiryoku the way you can a living opponent's._

 **She is not living. She never was.**

Came Raiurei's matter-of-fact reply.

 **Without Senaya to guide her, she is a rogue spirit doing as she pleases, but she is not alive. Royal Blades must never become like this, Kinnya. It is unnatural. We require a shinigami to bond with, in order to use our power in the way it should be used. We become alive when we bond with you. That is why we sleep when you die and await the next soul - we are not meant to exist without that connection. Whatever that necromancer did to force her awake should not have happened...there is nobody to act as a restraint on her excesses. She is dangerous like this - but also, in pain. She will destroy herself and the Sun sword will be lost forever if she is allowed to continue - not to mention the damage such an event will do to this spirit plane if she is allowed to continue her rampage. The trouble is, without a medium through which to practice her techniques, I am not quite sure how we are to prevent her.**

 **Your brother would never have used the full force of his power on a kinsman, but this is not your brother. This is the Sun Goddess, angry and indignant, and unless we can return the sky to storm-clouds, we are likely to be next in her path. In this atmosphere, releasing our Bankai would be dangerous - I suspect, given the amount of spirit power it would require, it would probably prove fatal to maintain it for any length of time. You and I are both older now, and neither one of us the fighters we were. I don't fancy being burned alive, and I'm sure, neither do you. This isn't the kind of friendly flame that Genryuusai-dono uses, turning people instantly to piles of ash. This is a flame that burns your spirit power out from the inside, consuming you bit by bit until you are all gone. This is a slow way to die, Kinnya. You must stop seeing him as your brother. He is a dead enemy and we have the Kuchiki Clan's future in our hands.**

 _I'm sure Genryuusai-sensei doesn't see his flames as friendly, but I know you're right, and the shadows are dangerous. Shadows often are.  
_  
Kinnya sighed, raising his blade up towards the heavens once more, and drawing on his spirit power to bring the dark clouds back together over their heads. They clustered overhead, blocking the solar rays and the dark shadows on the grass faded to a dull grey, mottling and breaking up as the rainstorm grew thicker. Heavy droplets of water cascaded down around them, and flickers of lightning danced across the clouds, leaping over the gaps and dispersing the sunlight with the sudden and uneven nature of their flashes. The sky rumbled and shook with thunder, but although the heavens were once more turned to darkness, Kinnya could feel his breath shortening at the effort it was taking to keep them together in the sky. It was taking all of his concentration to push back the rays of Senaya's Solar Aura, and every so often, blazing sunflares shot through the clouds, burning through the rain and leaving pockets of sizzling steam behind them.

"I can continue this game as long as you want me to," Senaya said disparagingly. "If that's the best an old man can manage, then I can finish you off this way, too. I don't have your inhibitions, and this body may be dead, but it is not aged as you are. Release your Bankai, or prepare to die. The choice is simple. I'll avenge Senaya's death - my death - on you two first, and then...

Senaya's gaze drifted up towards the manor atop the rise.

"Then I will burn that down, as a reminder to the foolish Kuchiki that they shouldn't think the power of the Sun is less than their own," he added. "I'll scorch this whole District to its core for betraying me. It's a shame that you took Senaya's brats from within it, as I would have liked to have burned them as well, but I shall find them in the end. The Kuchiki worship the cherry blossom, but they forget that it's the sun that gives that flower the warmth to live and bloom at all."

"I think the rain has a fair bit to do with it as well," Kinnya said darkly. "Rain and sun go together in making the world live. You would simply parch all things dry, Taiyourei. That's why, I think, I was Senaya-nii's brother. That's why, when Taiyourei chose you, Raiurei chose me. You are siblings, as were we. You cannot have one without the other. The world cannot live without that balance. Senaya-nii knew it. You should know it too."

"The Sun doesn't need anything. The sun gives life and it takes it away," Senaya retorted stubbornly. "I never needed Raiurei to nanny me, and Senaya never needed you!"

"You're wrong," Kinnya gritted his teeth, forcing back the memories of the many times he had stood across the Clan leader's study from his brother, raising his voice and arguing until his wilful sibling had conceded to his point of view. "Without me, Senaya-nii would never have been able to be the person he was, and he knew it. You're a sword without a master, Taiyourei, and so you lack the capacity to understand it, but people need one another in order to grow stronger. Senaya-nii needed me to be the person that he was."  
 _  
And I needed him to be the warrior I used to be, only I've tried so hard not to think of it in the years since he died._

"In that case, you had better hurry up and die, so you can take his place in the dark, dusty space of the Kuchiki crypt," Senaya snapped back, flinging an arm in the direction of the damaged mausoleum, and as he did so, a flare of sunlight broke through the cloud cover, blazing through the shattered stone and engulfing it in a fireball of solar flame. It crumbled and fell to the ground, sizzling against the puddles left by Kinnya's incessant rain, but though soaking, it continued to smoulder, and Kinnya frowned at this proof of Raiurei's words.  
 _  
No matter how hard it rains, the rain can never put out the rays of the sun, can it? The clouds cover the sun. They do not eliminate it._

"If you don't release your Bankai soon, old man, I will simply burn away your clouds and take you limb by limb," Senaya continued, and as if to illustrate the point, he flicked the tip of Taiyourei's blade up towards the sky. The edges of the clouds began to smoke and fragment away, but Kinnya knew that this was only done to taunt him, and that a proper obliteration of his cloud cover was likely only moments away. In that instant he understood that Taiyourei did not need to use the words 'Bankai' to access her full power.

 _Bankai and Shikai are terms that limit and lock in shinigami abilities to release their swords. But what if you are the sword? Why would you have those limits? Taiyourei can toy with us as she pleases. There is no lock because there is no shinigami. But I am a shinigami. And even with a Royal Sword like Raiu - I have limits._

"If you cared so much for your brother, you shouldn't have helped to kill him. You won't keep the rain falling forever. Every droplet is a fragment of your reiryoku, and shinigami reiryoku isn't infinite." As if reading his thoughts, Senaya's tones became mocking. "I am capable of keeping this going as long as I need. Are you?

 **Kinnya, she's right. Be careful. It's as you suspect.**

Raiurei's words were full of consternation.

 **She isn't bound by Senaya's spiritual limits. Her attack comes from the core of her own spirit power - from the Imperial Blade we were all born from, milennia into the past. For most of us, we never use that level of spirit power, because to do so would kill our wielder - but Taiyourei no longer has a master to govern her wilful spirit. We need to retreat from here. This is not a battle we can win.  
**

 _We're not leaving.  
_  
Kinnya's eyes became slits, as he willed his tired body to maintain the fragmenting threads pulling the clouds together.  
 _  
Senaya-nii gave his life for this place, for his sons, for his Clan. My duty to him is to stand here and fight to defend them, even against his corpse and his sword. You know that as well as I do.  
_  
 **Kinnya...**

Raiurei's words resonated with shock, and then Kinnya heard the sigh of sadness from deep within his sword's core.  
 **  
I suppose I knew that, even at this point, you'd resist following my advice. Oh well. You are the master I chose, so I suppose I can't complain.**

 _I'm sorry, Raiu.  
_  
Kinnya's lips twisted into a grim smile.  
 _  
It's not the ideal ending to our partnership, but it's my duty and so that makes it yours. I am a rebel - but where Senaya-nii is concerned, I'm still loyal. He was my brother, and I gave him my word. A good shinigami never breaks his promises...and I won't break mine, not even if it costs me my life. I suppose we are alike in this, Raiu. You would never rebel against your master, and I will never rebel against mine. Guren may be my Clan Leader, now, but I was born to be Senaya-nii's shadow, and that is what I still am inside._

 **An unfortunate resemblance indeed.**

Raiurei sounded resigned.  
 **  
I will miss working with you, Kinnya. You have been a good master. I have enjoyed our time together.**

 _Then let's make our final act one to remember, shall we?_

Kinnya clasped his hand more tightly around the hilt of the zanpakutou, as overhead, the clouds rumbled and shook with thunder, feeble flashes of lightning beginning to consolidate into a stronger, brighter glow of electricity. The rain which had continued to fall splashed up against his body, soaking him to the bone, but the old man could no longer feel the chill of the elements. With each passing second, the clear droplets of water began to cloud and glisten with a hazy reddish hue, and, as the puddles on the ground began to turn crimson, Kinnya felt Raiurei's spirit twisting inside of him. He gasped, coughing as pain ripped up through his chest. Blood bubbled against his lips as he allowed the electric energy to sear through him, prickling through every extremity until his entire body was aglow with an eerie yellow light. The rain was now falling in thick droplets of blood, turning the Kuchiki manor into a scene from a horror movie, but across the grounds Senaya's corpse watched the process impassively, his own mourning robes becoming more soaked and stained with the heavy red liquid with each passing moment.

At length, Kinnya forced his lips to part.

" _Bankai_ ," he whispered. " _Raiujin no Chi_."

* * *

 **Author's Note  
** _Of course you guys didn't think Retsu couldn't fight, did you? :)_

 _For anyone who is interested, Kinnya's bankai in characters is_

 _雷雨神血_ _Raiujin (no) Chi. It means blood of the Rainstorm God. Perhaps in this brief moment, the resemblance between Kinnya's spirit and Juushirou's is also much more clear..._

 _So the last update ended on a cliffhanger. Guess what. So does this one._

 _Happy Thanksgiving to anyone in America :)_


	47. Consanguinity

**Chapter 46: Consanguinity**

It was clearly some time past dawn.

Juushirou stifled a yawn behind his hand, pulling his body into an upright position and reaching for his loose robe, wrapping it around his body casually as he made his way to the window. From the position of the sun in the sky, he could tell that at least three hours had passed since sunrise, and he allowed himself a rueful smile as he realised that Naoko must have left him to sleep in after his late return the night before.  
 _  
Not that I'm sorry for it. A few more hours rest is hard to come by in a crisis situation, and I'm sure she would have woken me if anything urgent was going on.  
_  
He rested his hands on the sill, gazing out at the koi pond pensively.  
 _  
I did mean to see Ojiisama off, though, before he left. He must have gone by now. Never mind. Enishi is probably back as well, and I should speak to him. Naoko said she was going to debrief him and then pick his brains on the Vice Captain role, so I suppose she'd already planned my lie in last night, but I am still Captain. And, while I'm glad of the extra sleep, I still have a duty to my Division to show myself at a reasonable hour. I wonder if Retsu-sama is back, yet? I'd like to speak to her, if she is - and maybe even to Shirogane-dono, if it's possible. Maybe if I asked Shikiki, she'd let me...I wonder if she would._

He reached for his shihakushou, pausing as he registered the presence of a small tray of food on the low slung table that acted as his work desk. Moving to examine it closer, he found a plate of three or four onigiri, neatly pressed together and clearly freshly made that morning in Kirio's unmistakeable style. Someone had brought them here but had done so without disturbing him - perhaps even the creator herself.  
 _  
So this is a division-wide conspiracy, is it? I see._

Juushirou shook his head slowly in resignation, obediently kneeling down beside the table. The tea which stood in one of his favourite ceramic mugs was lukewarm now, suggesting it had been waiting a short while, but it was still palatable, and he made short work of the small meal, stretching his arms over his head as he appreciated the sensation of a relaxed start and a full stomach to begin what would doubtless be another busy day. Setting the plate and mug aside, he dressed himself quickly in his black shihakushou, winding the long obi around his waist and tying it in a firm knot. Sliding Sougyo no Kotowari through the loop of his sash, he moved across the room to retrieve his haori. As he did so, however, there was a tentative knock at the door, and he paused.

"Taichou?"

The voice was Kohaku's, and Juushirou frowned at the hesitant note in the boy's words.

"Can I come in? Shikibu-san said you were resting, but...I..."

The voice faltered, as though uncertain of what to do.

"Come in, Koku, I'm up and dressed," Juushirou hurried to reassure the young officer, settling himself on one of his cushions as the door slid back to reveal his protegee. "What is it? I'm quite awake, as you can see, so you needn't worry about disturbing me."

"I'm glad," Kohaku looked relieved, sliding his slender body into the room and closing the door softly behind him. "Shikibu-san said you were tired, and I didn't want to disturb you, but I was talking to Fuku...I mean, to Houjou-san, and he said that, no matter what it was, I should report it to you."

"I beg your pardon?" Juushirou blinked at this confusing explanation, and Kohaku glanced at his hands.

"I saw Houjou-san this morning, when he came back," he said softly. "He told me not to call him Fukutaichou, and I'm trying to remember. He's with Shikibu-san at the moment, and I know she didn't want me to disturb you, but if you're awake...in any case, Fuku...I mean, Houjou-san said that if I had anything else like a vision, if I saw anything, I should report it. Because even if it ends up complicated, it's better...if I do that. So I thought...I should come speak to you. Even though I don't really understand it myself."

"Did you have another bad dream?" Juushirou felt the sense of relaxation begin to trickle out of him at the earnest expression on the young man's face, and Kohaku sighed.

"Not a dream," he said slowly. "I don't know what it was, really. I thought maybe it was just too much sun. But now...maybe not. I wasn't that well the other night, and after training yesterday, I had a funny turn. But nothing I saw made any sense at all. There was a Dragon, in the sky, watching me...but when I looked it was only clouds. And there was a man with a book...or a sword...in a book? I don't know, but it was...like a ghost book, and...I remember Kayashima said something about a book, too, so..."

"You saw a man with a book?" Juushirou's expression became alarmed, and Kohaku nodded, his eyes becoming big.

"Yes, but only for a split-second, and the image wasn't very clear. Is it important?"

"It might be," Juushirou's lips thinned as he contemplated this. "An individual matching that description was seen in Sixth District, yesterday. He seems to be highly dangerous...so anything you know about him..."

"I don't really know anything," Kohaku said helplessly. "It was just a glimpse. There was a battle. A big battle. Then fire. Fire everywhere. Then there was the Dangai, like a big black hole, and there was an old man with the book. Then there was...something else. Another person. I was drawn to him more. He...felt...like..I knew him. But I don't, sir. I know I don't know him. Just, for a moment, I felt as though I did. As though we'd met before."

He sighed, gazing down at his hands as he composed himself.

"Then there was a bright light," he said softly. "Bright, like the sun, burning a hole in everything. And shadows...and...a man with a sword. A storm. And then...it started raining. But it was raining...blood."

"Raining blood?" Juushirou's heart stilled in his chest at this. "Are you sure? Have you ever seen that before?"

"When Souja-dono died, it rained blood in my dream," Kohaku said pensively. "But this wasn't like that. It was different. It wasn't...the same. I don't know why. Just...I felt as though...there was death all around it. The rain was falling on death, and the sun...I don't even know what I'm talking about. That's why I didn't mention it yesterday. But I didn't sleep much last night and I kept seeing those pictures, the fire, blood rain, and the sunlight, and...the man I feel as though I know, only I don't. The cuckoo, on the path to Shide..."

He trailed off, rubbing his temples, and Juushirou sighed.

"You did right to tell me," he said quietly. "I'm afraid I don't know how to make sense of most of it. Let's see if we can't pull it together. First of all, the man with the book. Do you know who he was?"

"No," Kohaku shook his head. "He was an old man, dressed in silver and white, but when he was young...he was a soldier. He had an army. There were lots of them. And then...he was old, like a lot of time passed."

"Do you think he was a Dangai criminal?"

"Maybe," Kohaku thought this over carefully. "Maybe that's what it was. I think he was important. A leader. Something like that. It looked like he went into the Dangai - but it wasn't clear. He seemed angry, but I couldn't hear anything he said and I don't know who he was."

"The name Kunimori doesn't mean anything to you?"

"No," Kohaku shook his head. "Is that his name?"

"Maybe," Juushirou sighed. "The man in Sixth District gave his name as Kunimori, but if you don't know, then you don't. What about the other? The man you thought you recognised - why did he seem that way to you?"

"I don't think it was that I actually knew him," Kohaku looked helpless. "I think it was Kyouka. Kyouka knew him, somehow - but I've asked my sword, and it doesn't remember. Just...it felt like that. And he was a cuckoo. No...a _hototogisu_. That's what he reminded me of. A hototogisu..."

"The bird who calls souls to the land of the dead, over the Shide mountains," Juushirou murmured. Kohaku nodded.

"Yes! Yes, that exactly. Except it wasn't the Shide mountains. It was...it was..."

"It was the Dangai," Juushirou said darkly, and Kohaku's eyes widened in dismay.

"Then...that person...that man...is..."

"Probably the one behind all of the corpse attacks," Juushirou nodded. "Including the one at Eleventh. I know I can trust you to keep these things to yourself, Koku - they're highly sensitive and might cause fear. But I'm glad you told me. I don't understand quite why the hototogisu is so important, not yet, but the connection to the world of the Dead is too tangible to ignore."

"Tokitori." Kohaku said softly, and Juushirou stared at him.

"Koku?"

"I don't know," Kohaku looked frustrated. "But Kyouka just said it to me. Tokitori. The bird of time. Hototogisu can be written like that, sometimes, can't it?"

"I guess so," Juushirou looked surprised. "It's an old spelling, though. Mostly people spell hototogisu in kana, these days...but I suppose...yes, I suppose it can be written with the characters for bird and time."

"I don't know why," Kohaku admitted, "but I feel like that's what's important. Hototogisu, but written as the bird of time, instead. Maybe...even a name. Even...his name. I don't know...but...those characters...they're really vivid right now, while we're talking like this. I don't know if it matters, but maybe it does."

"Tokitori, huh," Juushirou's lips thinned. "Well, I'll take that forward and keep it in mind. And the final thing? The bright light, the sun, the shadows...and the blood rain?"

"Mm," Kohaku looked worried. "The other stuff...I feel like it was old. Very very old. But this...wasn't old. And yet, the sun was dead. I don't even understand how that's possible - the sun can't die, right? But it was dead. And the rain...was blood. Like it was someone's soul, bleeding out, bit by bit..."

He shivered, closing his eyes against the pictures, and Juushirou felt his blood chill at this description.

"It's all right," he said gently, keeping his tones calm despite his racing heart. "You've done enough and I'm happy you came to me. We'll figure the other things out, but for now, I want you to go back to your duties. Whatever it is, it'll become clear in time, and I promise not to take anything you've said lightly."

"Taichou?" Kohaku looked anxious, and Juushirou sighed heavily.

"Don't worry," he replied, though he knew that his words were lies and he felt sure that Kohaku could tell it too. "You've done your job and discharged the information to me. Leave it with me now and go back to your duties. Naoko will need your help, so don't let me down."

"Yes...yes, sir," Kohaku still looked troubled, but he obediently got to his feet, bowing towards his Captain. He hesitated a moment more, then withdrew from the room, closing the door behind him.

Once the youngster was gone, Juushirou got to his feet, pulling his haori from his peg and slipping it over his shoulders. He rested his hand lightly against the hilt of his zanpakutou, feeling the swirling energy of his fish rise up to acknowledge his presence.

 _I should have seen him off. Or gone with him. Maybe Koku's wrong, or maybe I'm reading too much into it...but I can't shake the idea that he's not...and I'm not. It's too much of a coincidence - and I need to make sure._

His hand tightened around his hilt.  
 _  
I've only seen blood rain like that in one place before...and it's not welcome news. In'you, humour me for a while, will you? We're going to take a little trip trespassing into territory where we have no business going...I'm trusting you to make sure that our doing so proves worth the risk._

* * *

The grounds of the Fourth District hospital were busy and bustling with patients when Retsu and Shunsui arrived, and as the Eighth Division Captain surveyed its surroundings, he was aware of healers in Fourth Division uniform scurrying this way and that, bent on an important errand. Occasionally they paused to acknowledge the presence of their Captain and her colleague, but Retsu did not attempt to strike up any conversations, instead leading the way into the building and up the stairs towards the corridor that housed the mysterious patient.

"Taichou!"

As they reached the top of the stairs, there was a surprised exclamation, and Mitsuki hurried to greet Retsu, pausing as she caught sight of Shunsui. "Kyouraku-k...taichou? What happened to you? You look like you've been in a fight."

"A small one, thankfully not a serious encounter," Shunsui touched a rueful hand to his brow, then shrugged. "It's all right, Mitsuki-chan. Your Captain appeared in the nick of time and I'm fine."

"We've come to speak with Hiyama-dono," Retsu added. "I read your message, Mitsuki-san - I'm sorry it took a while to respond. I was called away to District Six...it was something of an emergency."

"An emergency?" Mitsuki's features whitened at this, and Shunsui rested a light hand on her shoulder.

"You're out of the loop, here, aren't you?" he realised. "You have no idea what's been going on in Inner Seireitei - and in other places - in the last week or so."

"I've been busy with work here," Mitsuki shook her head, looking grave. "I knew there had been some kind of incident in Inner Seireitei, but I don't know the details. If Retsu-sama was called away urgently, though, it must be serious. Someone at home must be hurt - badly, too."

"Guren-sama was injured and is currently unconscious, though his condition is stable," Retsu said matter-of-factly. "What ails him is still a mystery, but his life is not in imminent danger. The incident is not as serious as it could have been, thankfully, although I must do some deeper research before I can help Guren-sama properly."

Shunsui shot Retsu a startled glance, and the Fourth Division Captain offered him a faint smile.

"As for the Inner Seireitei incident, all that can be done to resolve that matter is being done," she continued evenly. "In the meantime, I think that it is a good idea I speak to Hiyama-dono. Your letter concerned me. It seems as though he might have important information that a Captain - or perhaps two Captains - ought to hear."

"I think so," Mitsuki frowned. "I don't entirely understand, Taichou, but I know he's telling the truth. I don't sense any deception in his aura. He is still a little incoherent, but he is adamant that he needs to speak to someone of rank. He wanted me to contact Genryuusai-sensei, but I don't have the authority to make that kind of decision. That's why I wrote to you - I hoped you'd come, because I think what he has to say is serious."

She glanced at Shunsui again.

"He told me someone called Kyouraku Harumizu was in danger," she added, "and here you are, with bruises."

"Thankfully you mentioned that in your letter," Retsu offered her a smile. "And because of it, I was able to intervene. The individual responsible is known to me - at least by name, if not by proper acquaintance. You did exactly right, Mitsuki-san - and I am grateful for your efforts."

"As am I," Shunsui said fervently.

"We'll take the matter from here," Retsu concluded. "I'm sure you have other duties, and if I think Genryuusai-sama should be alerted, I will make sure that happens. You can return to your other duties - Shunsui-dono and I will be with Hiyama-dono and so you can rest assured he is in good hands."

"Yes, ma'am," Mitsuki's eyes glittered with curiosity, but she bowed her head, withdrawing from the scene and leaving the two Captains alone. When she was gone, Retsu let out a sigh, and Shunsui shot his companion a sidelong glance.

"You underplayed the danger in District Six. Was that a good idea? Your Tokitori person may come here, if it's his home territory."

"I don't believe that he will," Retsu admitted, "but I cannot be entirely sure. In any case, I can hardly divulge details of something to a lower ranked officer which I have yet to bring before the Captains or the Council. And I did not lie. Everything I said was the truth. I cannot cure Guren-sama at present, but he is stable. Shirogane-dono will recover. Seiren-dono took a blow but he is not badly harmed by it. Everyone else is fine. Nobody in Sixth died."

"And Eleventh?"

"Yes..." Retsu's expression became shadowed. "Well, perhaps you are right. But I would rather my healers were not distracted from their duties. If Mitsuki-san realised that a Gotei Division was under attack, and the close involvement with Ukitake-taichou's Division in this incident, she would fret. I need her and her skills to be focused on here, and on her patients."

"I suppose so," Shunsui acknowledged. "Including this Hiyama guy, I guess. Do you really think he's as old as Mitsuki's letter implies?"

"Having seen the attire in which he was found, I fear so," Retsu nodded. "What such a long hibernation may have done to his body long-term, I am unsure, nor am I quite certain what to make of this whole situation - but it appears that individuals are reemerging from the Dangai at a rather alarming rate."

"But this Hiyama sent Mitsuki to you with a warning," Shunsui pointed out. "That suggests he didn't come here to cause harm."

"I suppose we'll find out," Retsu said wearily. "If you would please come with me, Shunsui-dono. His room is this way."

"The truth is, I had hoped to ask you about your mysterious frozen shinigami sooner," Shunsui obediently fell into step with his companion, shooting her a pensive smile. "The business at Sixth derailed both of us in different ways, but it was on my to-do list."

"You already knew he was here?" Retsu's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she processed this information. "I see. I wonder how you came by that information? I don't recall mentioning it at the Captain's meeting or in fact, on any other occasion."

"No..." Shunsui pressed his lips together. "You might say that it came from another source. A more unexpected one."

"Unexpected?" Retsu arched an eyebrow. "Not Mitsuki-san, then? I wondered if perhaps she had mentioned it to Ukitake-taichou in their correspondence, but...?"

"No, this was a very irregular source," Shunsui admitted. "I'm not sure if it would help anything to talk about it. It's just that, with what happened today, I'm trying to work out in my own mind what best to mention and what not. I think the whole business has become ever so convoluted, and if we're to deal with it, keeping secrets might be difficult. On the other hand, divulging secrets might also cause problems or misconceptions."

Retsu did not answer immediately, but, as they reached the end of the hallway, she paused, resting her hand on the door of a chamber and casting Shunsui a questioning look.

"This has something to do with Kohaku, doesn't it?"

Her words were soft, as though she did not want them to be overheard, and Shunsui frowned. Slowly he nodded.

"In a way..." he hedged. Retsu's eyes became slits.

"Katsura, then?" she asked lightly. Shunsui flinched, then shot the older Captain a rueful smile.

"You came to that conclusion quickly. Is there any reason why you'd bring his name into this discussion right now?"

"I wonder," Retsu sighed heavily. "The truth is, Shunsui-dono, I do not believe Aizen Katsura orchestrated any part of this scheme. But I do believe he was there in Rukongai, and I also believe he took his father's sword. The chances of that being a coincidence are unlikely. Now I know that the Soldier is a part of this, I am even more sure. Whatever Katsura was doing, he knew something and was in the right location to destroy a corpse doll before we were aware of what was happening. If he is not fighting against us, then he must be acting to protect something. The only thing that makes sense is his brother - which suggests that he's tried to make contact with the Thirteenth. And given that he clearly knows more than we do at present, it makes sense to assume he knows about Hiyama-dono."

"I can't fault your logic," Shunsui grimaced. "He did send Kohaku a message. You won't mention it, though, will you? With Enishi in the situation he currently is, and with Thirteenth dealing with that, it would look bad for the kid and I don't think he's complicit in anything untoward."

"On the contrary, I suspect he is in danger," Retsu looked weary. "But that is a conversation for another day. Whether Katsura realises the full scope or otherwise of this business, if he knew of Hiyama-dono, he must have told Kohaku about it to warn him. I don't know for sure, yet, but I believe that Hiyama-dono may be the individual that Ukitake-taichou's officers encountered in the Real World. That entity was frozen and Kotetsu Ketsui reported the possibility of it having humanoid hands capable of grasping at his hakama. Hiyama-dono was frozen when we found him, and a shinigami from a long time ago would not be in our records. The only thing I cannot understand yet is why he should have been there. I suppose I hoped that Katsura had given you more information - if indeed he has been in contact with his brother."

"I don't think Katsura understands this either," Shunsui admitted. "And leaking information to Koku is risky for him as well as for Koku himself. As far as I know, all he said was that the man must have come out of the Dangai. Apparently there's a Senkaimon in the area the man was found. At first we thought that maybe this individual and the one Kohaku apparently saw in his hallucination were the same - but after what happened in District Six, it seems unlikely. Hiyama and this Kunimori are not the same individual."

"From what I know, the man who attacked Guren-sama is an elderly individual," Retsu agreed. "Hiyama-dono is not aged. He may well be old, but he does not appear it at first glance."

She offered a faint smile.

"I didn't know there was a Gate there," she added. "But Katsura would know that, and it ties up the final piece of the puzzle. Fourth District is full of old Gates which operated on an ancient network - not Zaimon, but rudimentary Senkaimon that shinigami back then used to get to the Real World. They were very dangerous and many people were lost inside of them. When the Urahara began perfecting Gate science, many of them were sealed or abandoned and bit by bit, their locations were lost."

"But Keitarou found them, and told his son," Shunsui reasoned. Retsu nodded.

"Finding Katsura would be helpful to our investigation in that regard," she agreed. "Not that I expect him to trust us."

"I'm surprised you don't want to arrest him, given that he killed your healers." Shunsui reflected. Retsu shrugged.

"Keitarou killed them, really," she said sadly. "Katsura's spirit power did the deed, but I am a healer and I do not believe in vengeance. A young man raised by a zealot who doubtless fed him with hatred...it is hard to hold responsible a soul like that, especially as it clearly wasn't his nature to kill. If it had been, he would not have spared Mitsuki-san, and would not have assisted her in evacuating Seri-san to safer ground. In that sense, he saved my healers as well. He was sent to kill and he obeyed the command, but I imagine it caused him no pleasure, and was done to please his father, not because he wanted to bring death. Kohaku's ability to see beyond Keitarou's vision for the world allowed him to escape, I suppose...but Keitarou killed my officers. Katsura was his weapon of choice, that is all. I have no personal grievance against a boy brainwashed from childhood by a man he loved."

"He was Keitarou's weapon, just as I was Kohaku's," Shunsui said soberly. Retsu nodded.

"In his own way, perhaps, Kohaku inherited the ability to manipulate, rather than being manipulated," she agreed, "but there is no malice in that youth, either. He also takes no pleasure from bringing death. If he used you so, Shunsui-dono, it was for the best, I have no doubt. And perhaps, his brother too is now freed from his father's shadow. Katsura has caused no pain to anyone in five years. I would like to believe he will not kill again...but maybe I am naive. Maybe I just want to avoid a situation where I am called upon to decide whether he should be executed for his crimes. The reemergence of the Soldier and that piece of our history makes me even more loath to contemplate such a choice, even if Inner Seireitei is calling for his blood."

She patted the door lightly.

"But Katsura can wait for another day. For now, this is the problem in front of us, and one we must try to resolve."

"I am right with you," Shunsui assured her, and Retsu slid back the divide, stepping into the chamber beyond. Shunsui followed her, sliding the door shut behind them, and at the sound, the figure in the bed stirred, letting out an exclamation as he laid eyes on the Fourth Division Captain.

"Hiyama-dono?" Retsu was quickly to the bedside, moving to help the man into a more upright position. "Here, allow me to help you. I received your message via Mitsuki-san - and we have come here to talk to you about the things you feel so eager to divulge."

"You resemble her so much," Hiyama gathered his wits, staring at Retsu in consternation. "I am sorry, you must excuse me. The last time we met...but in that moment, I truly thought..."

"I was Yachiru-hime, come to haunt you?" Retsu looked pained, and Hiyama sighed. He slowly nodded.

"Something like that," he admitted. "It was a long time ago - but my perception of time is skewed and hazy thanks to my time asleep in the ice. I have slept for a good deal longer than I ever imagined...but even if I had not, I don't suppose I would ever forget her, the way she looked that day."

He offered her an apologetic smile.

"You look like her, but you are not her," he added. "I can see that now. The young lady who has been taking such diligent care of me told me that you are the head of the Unohana - and your name is Retsu-dono. Am I correct?"

"You are," Retsu sat down at Hiyama's side, indicating for Shunsui to join them, and he did so, settling himself comfortably on the opposite side of the bed and eying the stranger with interest. As Retsu had said, he was not old, although his hair was as snow white as Juushirou's, immediately making him think of the ill health which often plagued his friend. There was no sign of haibyou in this individual, however, for despite the fact he wore the robes of an invalid, his body appeared sturdy and fit, his colour far better than Juushirou's often sallow complexion. "This is my colleague and comrade, Kyouraku Shunsui. You gave a warning to my subordinate which she thought to convey to me, and thanks to its timeliness, I was able to intervene - but I somehow think that your warning was not meant for him."

"Kyouraku...Shunsui?" Hiyama's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned sea aqua eyes on Shunsui as if noticing him for the first time. "Written with..."

"Haru and Mizu? Yes," Shunsui inclined his head slightly in rueful acknowledgement. "Harumizu was an ancestor of mine, and I inherited the kanji, if not the way of reading it. Unfortunately your confused friend the necromancer seems to have mistaken the two of us."

"I'm sorry," Hiyama looked grave. "If I had awoken sooner...but I didn't know. You look a little like him," he added, eying Shunsui critically. "But only in terms of your colouring. When I last spoke to Harumizu, he was most reluctant to marry and produce children. I suppose he must have overcome that inhibition somehow."

"The Kyouraku family are not usually known for their inhibitions," Shunsui drawled, and Retsu cast him a reproving glance.

"Shunsui-dono."

"My apologies," Shunsui offered a sheepish smile. "Although it happens to be the truth."

"There were many families who sought to foist their daughters on him, after Heaven's War," Hiyama mused pensively. "He took land and title then, of course - because of his deeds in battle, but he was already advancing in years and felt uncomfortable, having so many young hime of good blood offered his way. He was a very brave warrior, your ancestor - although what people remember about him tends to be the things he chose to let people recall. He had the power to manipulate memories, which I'm sure you know."

"Hrm," Shunsui pressed his lips together. "So in fact, everything you remember about him might have been invented by him? Everything my family knows about him, too? That makes it difficult to know exactly what kind of a person I'm descended from, make no mistake."

"No..." Hiyama shook his head. "No, Harumizu was an honourable man. His sword had rules, too - as all swords do when in the hand of the honourable. He could not create false memories in someone. He could only remove the things he didn't want remembered...and bring forward other things that he wanted kept in mind."

"Such as the fact his mother was a courtesan?" Shunsui arched an eyebrow. Hiyama nodded.

"He was very proud of her," he agreed. "Though I don't suppose I knew him as well as some of the Yamamoto did, even I remember the way in which he spoke of her. He was very close to Kunitaka-dono and Kunitaka-dono's father, who was his original patron. My daughter was betrothed to marry Kunitaka-dono's younger son, you see, and he acted as the go-between so often that I became acquainted with him through such means. This was before the war, of course. He was a warrior, not anyone of noble birth - but he was fiercely proud of his origins. He said his blood was real and he wanted to prove that ordinary people could still make a difference in this world. He loved his mother very much - though I never met her. She raised him until she died, and then the Yamamoto took him in and trained him to be the warrior he became. He never spoke of his father - perhaps that was a memory he suppressed - but he wanted people to know him as the son of the courtesan. That's where the name came from, of course. Kyouraku. It was meant originally as an insult, a slur given him by some of the Clansfolk - but he took it and made it his badge of honour instead."

"I like him already," Shunsui grinned. "He sounds like someone I would have got along with just fine. I'm also not a fan of everything being gifted to privelege, Hiyama-dono. For the first time, perhaps in my whole life, I feel an affinity with being a Kyouraku. My ancestor believed in the power of ordinary people and I do too. Maybe I'm more connected to my namesake than I thought."

"But you speak as though Harumizu is dead," Hiyama looked troubled. "And that surely cannot be. My Dragon found him...I know he's here."

He stretched out his fingers to brush the sheathed weapon that lay on the unit by the bed, and Shunsui's gaze followed his gesture, his sharp senses picking up the drowsing presence of what was clearly a significantly powerful sword. He shivered, feeling suddenly cold,and Hiyama smiled, withdrawing his hand.

"My Dragon's spirit power is founded in ice," he said simply. "That is the only reason I am here now, to speak to you like this. Edogawa-dono told me that three thousand years or more have passed since Heaven's War. I can hardly believe it, but it seems to be the truth. My Dragon sealed me in ice to wait...but neither of us imagined it would take this long for the Soldier to reappear in Seireitei."

"Tokitori Tsuneyoshi, correct?" Retsu asked softly, and Hiyama inclined his head.

"Then you know of him," he observed, and Retsu sighed, nodding.

"Him, and Yachiru-hime, and the shame attached to my Clan," she said heavily. "There is no doubt. Tokitori-dono is here in Seireitei. He has been seen, and he has acted to raise the dead on more than one occasion. He is also not here alone - another accompanies him."

"Yes..." Hiyama chewed on his lip. "Yamamoto no Jirou Kunimori. A viper in the bosom if ever there was one. My Dragon saw him, too."

"So it is a Yamamoto name," Shunsui reflected. "We discussed it, the Captains, last night in the meeting we held, but Yuuichi-sama wasn't sure. He was going to verify it in his family records."

He glanced at Hiyama.

"Your sword is a Royal Sword, isn't it?" he asked, and Hiyama nodded. "And Kunimori's is as well? The Knowledge sword?"

"Yes," Hiyama confirmed. "Heaven's War came about, in the first instance, because too many Royal Blades were mixed up in Seireitei at once. Too much ambition, too many visions of how the world should be, and then the voice of Heaven - The Soul King's Realm - trying to manipulate all these fragmented powers into following their will. The Unohana, who ripped themselves to shreds from fear of Tsuneyoshi-dono's Soldier blade. The Yamamoto, torn apart by the ambition of the younger brother..."

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"It wasn't necessary for there to be a war," he added sadly. "But with people like Kunimori-dono, conflict is inevitable. He always resented being born second. He was the one with the Royal Blade, and yet it was Kunitaka-dono who inherited the Clan. Well, such was that time, I'm afraid. There were many families with personal ambition that overrode their bloodline back then."

"And your own family?" Retsu asked gently. Hiyama was silent for a moment. Then,

"My family were declining in influence," he admitted. "I was orphaned young, thanks to disease. My wife died in childbirth, and I never remarried. I had but one daughter, whose future I settled with the Yamamoto before I decided to freeze myself in ice, and my land provided an adequate dowry for her future going forward. I have no regrets for that. Kunimori-dono aside, the Yamamoto were a family with power and in whom I could trust...and well, young Santarou saw to any sense of insurrection, the day he unleashed that firesword and scorched the heart out of Kunimori's rebellion with just one swing."

"Fire...sword?" Retsu and Shunsui exchanged glances, and Hiyama nodded.

"The young heir to the Yamamoto," he agreed. "Kunitaka-dono's eldest son, Santarou. Well, I don't remember what adult name he ultimately took, though I probably did know it once. But his spirit power was something tremendous, even for a boy of just fifteen. I don't suppose many people knew that Kunitaka-dono's son was such a spiritual prodigy - but even though Kunimori-dono killed his brother, he couldn't do anything about his nephew."

"So Kunimori-dono ended up being thrown into the Dangai, as a result of his treason?" Retsu asked thoughtfully. Hiyama nodded his head.

"He did," he agreed. "I attended his trial. I think everyone who could, did. He was defiant to the last, swearing vengeance - swearing that one day he would take the Yamamoto by the scruff of the neck and damn all who had opposed him - but he must have known that he couldn't raise a finger against that boy. Perhaps that's why he waited as long as this. Waited until a time when Seireitei is different - peaceful - I don't know. I knew that one day the Soldier would return, but I didn't ever think that he wouldn't return alone."

"Then Kunimori-dono's intentions relate to thwarted ambition?" Retsu pondered. "He seeks to take control of the Clan that was denied him all those years ago?"

"That's a long time to hold a grudge," Shunsui remarked. Hiyama nodded.

"He is one such man," he said gravely. "The Knowledge sword is greedy and ambitious in its nature. It seeks to possess all that it can. Well, there's a reason why the graph most often used to refer to it in the old annals is one that can also mean treason. I imagine Kunitaka-dono knew that, which is why he kept his son hidden, and prevented him from completing his coming-of-age rite at an earlier age. I wouldn't be surprised if he even involved Harumizu and his spirit power in that process, too, to help keep it a secret. Kunitaka-dono was the inferior in reiryoku, but he was no foolish man, nor was he weak. He knew Kunimori would one day be a danger - and he was right."

"I wonder that they didn't put Kunimori to death," Shunsui reflected. Hiyama smiled faintly.

"In those days, the birth of a Royal Sword was not such a rare occurrence," he said simply. "But a sword cannot be reborn in a place where it is not. Dangai punishment was by its nature a way of consigning souls to oblivion by preventing them being reborn in this world. It was a punishment beyond one life to the lives ahead, if you like. And, by confining the Knowledge Sword to the Dangai, the possibility of it being reborn in Seireitei also disappeared for good. In a place where there are no souls to reach out to, such a sword would rot and die - or such was the belief of my fellows."

"So in the past, Royal Swords happened more frequently?" Shunsui's brows twitched together thoughtfully. "And the more time that passes since the Soul King bestowed them on Seireitei, the less frequently they appear?"

"Yes, but in part that is due to the machinations of men," Hiyama said wryly. "As I said, too many Royal Blades in one place is disruptive. It is beneficial to Soul Society that they come but sparingly. And the Knowledge sword, as I said, is written with a troubling character. There are more wielders who have been seduced to betray their family and honour by the power and ambition of that Knowledge than any other Royal Blade. Of all in its history, only one or two individuals have mastered it to good ends, and those were far back into the past, in a time before war was such a cultural normality. To remove it from Seireitei seemed a prudent move. Nobody expected he would survive...nobody thought that he could come back."

"I suppose that makes sense," Shunsui rubbed his chin. "It's a bit cynical, but I guess, after something like that, people wouldn't want the risk of it recurring."

"Heaven's War was an unpleasant thing," Retsu murmured. "I can quite understand the choices made by the Regent to remove such danger from this place."

"The firesword was the Phoenix, wasn't it?" Shunsui questioned. "Do you remember what the sword was called?"

"Ryuujinjakka," Hiyama's eyes became nostalgic. "I remember it all right. A blade like flame...held by a teenage boy. Nobody could forget that...no matter what."

"Then you were right in your first instinct," Shunsui said evenly. "You wanted to send word to Y...Genryuusai-sensei, didn't you? That's what you asked Mitsuki - to get word to him, because she told you he was the most powerful shinigami in our society?"

"Yes," Hiyama looked surprised. "She told me she didn't have the authority to do that, but she could contact her Captain...you, Retsu-dono," he added, glancing at Retsu, "and could ask your advice and help. I'm grateful for her efforts in that regard, as it helps to be able to speak to the Head of the Unohana directly, but...why?"

"Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni is the one who holds the Phoenix blade, Ryuujinjakka," Retsu said softly, and Hiyama's eyes widened in disbelief. "He is still alive in this world, Hiyama-dono. And, on hearing your words about the man who has been causing untold mischief among my comrades, I will make it a priority of mine to send word to him immediately. From what you say, this Kunimori is his uncle...and more, Genryuusai-sama is capable of stopping him. If that be the case, he must be alerted, before Kunimori-dono can do further harm."

"Santarou...? Still...alive?" Hiyama murmured, and Shunsui nodded.

"Not only that. He's trained a lot of the current crop of shinigami - myself included - to fight for justice and to keep the peace," he agreed. "He never inherited the Yamamoto, but I always wondered why it was he decided that way. Everyone holds him in the highest esteem - as though he is the core and nucleus of the Yamamoto family, and yet he never did take control of it. Maybe this is something to do with the reason why. Maybe he felt there was unfinished business...though it seems strange to think of Yama-jii as a teenage boy."

"I shall send word to First District, to warn Yuuichi-sama of the potential danger Kunimori may pose him," Retsu got to her feet. "I'll send an urgent missive to the Academy too, at once. That is also in District One, and if Kunimori-dono is indiscriminate in his hostility, he might cause the young ones there harm. I think it best that I waste no further time. Please, excuse me...I will return as soon as I can, but I am realising how many things need to be done, and how much time has already passed us by."

She bowed her head to Hiyama, then Shunsui, before withdrawing from the chamber and leaving the two men alone.

"Santarou must be an old man now," Hiyama reflected pensively. "But no, you said his name was Genryuusai Shigekuni? I see. Well, that is better news than I had hoped. If the power of that fire sword is still here in Seireitei, then perhaps there is a way to bring Kunimori's ambition to heel at the very least."

"But not the Soldier?" Shunsui asked quietly. Hiyama's eyes clouded, and he shook his head.

"Not even the firesword of the Phoenix can kill the Soldier," he said gravely. "Tsuneyoshi-dono's sword controls the divide between life and death, including his own. Even with my ice sword freezing me for so long, I can't cheat death the way that he can. Kunimori has also aged - but my old friend...has not. It is not as simple as that to stop the Soldier - in the past, the control over that power was Tsuneyoshi-dono himself, but now..."

He faltered, then shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted sadly, "but I fear my old friend is lost beneath the shadows of his sword's power."

"Hrm," Shunsui pressed his lips together, remembering the encounter in District Eight. "I wonder. He didn't come to attack me until he misread my name on my sword scabbard and thought I was Harumizu. Apparently he doesn't remember what Harumizu looked like or anything else about him bar his name, but it seems as though he has a specific target. There was an incident at the Kuchiki manor as well, where I believe this Tokitori prevented Kunimori from slaying members of that Clan. From the way he spoke, it sounded as though the violence of the assault there bothered him, and was part of the reason that he and this Kunimori parted ways."

"Tsuneyoshi disliked hearing the voices of the dead," Hiyama reflected. "The war troubled him - fighting troubled him. He wasn't a monster when I knew him - perhaps he is not a monster now, I don't know. But...I know he is here and that he seeks Harumizu-dono's life. I have waited this long because I hoped that, as his oldest friend, I might be able to talk him out of violence, and from your words, it does sound as though some rational part of the man still remains. But...my Dragon saw them...and I don't know. It's hard to be sure what he is thinking, especially if he has been in the company of Kunimori-dono for some time."

"You keep saying your Dragon saw Harumizu," Shunsui glanced at the sheathed zanpakutou. "I don't really understand what you mean. Obviously you aren't talking about me, which is what Mitsuki assumed when you gave her the warning. I'm glad she did - but Harumizu died a long time ago. I don't even know when, but we're talking many centuries. Probably millennia. And if you've been here the whole time, then how..."

"My sword's power is that of ice," Hiyama ran his fingers over the hilt of his weapon, pulling it slightly from its scabbard so that Shunsui could see the weave of scales that surrounded the sword guard. "But this is a Royal Sword. It froze me in time, but when I sleep, the Dragon's spirit can roam. Perhaps you could call it an out of body experience - but it is the Dragon, and not me, that sees these things. The Dragon sword is known among its brethren as having a particularly strong sense of duty and right, and that can make it singleminded in its purpose. Since I have been here, I have slept almost entirely. In that time, my Dragon has been the one to see the danger - and has urged me awake to speak to you all."

He smiled faintly.

"As you can see by my being here, its singleminded attention to duty and responsibility also infected me," he added, gesturing to himself. "It takes a fair amount of resolve to be willing to seal yourself in ice for who knows how many years to come, and know that, while you do this, all the people you once knew will age and die and leave you behind."

"All right," Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "I can believe that, given that I know Royal Swords have particularly potent abilities, and I can tell you have considerable reiryoku locked away inside your body. You might have hibernated for a long time, but I can tell your reiryoku is old and potent, just like Sensei's. Maybe that's why it's so easy to believe what you say - and that you really do remember my ancestor. However, if you do, you'd know that he wasn't still alive. Your Dragon would have seen it...wouldn't it?"

"My Dragon followed Harumizu's spirit. He followed the scent of his zanpakutou," Hiyama replied, pushing the blade back into the sheath with a soft snap. "Swords are usually more attuned to other sword spirits, and Royal Blades are, technically, all siblings from the same Imperial weapon, back into their origins. True, the more times they are reborn, the fewer ties they seem to share with each other, but they are still able to recognise a fellow spirit."

"So Harumizu had a Royal Sword too? And that's why he could manipulate memories?" Shunsui became thoughtful. "I don't like the direction in which this is heading, but I suppose I have to ask. It wouldn't have been the Mirror Sword, would it?"

"You came to that conclusion very swiftly," Hiyama looked surprised, and Shunsui sighed.

"There are only three Royal Swords held in the current Soul Society," he owned. "Yama-jii's Phoenix, the Rebel and the Mirror. And I know that the Mirror sword is carried through my family's bloodline. But the one who holds it now is young and still in training, Hiyama-dono. If he's the target of some immortal with a grievance, then..."

He paused, as Retsu's words suddenly resonated with new clarity through his thoughts.

 **On the contrary, I suspect he is in danger.**

 _Retsu-sama._

His eyes became slits.

 _So you already pulled those details together, before I did. You knew that Harumizu held the Mirror Sword, and so you realised...that the target isn't me at all, but Kohaku_.

Out loud he said,

"You said Tokitori doesn't remember what Harumizu looks like or anything about him. Does that mean that we've some time...?"

"Perhaps," Hiyama looked troubled. "He attacked you because he was confused, but I imagine he would have realised soon enough that you might be a Kyouraku but you don't have the Royal Blade he seeks. As I said, the swords can detect one another, and his weapon, Meidoushi, would tell him his error, even if he couldn't recall it for himself. Meidoushi will find the Mirror Sword, sooner or later. Whether he's been distracted by Kunimori and his evil designs on the Yamamoto title, I wouldn't like to say - but you only encountered Tsuneyoshi. Whatever Kunimori intends to do, Tsuneyoshi-dono is now pursuing his own goals."

He folded his hands in his lap.

"Tell me, Shunsui-dono - is this Mirror sword strong?"

"Yes...I'd say so," Shunsui reflected, "but Kohaku - the wielder - has only been in possession of the blade for five years. It's definitely a strong weapon, but raw and untrained in many regards. And Kohaku himself...is still only in his twenties."

"Santarou defeated Kunimori's rebels at the age of fifteen," Hiyama pointed out, but Shunsui sighed, shaking his head.

"Yama-jii is something else," he said helplessly. "Royal Swords are as strong as the wielder...but Kohaku's circumstances are...somewhat exceptional. He had no training at all until he came into the care of a good friend of mine. And Yama-jii defeated Kunimori. You said he is strong but he isn't immortal. Whereas this Soldier..."

"The Soldier is said to be able to choose when he dies," Hiyama said simply. "He relinquishes his life when he seeks to. The Soldier is a rare sword in itself. Tsuneyoshi-dono was the first to ever be reborn with it, and he has been in the Dangai since, so there are not others after him. There is no record on how to kill a Soldier...that's why Harumizu and I worked so hard to ensure he'd stay in the Dangai for as long as possible."

"You...and Harumizu," Shunsui said slowly. Hiyama nodded.

"The sentence was passed by the Regent," he agreed, "but it was Harumizu and I who carried it out."

"So he might seek you, too?"

"That's my reason for being here. Harumizu didn't think his spell could outlive the Soldier, so we assumed that he would return one day. I froze myself in ice to wait. My hope was that I might reason with him because we were always friends," Hiyama shrugged. "I'm not afraid to face him, and if I can distract his attention from your young Mirror sword holder, then maybe I can have some success in preventing bloodshed. Harumizu probably submitted to wedding proposals in order to ensure that his bloodline continued, just in case a future Mirror sword was needed to clean up the mess - but from what you say, he miscalculated and instead those actions have drawn danger to a young one who must be protected. I am not a fan of killing, either, and if I can protect an innocent life, then I will try. I do know Tsuneyoshi better than any other, living or dead. Tsuneyoshi, despite the nature of his sword, wasn't a killer by nature. But a healer...is the most dangerous killer of all. They hear the voices of the living and the voices of the dead, and slowly, it eats them up inside. Meidoushi is a dark presence which my friend kept under control for a long time. He separated himself from the conflicts in his family, and lived peacefully - but then Heaven's War changed everything."

"Retsu-sama said that he raised his niece from the dead and she went on a rampage," Shunsui reflected. Hiyama nodded.

"So did he," he agreed sadly. "Meidoushi took control and he savaged his way through his family to take back custody of his son. He killed everyone he found in the main house, even his own sister. And he raised his blade against his son, too - Tsunenao-dono tried to stop his father and Tsuneyoshi injured him, but failed to kill him, thanks to the sacrificial bravery of one of the Unohana's most loyal retainers, Endou Hiromu. Tsuneyoshi was fond of Hiromu, and adored his son, and the trauma of that moment seemed to bring him back to sanity, at least enough for him to surrender. Harumizu took Tsuneyoshi's memories of Seireitei to try and prevent him returning, but also to protect him from remembering the things he'd done against his own people. How much he recalls now, I don't know - but Tsunenao's life was almost forfeit because he allowed Meidoushi its head. Tsuneyoshi-dono didn't fight the sentence of being put in the Dangai. He wanted to be somewhere he could never hurt his son again...and the Kuchiki Regent granted him that."

"He didn't choose to die?" Shunsui asked. Hiyama shrugged.

"He tried to do that, too," he recalled, "He tried to take his own life after the attack by stabbing himself, but it failed. Meidoushi refused to grant him the oblivion he wanted, and so the Dangai was the only solution. Everything that happened after the massacre in Unohana Province was done with the knowledge of Tsunenao-dono as the inheriting head of the Unohana, but I believe it was also my old friend's will as well. But just because he wanted it doesn't mean Meidoushi did. Harumizu's memory spell also could only reach the soul, not the sword that dwelled within it. Whatever Tsuneyoshi has forgotten, Meidoushi probably has not. The Soldier may have the power to choose when they die, but that's only if they have full mastery over the will of their sword. Tsuneyoshi-dono avoided using his as much as possible, and we only found out that terrible day the cost of his decision not to engage with the power born into him on a more decisive level. Meidoushi is a dark blade, I told you - and Royal Swords, once they have a foothold in a weakened soul, are far better at slipping their will and intent into their wielder's behaviour than regular swords. It's why Royal Swords only ever bond with the most powerful souls - and why we take such time to truly master them."

"I can understand your meaning," Shunsui's mind flitted to Kohaku, and he frowned. "All right. So Meidoushi is driving Tokitori's desire for revenge, and, because of Harumizu, Tokitori doesn't remember enough about the actual incident to fight against it?"

"Probably," Hiyama agreed. " When Harumizu removed Tsuneyoshi-dono's memories, he removed all recollection of him ever having hurt Tsunenao. But Tsunenao was ultimately involved in condemning his father to the Dangai. To prevent further trouble, Harumizu told me that he left behind threads of memory relating to himself and to me. That way, if ever Tsuneyoshi did come back, his grievance would be with us, and not with his family. Unfortunately, that attempt at mercy seems to have backfired - but neither he nor I could see the future. The spell Harumizu cast lasted a good long time, though. Far longer than we anticipated. Now it is broken...it is difficult to know how much of it remains, or even what broke it."

"I can think of something," Shunsui rubbed his temples. "Five years ago, when Kohaku raised the Mirror Sword, he did so by destroying a Senkaimon Gate. It was a necessary thing to do, but since then, Gates on the network have begun reacting to his reiatsu. Harumizu's sword was a Mirror. Meidoushi - that's what you called it, right? - must have resonated to a familiar spiritual aura. Without realising it, Kohaku probably awoke Tokitori."

"That seems likely," Hiyama chewed his lip. "It is unfortunate, but the spell would not have lasted forever. I can't imagine Harumizu realised that a future Mirror sword might actually break the spell, rather than help to maintain it."

"More than that," Shunsui looked troubled. "Harumizu might not have been able to do it, but Kohaku's Mirror sword allows him to see both into the future and back into the past. It's reacted to spirit energy coming out of the Gates already - that's probably why it resembles Harumizu's Mirror so much. It's linked to the past as well as the present. Kyouka Raigen - his sword - may even remember, deep down in its own recollections, the events that led to Tsuneyoshi's exile. Even Harumizu's life. How similar their reiatsu is, I don't know, but I've heard it's possible for swords like that to be reborn into the same souls. If their reiatsu is similar enough to be mistaken for one another, then Kohaku's life probably is in real danger."

"This Kohaku of yours can see into the future and back to the past?" Hiyama asked softly. Shunsui nodded.

"I've seen proof of it with my own eyes, and I don't have any doubt that it's the case," he said grimly. "Trying to keep him separated from this incident is probably impossible. Even if we tried not to tell him, I think that sooner, rather than later, he'll learn about it anyway. Either from his sword, or from all the conflict...and I'm just wondering whether we'll be able to keep him safe."

"To deal with Tsuneyoshi is why I came here," Hiyama said matter-of-factly. "If I can become the target for his revenge, maybe Tsuneyoshi will feel the matter is resolved and over. Especially if I can convince him Harumizu already died. Maybe then he can relinquish Meidoushi, because Meidoushi will have avenged itself as well."

"That's risky. You might get killed," Shunsui warned. Hiyama smiled sadly.

"I am already dead, realistically," he said matter-of-factly. "My body was frozen in ice, but it still took spirit power to maintain that state. I still aged, internally and spiritually - you said yourself that my spirit was old and potent, even though I have been dormant all this time. My body has probably already surpassed its natural clock. Little by little I will probably become weaker, and so it is better I face my friend before I lose the ability to really manage the Dragon in the right way. The fact that it has roamed free so much since I have been here is a sign that I am not as strong as I used to be. I didn't come here to begin a new life. Everything and everyone I knew are long gone before me. I am prepared to die if it means taking my old friend with me and finally giving him the peace he sought three milennia ago."

"Then I suppose you need to speak to Yama-jii," Shunsui reflected. "If he can take care of his uncle, then we can all focus on the best way to manage the Soldier. I have a position of authority at present and I'm prepared to abuse it as much as need be to keep that young boy safe. And I understand your emotion towards your friend. I have a friend like that, who I trust more than anything and for whom I'd give my life if need be. That friend is closely associated with Kohaku, like a surrogate father, and all this might bring them both into harm's way. My friend is strong, but...his weakness is his kindness, and..."

"And yours is your loyalty," Hiyama offered a warm smile. "You are like your kinsman, Shunsui-dono - he would be proud of you."

He held out his hand, and, with a moment of hesitation, Shunsui took it, shaking the other's cool fist in his own.

"I am at your disposal," he continued. "With the help of the current Clans and shinigami, I trust we will be able to finally bring the Soldier peace."

* * *

 _At last._

As the blood rain continued to fall over the Kuchiki manor grounds, Senaya lifted his head up towards the sky, his grey eyes narrowing at the crimson hue of the clouds that blocked his sun's rays from view. He had toyed with the old man up to this point, wanting to drag his opponent out to the fullest extent of his power before crushing him like the insect he was beneath the glare of the Sun's spirit. Kinnya had aged unforgivably since the time when he had dared to speak up against the will of his Clan Leader, but now, with his hair greying and his face lined, he was no longer the fearsome opponent who Senaya had given so much respect.

The sight of it filled the corpse's empty soul with the proud sword's contempt.

 _You call me Taiyourei as though it were an insult - as though the soul of a Royal Sword is somehow less than the one who wields us. But you are wrong, Kuchiki Kinnya. We are not weak in the way you are weak. And you are wrong in another way, too. The soft being you called your brother may be gone, but this body is still functional and I can still use it. I am Senaya now as much as I am Taiyourei. And I will drum into you, once and for all, who is the better. Neither you nor Raiurei can continue this battle much longer. I will let you bleed yourself dry, and then I will watch you burn and sizzle away into nothing right here before the manor your stupid father took so much pride in._

The grey eyes darted back to the hunched form that stood before him, taking in the hoarse way in which the old man dragged air into his lungs. From his vantage point, Senaya could see that Kinnya was gripping Raiurei's hilt tight enough to make his knuckles white, the colour in stark contrast to the vivid crimson that now stained both the other man's robes and the glittering blade of the weapon itself. But it was the red tint of blood at the old man's lips that told Senaya that Kinnya was pouring all of his life energy into releasing and maintaining his ultimate level of attack. Above their heads, the clouds rumbled, the edges taking on a distinctly crimson hue. Kinnya was still working hard to block the rays of Taiyourei's Solar Aura, and the result was an eerie glow that illuminated the whole landscape in a blood red haze. It was as if sunset had come early to the Kuchiki main estate, but despite the old man's efforts, Senaya made no move to attack. On the ground around his feet, the grass, which moments earlier had been seared to ash by Senaya's shadows began to revive, tiny blades of green pushing their way stubbornly through the charred ground wherever Kinnya's blood rain fell.

 _In the past, when you did this, you could stand tall and meet my gaze._

Senaya's lip curled at the recollection.

 _Your blood rain would bring life back to the areas scorched by my sun flares, and your annoying thunderclouds would stifle my Sun into submission, squeezing every inch of light out of it. You would wash away my spirit power with your tiresome storm, and Senaya always knew he could not kill you at this level, no matter how hard we tried. Now it takes every breath just to hold the sky together, and you cannot touch my Sunlight. You have become weak with age, Kinnya. You are hardly a worthy opponent, now, but I will make do with what you have left. To see you desperate and struggling before my power will simply have to do, if a proper fight is no longer possible._

The lightning that had danced and darted across the sky to break up the solar rays had now disappeared, as Kinnya focused all of his energy down into the hilt of his weapon. Raiurei's blade was thick with blood now, and as Kinnya raised it towards the heavens, one large burst of dazzling electricity illuminated the entire surroundings, zig-zagging through the close atmosphere to make contact with the tip of the stained tachi. The flare was bright enough to rival Taiyourei's own solar energy, and amusement glittered briefly in Senaya's soulless grey gaze.

 _You always were trying to match up to your brother. Now you are trying to eclipse him...but rainclouds this feeble cannot eclipse the Sun. I will have my say, here. I will destroy this place, and I will hunt down Senaya's wretched children and slay them too. Then...then I will go and find the cursed Moon race and destroy every one of their blood so that the Moon God can never rise and vex me again. Without the Moon, the Sun will have full reign over the sky, day and night - and even if Senaya's heart no longer beats and his voice no longer reaches me, I can still use this shell he left behind to amass power and influence in this spirit plane. I can still achieve the things he tried to cut short, for love of those wretched brats of his. Not even Kinnya can stop me now, so there's no chance at all that either of them will be able to._

He raised his arm, tilting Taiyourei's blade pensively to reflect the glitter of electric energy that now filled Kinnya's entire aura. Although from this distance he could see the pain it was causing the other man to channel and harness so much storm energy, he allowed his opponent a brief moment of control over the heavens. Then, with a cry of triumph, Senaya's arm came down, and the flare of light that burst from the tip of the blade seared right through the thick cloud cover, setting the sky alight with eerie flame. Kinnya gasped at the sudden assault on his spirit power, and one by one the droplets of blood rain began to smoulder into tiny balls of falling ash, fragmenting and evaporating before the glare of the restored solar glow. Kinnya dropped to one knee, his teeth gritted together as he struggled to restore the clouds once more, but it was to no avail, and Senaya snorted, swiping away the feeble wisps with a decisive swing of his blade.

"You are weak, old man," he said cruelly, his words echoing emptily around the valley. "You should have known that, one day, I would be back here. I am your karma - for Senaya and for myself. You brought us death all those years ago. Now I will bring you to yours. Such a thing is justice...you should know better than to fight against the Sun."

Kinnya raised his gaze to his brother's, but Senaya could see that the energy was sapping from the old man's body, the effort of maintaining the cloud cover at the expense of his own life force beginning to take its toll. The shield of electricity that had protected him began to fizzle and fade away, and Kinnya coughed again, blood spilling down his chin as once more, Raiurei's harsh electric energy burned through his aging body.

Senaya paused for a moment, taking in the man's huddled form. Then he sighed.

"Goodbye, Kinnya," he said softly, raising his blade once more. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure. Maybe it was for Senaya, but he was a fool. I am not so soft as he was, and you won't get mercy from me."

Kinnya's lips parted, as though to speak, but before he could croak out any kind of response, there was a tremendous rumble of energy from the sky overhead. Despite himself, Senaya started, momentarily distracted by this apparent sign of Kinnya's restored spiritual energy, and he took a step or two back, gazing at the crouched figure of the old man with wary suspicion.

"You're half dead," he muttered. "How can you still defy me, when you've ripped your own lungs to shreds trying in vain to keep me at bay?"

He frowned, seeing the look of surprise and then alarm that flickered in Kinnya's expression.

 _It's not him. Whatever it is, he knows it...but it's not him._

Senaya turned to glance behind him, but he could see nothing. Overhead, the flares of sunlight had been completely obscured now, covered in clean, fresh stormclouds that rippled and thundered at intervals. Light glittered between the folds of the clouds, illuminating the grounds below in a softer yellow haze, and, as Senaya struggled to work out what was happening, the heavens opened once more. Instead of Kinnya's blood rain, however, this water was fresh and clean, each droplet cool to the touch. At the distraction of his attacker, Kinnya flopped down onto all fours, breathing heavily as Raiurei's blade resealed itself, but Senaya's attention was no longer on the defeated old man. Instead, he held out his free hand to catch the droplets in the crease of his palm, gauging its feel against his skin. Unlike Kinnya's water, which, when gathered together, had the power to wash reiryoku out of an opponent, this water seemed deceptively normal, as though nature itself had coincidentally intervened in their battle - but Taiyourei's senses were not fooled by the appearance of an innocent storm.

 _There's a sword here. Someone else is here. I didn't sense them arrive, but they are here...cloaking themselves in the residue of Kinnya's aura. A smart tactic suggests an intelligent warrior - but this isn't Kinnya's storm. It's another. It's different._

The sensation of something cold and wet around his feet made him glance down, consternation crossing the corpse's features as he realised that the old river bed was beginning to flood and that what had previously been patchy grassland was quickly turning into a swamp. No, he realised with a jolt of dismay, for the remaining blades of grass were already being swallowed up beneath the flow. It was as though the old river was being reborn, for from every side of the ancient bank now flowed a determined current of cold, brackish water, pushing aside rocks and plants that stood in its way to fill the dry bed. Out of the corner of his eye, Senaya was aware of his broken opponent dragging his heavy body up onto a patch of higher ground, but he paid the man no heed, intent instead on discovering the source of this new, unexpected offensive. The water was already well above his ankles, and Senaya cursed as the cold water lapped against the hems of his funerary robes, making them heavy against his pale, dead skin. For a moment he debated trying to head for the river bank - and yet, as the water seeped lovingly through every crack and orifice in the soil, he knew that it was not like Kinnya's water, and it was not a form of attack. In trying to avoid it, he was more likely to be opening himself up for attack. Although the current wove around his body, inspecting every inch it could reach with the curiosity of a living beast, he could sense no danger in its flow.

 _Whoever has this power, they could easily flood this valley and wash everything away. Even if they cannot wash away reiryoku, they can clearly command the water, and that must be their weapon. And yet they don't attack. I can smell the taint of another sword in the river flow, so why do they hesitate?_

Senaya's eyes rested momentarily on Kinnya, who had managed to pull himself painfully up the bank a little way, and his eyes narrowed in comprehension.

 _Whoever it is, they don't want to kill the old man. I would escape the flow, but he's too exhausted to swim or shunpo from danger. Whoever is doing this, they care about his life, and that is why they have intervened. But where are they? And why flood the river bed at all, if they don't intend to use the water to attack me? It seems a waste of time and energy...so why..._

He bent, touching chalky pale fingers to the surface of the water, blurring his reflection and sending ripples out around his body.

 _A distraction, then? Something to make me pay attention to my feet, when I should be..._

Senaya faltered, as a sense of dark foreboding prickled against his dead spine. Slowly, and not without misgivings, he raised his head up towards the heavens.

And then the lightning came.

This was not Raiurei's tired blaze of electric energy, a last desperate attempt to provide his master's worn body with a shield against Solar flares. The silver-yellow darts of energy illuminated the sky so brightly that it dazzled Senaya's vision briefly, rendering him unable to see anything but the bright white that burned itself momentarily into his retinas. He blinked a few times, seeing the sweep of lightning moving around the sky but, unlike Kinnya's storm, these darting bolts of electricity appeared as sharp as blades, striking out in an offensive warning against any who dared attack them. Instinctively, Senaya raised his sword, parrying back the probing zig zags, and as he did so, he saw for the first time what he was fighting.

 _The flood was buying time. Time to summon something else...the real enemy is in the sky, not on the ground at all._

To begin with,the shape had been concealed against the hazy heavens but, as the storm's close aura grew heavier and more dense, the wraithlike form of a creature became visible against the grey backdrop. Where Senaya had anticipated blades of lightning, he now saw them to be claws, long, sharp and unforgiving as they probed for a gap in the corpse's defences. The rippling electric pulses that ran through the claws soon illuminated a limb to which they were connected, and then, as Senaya found his gaze drawn upwards, he saw they were linked to what was unmistakeably a spine. He took a step back, able now to make out the full skeleton of some kind of spectral monster, its bones forged from lightning bolts. The creature's eyes were glittering balls of jet black coal illuminated by the white heat of a pearl flame that flickered more brightly with every electric pulse. The serpent's glare bored down into Senaya's own dead eyes, the intensity as potent as any of Taiyourei's own solar flares. Sharp teeth carved from the storm clouds glittered from the creature's skull, and as Senaya stared, he realised that the sweeping black and white scales of the beast were not scales at all, but tight swirls of liquid pulled into the gravitational flow created by the electricity. Delicate ribbons of glittering light threaded together thick streams of water and surf into a heavy white tail, which swung out and curved around the beast like a shield. Long black fins dripped with gem-like spray as they swung down towards Senaya's body, and he cursed, jumping back just in time to avoid its range.  
 _  
Like Kinnya, using water and lightning as a weapon, and yet...I know it's not him. This spirit power is young, and fresh. I don't know it. Senaya never met this person, so neither did I.  
_  
He cast Kinnya a sidelong glance, but the old man was not paying him any attention, his gaze fixed too on the apparition that writhed and danced above their head as though stalking prey.

Kinnya's lips moved, and although his words were too faint to make out, Senaya thought he saw the man mouth three syllables.

 _Juu...shirou?_

As if acknowledging the old man's words, a fresh flare of lightning cut across the heavens, and for the first time, Senaya saw the individual behind the storm, standing in silhouette on the riverbank. Behind him, the water curled in a protective shield, the edges as jagged as though they were carved from the sharpest stone, and Senaya knew that this was the source of the probing current that still swirled around his legs. Although he was holding back the flood out of deference to Kinnya's injured form, Senaya knew that every droplet was under the control of this stranger. It had indeed only been a distraction - an opening gambit while the monster in the sky took form. The real battle would begin from this point, and Senaya gritted his teeth, the sword spirit that lurked within him annoyed with her own apprehension at facing an unknown opponent. The stranger's face was entirely concealed by the bright flares of lightning and the dark cloak of the stormclouds, but even though Senaya could not see the man's features, he knew that the other's gaze was trained on him intently, focus and resolve in every inch of his stance. Something long and narrow was clutched in each hand, and although Senaya could not make out what it was, the ripples of electric energy which flickered around the man's aura originated from these two objects. The rhythmic sparks reminded Senaya of the lightning spirit pulse that characterised Raiurei's shikai release, and Taiyourei's spirit was suddenly struck by this uncanny family resemblance. Hurriedly she searched through the remnants of Senaya's damaged memory for any recollection of Kinnya having a son, but there was nothing.  
 _  
A bastard daughter, and that's all. A discarded brat who cannot have inherited the Rebel blade's power, especially not when Kinnya still lives - and yet this...this is as though Raiurei himself spawned a child._

There was a moment of stillness, and then the newcomer raised his right arm, summoning the beast until it hovered obediently above his head, awaiting his command.

Amid the rumbles of thunder and the crack of lightning against the clouds, Senaya heard a voice speak.

" _Bankai_ ", it said, in clear, confident tones. " _Sougyo no Kotowari: Fuuinryuu_."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **It's Juu's birthday again, and the anniversary of Meifu as well, so have a suitably themed chapter for the occasion. Happy holidays to all who celebrate. Thanks to all who reviewed this year and see you in 2019!**_

 _ **Also: Clearing up name confusion**_

 _So it got flagged with me about a level of confusion over naming techniques and what names matter for Kunimori's spell. And I realised this is me being a mediaeval Japan geek person not explaining myself clearly and coherently, so my apologies for that :)_

 _Kunimori's spell works with an individual's_ _ **real name**_ _. With Shirogane I may have referred to it as his birth name without thinking of the Western or modern associations with a birth name and registering it and so on. What I really mean is the name officially given to a child that denotes their identity and their heritage. For Shirogane this was Nagoya from his father and Shirogane as his formal given name. He was adopted by Guren for form's sake but this adoption doesn't make him any less Shirogane the son of Nagoya Ginya. Thus Nagoya Shirogane is his proper real name. You may have noticed he still refers to Guren as his uncle, not his father._

 _In the older period around Heaven's War, names were given through a coming of age ceremony (genpuku) in their early teens._

 _ **Santarou, Genryuusai's childhood name, is not his real name.**_ _It's not really a name, but more of a place marker and literally just means Yamamoto first son. His real name is Yamamoto Shigekuni, which he received at the age of fifteen, following Heaven's War._ _ **The key difference is that, around Heaven's War, a person was not properly named till their teens, whereas in Juu and Shun's Seireitei they are properly named from birth.**_

 _The Heaven's War naming system is based on real naming conventions surrounding identity in Mediaeval Japan, when receiving your name and the choice of characters it contained was a seminal moment in a young warrior's life and key to their alliances and actions going forward. They would often receive one character with a particular family significance (in the Yamamoto case, here, that would be 'kuni') and then one from a sponsor who would generally be seen as the young warrior's future benefactor and ally, so was usually chosen from the same or higher social class, to give the youngster their best chance going forward. In Yama's case, his decision to take Shige from his lower ranking retainer/manservant (or menoto) was against the usual policy - he had no sponsor or connections, and took himself into obscurity, allowing his brother to take control of the Clan instead._

 _It is these 'real names' that Kunimori's sword works on - names which, in the age that he came from at least, were awarded through formal ceremony, not just assigned at birth. Kunimori's sword follows the conventions of the world he came from, not the one he now finds himself in - in which a person's real name denoted their heritage and identity. In short, **in which a person's name itself provided 'Knowledge'**_ _. But of course to the people of Juu and Shun's Seireitei, where those naming conventions are now faded, the easiest way to explain how the spell works is to refer to it using people's real names. In their case, 'birth' names, albeit without the Western connitation._

 _If Kunimori was able to act on generic placeholder names like Santarou and Sanjirou (the childhood name of Yama's brother, meaning Yamamoto second son), then he would have been able to kill Yama's brother as a child and he would've quickly realised Yama had a Royal Sword because the spell would not have worked. Thus by delaying the coming of age ceremonies and the formal receipt of names, Yama's father was able to protect his sons from his brother's ambition. Not having formal names yet meant they were protected from the spell._

 _Sorry if I confused anyone._

 _Also - no, I am not going to comment on how this chapter ended._

 _ **You'll just have to wait.**_


	48. Dragon of the Falls

**Chapter 47: Dragon of the Falls**

The air was thick over the Kuchiki estate, and, as the rain swept down, it was all Juushirou could do to keep his footing in the slick mud beneath his feet.

Every breath he drew into his lungs was clogged with his grandfather's reiryoku, interspersed with something unfamiliar; an acrid sensation that emanated from the pale figure which stood only a few feet from Kinnya's huddled form.

Juushirou's heart clenched in his chest, his hands gripping tightly to the hilts of the two broken sword shards as if afraid that any slight relaxation in his grasp might cause the apparition that swung and weaved above his head to turn and devour him instead. The weapons were now little more than two sharpened barbs, like lightning conductors, the rest of the shikai blades having fragmented into dust at the release of his Bankai in order to draw together the water and lightning that formed the core of the spirit dragon that now loomed above him. Although he knew this was a normal part of Sougyo no Kotowari's progression, the unfamiliar sight still made him uneasy.

He had never used this power like this before. He had trained with it, with Kinnya, but only on a couple of occasions had he managed to draw out this level of release, and then, only for a few moments, before the ferocious dragon of storm and sea which was Sougyo no Kotowari's truest and purest form splintered and exploded into a burst of light, leaving him gasping for breath on the ground. The first time, he remembered grimly, he had lost consciousness, only to wake up a week later in the tender care of the Fourth Division. This was not a good time to experiment, and yet, with Kinnya's bloody form hunched over on the river bank, he knew that it was also not a time to hold back. Taiyourei's spirit was potent and rich, its unforgiving waves of solar energy already beating down against the thick cloud cover that spread like a shield in the sky above their heads, and it was only a matter of time before his own defences, like his grandfather's, were ripped into shreds and burned in the Sun's forbidding glare.

He took a deep breath, aware that now, more than ever, he needed to control his spirit. In'you were capable, he knew that. It was he who had always been the weak link, his fragile physical state and his uncertain health holding him back and slowing down every step of his training - but right now, Kinnya's life, and also, now, his own life, rested on his ability to hang on just that moment longer. The enemy had turned his head, pale, empty eyes staring at him from across the sodden grounds of the Kuchiki estate. Juushirou had never met Senaya, but this first glimpse of his grandfather's brother was eerily familiar, his features reminding the Thirteenth Division Captain of the fallen Captain of the Sixth who lay unconscious not far from this land. Something about this realisation hardened Juushirou's resolve.  
 _  
Seireitei is in danger. Now isn't the time to hesitate. I'm committed to this fight. I only hope I can pull this off. In'you, please don't let me down. I may be about to do something very stupid. I'm trusting you to make sure that I'm alive for you to scold me at the end of it._

There was no reply from the fish within his blade, but the creature that writhed above him lowered its head slightly, its pearl-flame gaze meeting his for the briefest of instants. Comforted by this acknowledgement, Juushirou uttered a quick internal prayer, glancing from one hand to the other to ensure that the spark of electricity that flared between them was still bright.

"Who _are_ you?"

The enemy spoke now, his tones clear and carrying despite the fact he spoke out of vocal chords that had lain unusued for several years. Juushirou did not speak, knowing that if he opened his lips to do so, he would probably cough blood and choke, breaking his concentration and weakening his position. This enemy was dead, he reminded himself. There was no need for any mercy. This wasn't a person, nor an ally. It was a dead sword spirit possessing the corpse of a respectable man, and he would have to end it.  
 _  
But can I end it?_

Juushirou glanced at Senaya's blade, as the corpse raised its arm, the tip of the weapon glinting with light once more.  
 _  
Can I get past the blade to the man beyond? Can I..._

He faltered, his gaze resting on the gleaming weapon as the first fragments of an idea began to come together in his brain.

Senaya swung his sword arm determinedly towards the ground.

"If you will not answer me, I will sear you through and then kill the old man!" he exclaimed, and the atmosphere suddenly swelled with energy, as the Sun's power blazed forth once more from the weapon, searing across the grass and evaporating the water into clouds of steam. Without a moment of hesitation, Senaya swung the weapon back across in the opposite direction, and the flare of light shot out towards where Juushirou stood, the heat drying the drops of falling rain before they could even reach the ground. Without pausing to think, Juushirou swung his left arm up, as though instinctively trying to absorb the flare into the blade of his left weapon, but the broken tip glittered ominously with reiryoku at his gesture, and the spectral monstrosity that pawed the clouds above his head opened its mouth in a silent roar.

Juushirou winced inwardly as he felt his spirit power surge inside of him in response to his desire to protect himself, and the dragon's huge aquatic tail swept around in a sharp arc, the long streams of water colliding with the solar flare. Despite the fact that Senaya's weapon had scorched through the rain, the density of water in the dragon's tail was a different matter, and, as the two collided, the beam of light shattered and fragmented through the liquid into the colours of the rainbow. These bright rays lit up the clouds harmlessly for a moment before fading into the misty haze as nothing. The enemy cursed, clearly taken aback by this unexpected resistance, but Juushirou drew a ragged breath into his battered lungs, aware that he was only seconds away from losing control of his breathing completely. Although the dragon's tail had done its job, Juushirou could feel the beast's pain at the collision, and he knew that the spectre had taken damage from the directness of the hit.  
 _  
Sorry, In'you. I didn't think. I'm so used to shikai...I didn't think what to do. Thank you for protecting me - I'm sorry I didn't react with more speed._

 **Keep your composure, Juushirou.**

You's voice was impassive.  
 **  
This fight isn't over. You have time to grovel later, but a few burnt tail strands will be nothing if you end up a charcoal corpse.**

 _Right._

Juushirou gritted his teeth, steadying his reiryoku and drawing it back once more under his control. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his grandfather, slowly and painfully pulling himself out of the line of attack, and this movement, though hesitant and stiff, reassured the Thirteenth Captain that the old man was not mortally wounded by his encounter with his brother.

 _So I don't need to worry about him. Whatever happened between them, I got here in time. Now I have to use what I can do, because both our lives probably depend on it. This is a Royal Blade, but that's all it is. A sword. It has no shinigami driving it - and that means it doesn't understand how to fight with that body or strategise to preserve life. It only understands raw power in its blade. And I can use that. I need to. It's about all I have that I can do_. _This isn't a fight I'm going to win by direct combat. So I'll have to use my other strengths. I'll have to use my brain._

Glancing once more at the broken blades he held in each hand, he drew them slowly together, so that the guard of each weapon brushed against its companion. The beast in the sky responded once more, lowering its head and bringing its claws together in a clearly defensive formation. The heavy tail dropped down behind it, exposing to the gaze of the enemy the scorch marks that now rippled through the strands of water, leaving gaps in the heavy shield. At this sign of damage, Senaya let out an exclamation.

"I see. You're not as powerful as you pretend to be, are you? Your dragon is hurt, just from such a small blow. Why are shinigami so pitiful and so stupid? I was foolish to think your blade resembled Kinnya's. You're nothing but a weak imitation - and now you've lost the element of surprise. You have nothing with which to fight me. Do you really think it wise to stand and wait for me to come?"

Juushirou did not answer, and the dragon in the clouds swept the tail from side to side, before bringing it back up over its head, allowing the flowing water to fall down like a shield between Senaya and its master like the silver sheets of a waterfall. Senaya snorted, darting forward with his blade gleaming with energy once more, and, with one fell swing, he severed through the tattered strands of cascading water, sending them splashing in all directions and evaporating into a cloud of steam as he probed forward to reach Juushirou's own body.

"Juushirou!" Kinnya's hoarse voice penetrated the hazy atmosphere, but Juushirou's gaze was fixed on the glint of the blade, and at the last minute, he leapt back, bringing the broken shard of his right blade down sharply by his side. Immediately the dragon responded, its electric claws pawing the air between Senaya and his target. Claw met blade in a spark of light and energy, and Senaya cursed, taking a step back before renewing his assault. Senaya may have been long dead, but Taiyourei's spiritual energy showed little sign of running out, and Juushirou allowed the corpse to draw closer and closer, each time allowing the claw of the dragon to prevent Senaya laying the tip of his blade against Juushirou's own body. Senaya was now close enough that Juushirou could see his features clearly, and make out the form of what had once been a handsome and charismatic leader, but the dead eyes just chilled him to the bone.  
 _  
Nobody should be forced to walk beyond the grave, In'you. And nobody who loved that person should be forced to see them like this. We need to put an end to it. I can't hang on much longer. He's close, now. Is it close enough? Do you think...can you do it?  
_  
 **Only one way to find out.  
**  
You's voice responded.  
 **  
Trust us, Juushirou.**

In added.

 **We are your spirit power. If you die here, Kinnya dies too. These are the times that you need us. Put your faith in us. We will do what we can.  
**

 _Right._

Juushirou slipped into a clumsy shunpo, re-materialising some few feet to Senaya's left. The movement startled Senaya's concentration, and the corpse swung around, blade extended as he tried to gain proper aim on his foe. His movements were quick, but Juushirou knew he no longer had time to waste. With a cry of determination, he thrust his hands out before him, and immediately the creature above his head swooped down, swirling scales glittering with the flickering pulse of electric energy as the claws extended towards Senaya's body. Senaya drew back the blade, ready to parry away the monster one more time, but, instead of engaging claw on blade as he had done previously, this time the beast's huge ghostly head plunged down towards Senaya, it's immense jaws opening. In a split-second it had clamped those jaws around the glimmering metal of Senaya's blade, holding it fast. Juushirou gasped, feeling the blood and bile surging through his body as, instinctively, the dragon's contact with the other weapon drew in Senaya's spirit power, attempting to transform it into its own attack. Senaya cursed, struggling to pull the blade free, but the creature's teeth held firm.

The next moment there was an explosion of energy, so bright that for a moment Juushirou thought that he himself had exploded. The entire landscape was engulfed in a haze of spiritual energy, in which sound and vision were swallowed up. Everything around him seemed silent and white, and he could no longer discern the ground from the sky. His body was filled with an intense, ripping pain, and he felt his lungs spasm in his chest, as finally, the effort of holding back the flooding reiryoku proved too much. He choked, blood spilling from his lips, but the damp sensation of fresh blood against his skin little by little brought back his other senses, and he dragged air desperately into his lungs, wiping his sleeve across his lips to remove the blood as he tried to bring his surroundings back into some kind of focus.

He did not know how much time had passed in that moment of oblivion, but, as he brought himself back slowly to the present, he realised that he was on all fours, and that Sougyo no Kotowari lay on the ground in front of him, sealed into its sleeping form. The dragon that had ruled the sky was no longer anywhere in evidence, and the storm clouds that had covered the heavens had drifted away in shattered wisps of broken spiritual energy. The rain no longer fell, but, as Juushirou gazed cautiously around him, he saw that his gamble had somehow paid off.

Lying on the ground a few feet away was the motionless form of Senaya's corpse, his skin pale and chalky in contrast with the crimson stains left on his funeral robes by his exposure to Kinnya's blood rain. In his thin fingers, the hilt of Taiyourei was still tightly clasped, but the blade itself was broken off at the base and, as Juushirou pulled himself painfully towards the corpse, he could make out shattered fragments of silver steel against the ground. Where each piece of Taiyourei's blade had fallen, the ground was scorched and dry, and despite the previous flood, the force of the explosion had evaporated the water from the river bed and surrounds, leaving a muddy, mulchy mess. Juushirou ignored the soft and slimy feel of the earth beneath his hands and knees, pressing forward until he reached Senaya's side. Carefully, and with a trembling hand, he raised his fingers to Senaya's throat almost automatically, before realising that such a gesture was futile. As he moved to close Senaya's eyes, he realised that the corpse, which had previously seemed so impossibly alive, now seemed more of a cadaver than ever. Beneath the funerary robes, the chest and stomach had sunken in, and there was a greyish, gaunt look to Senaya's features which had not been there in the moments before. Despite himself, Juushirou pulled his hands together in a silent prayer.  
 _  
He really is dead, now, isn't he, In'you?_  
 **  
He always was. What you killed was the sword. Swords shouldn't be able to control their masters like that. It's unnatural.**

You said frankly.  
 _  
Thank you, both of you.  
_  
 **You don't need to thank us, Juushirou.**

In scolded him softly.  
 **  
We're a team. We fight these things together. That sword, she'd forgotten what such a partnership means. Swords like that should not exist. You did right, coming here. Now you should rest, and let yourself recover.  
**  
"Juushirou!"

Kinnya's voice from across the grass made the Captain turn, and he offered his grandfather a rueful smile, dragging his heavy body to his feet and moving to retrieve the sealed Sougyo no Kotowari.  
 _  
I guess now I have to face the music, and explain to him why I'm here, don't I?_

 **You saved his life. He should be grateful.**

You remarked.

 _Maybe._

Juushirou cast a glance back at Senaya, then let out a sigh.

 _It's thanks to Ojiisama that we even know this technique. I hope he understands why I intervened...just like he did, all those years ago, when Keitarou wanted to kill me. Sometimes not having a connection to the enemy is the best way to fight._

 _Grandfather was willing to shed his life in battle against his brother, though - and by coming here, I prevented it. I hope he understands why I wanted to save him - and isn't angry that I did. From the things I heard when I arrived, their relationship was much more complicated than I even knew...I hope he'll forgive me for meddling in Kuchiki matters. But then, he didn't tell me that he intended to act like that. I suppose I have to talk to him about that as well. Having Clan family is sometimes so complicated, In'you. I swear, no matter how long I live, I won't fully ever understand it.  
_ **  
He will understand that you came to defend him from love, just as he defended you against Keitarou. Clan or District, it doesn't matter. Your bond to him is like your bond to us. It is a connection, and you are right not to forsake it easily.  
**  
In said gently.  
 **  
Now, go speak to him. I am sure he is proud of you. We are. Today you used your Bankai in battle to save a life. It may be the first time, but it probably won't be the last. Take pride in that feeling. You are now a shinigami to be reckoned with...just as your father always believed one day you would be.**

* * *

Shunsui had come to District Four.

Mitsuki pushed back the sliding door that led out onto the main pathway down towards the forest, stepping out onto the stone and pulling the door shut behind her as quietly as she could. With her patient otherwise occupied, she had taken the decision to head out into the green land that surrounded the Fourth District hospital in search of herbs and other wild flowers. It was true that there was always a need to top up the reserves of dried greenery in the main medicine preparation chamber. Deep down, however, she knew that she was not just going to collect raw materials. Despite Retsu's simple explanations, she had felt a deep sense of unease when she had seen Shunsui, the wound at his brow clearly cauterised by her Captain's kidou magic. She had not forgotten the strange message that Hiyama had urged her to write, and Shunsui's appearance, coupled with the sudden interest in the mysterious frozen shinigami, told her enough to know that something much bigger was at stake than she had currently been led to believe.

 _But it isn't my business to ask two Captains what is going on, and it isn't as though I can talk to Hiyama-dono about it, either, not while they're here - although I'm sure he would tell me if I asked. He seems a lot more coherent now than he was at first, and if his message was a warning then clearly he knows something about whatever is going on in other parts of Seireitei. Well, I'm a healer and I'm currently relieved of my main duty. We always need herbs, so I might as well take a walk down into the woodland and see whether I can find any clues around the place Hiyama-dono was apparently found. I don't know the exact location, but if I can get to the village nearby, maybe I can ask some of the locals there. They know me, and I'm sure they'll remember. They know the forests better than I do, and maybe if I find something useful, I can use it to broach questions with my Captain without seeming like I'm interfering in something above my rank.  
_  
She pulled the strap of her herb bag further up onto her shoulder, resolve in her silver grey eyes.

 _I'm not here to get involved in political matters, but Hiyama-dono is my patient, and I rather like him - even if I don't understand everything he says. And Kyouraku-kun may be the Captain of the Eighth Division, but he's also my school friend and I don't want him to get hurt. If something attacked him...and Hiyama-dono's message was true...then the place he was found must be worth investigating. He must have got here somehow. The only explanation is that there's a Gate, somewhere in the vicinity - but Saionji-san said they'd all been locked down, and in any case, there's no Gate on the network in this forest. That means...something else. And..._

She bit down on her lip.  
 _  
Keitarou was able to open Gates. And so could someone else. I can't help but think that maybe the reason I don't know as much about what's going on as maybe I could is because someone is protecting me - someone in Inner Seireitei, maybe even Kyouraku-kun too. Because five years ago I did something that would get me into a lot of trouble, if it were to be widely known. But I really believed in him...and I want...to keep believing._

She sighed heavily, taking the turning that led down towards the village with a heavy heart.  
 _  
I have to settle it for myself. I have to know what's going on - and whether I made a big error of judgement, in saving Katsura's life that day.  
_  
As she crossed the small brook, stepping over the ring of stones that marked the edge of the forest and ducking in between the broad trunks of two flourishing trees into the woodland beyond, something struck through her senses and she paused, gazing around her in alarm as she registered the faint but unmistakeable sensation of an opening Senkaimon.

 _But they're all on lockdown..._

Without thinking about the potential danger, Mitsuki quickened her pace, hurrying through the trees in the direction of the sensation. While she knew that she was being reckless, her fears nagged away at her heart. There was no Gate in the woodland, and yet someone had opened one. The Gates were all sealed, and yet one had been opened...and...

A sprawling tree root halted her flight and she would have fallen headlong, but a hand shot out from behind one of the taller laurel trees, grabbing her by the wrist and forcibly steadying her. She took a breath, turning to thank her unexpected saviour, but as she met his solemn blue gaze, the words died in her throat, and she just stared at him, unable to make a sound. At the sight of her consternation, the other individual sighed, releasing his hold on her and leaning up against the tree trunk. He was wounded, she realised, for a bloody and torn scrap of fabric was tied around his upper arm, but in spite of that, she had not picked up either his presence or his injury until he had shown himself in front of her.

"I didn't think you'd be happy to see me," he spoke in resignation, "but you could try not to stare at me as though I'd grown a new head, Mitsuki-san."

"Katsura-kun." Mitsuki found her voice at last, struggling to take in this apparent proof of her worst fears, standing in front of her. "Then...the Senkaimon...you..."

"Yes, I opened it," Katsura looked surprised, then his eyes narrowed, and he became thoughtful. "I see. You think I'm responsible for all the trouble as well, don't you? Well, I don't suppose I can blame you. But I didn't come here to fight with you. I sensed your reiatsu, so I came to meet you. I hoped you'd at least listen, because there are some individuals and they need your help."

"My...help?" Mitsuki echoed faintly, and Katsura nodded, grasping her by the wrist once more and dragging her into an unexpected shunpo step. Disorientated, Mitsuki found herself speeding through the streams of light to an unfamiliar clearing, and as the world came into focus around her once more, she let out an exclamation, taking in with horror and dismay the sight that greeted her.

Sprawled out on the grass, in various stages of sandy dishevillment were several unconscious Gotei shinigami, each in dusty shihakushou. One of them was badly injured, and, as she took an unsteady step towards them, followed by another, she was aware of the lingering strands of the Senkaimon once more.

"I didn't hurt them," before she could say a word, Katsura spoke again, and Mitsuki gazed at him uncertainly. "You're looking at me that way again! I swear, I didn't. I came to you because you're a healer. Your job is to fix people, isn't it? Well, I thought you might fix them."

"What happened to them?" Slowly Mitsuki crouched down at the side of the most badly injured individual, reaching to his throat to check his pulse. A rough tourniquet had been drawn around his body, stemming the worst of the bleeding, and with a sense of relief she realised that no major organs had been ruined by whatever had done the damage. Although the right lung had almost certainly suffered with the force of the attack, it had not been bad enough to stifle his breathing. The damage was mostly to the ligaments of the right arm, but, although they were torn, nothing was missing, and she reached to her waist for Yuuyugo, the idea of collecting herbs forgotten as her healing instincts took precedence.

"They went into the Dangai," Katsura's lip curled slightly at the memory. "I tried to send a warning about it, but they went in anyway. I guess it didn't get to Koku in time - or he didn't tell his Captain. Anyway, they were stupid, and went in. And then he," he jabbed his foot in the direction of the most injured individual, "cornered me in the forest and made me help him go in too, so I did. I can open Gates, so I helped them. But I guess they were in there too long. He's hurt too," he added, shunting his foot towards a second, red-haired officer. "Those two weren't in there as long, but I guess the Hollows battered them about a bit, so it had the same effect. I didn't do it," he added again hastily, as Mitsuki sent him a troubled look. "I swear! I didn't. And I was going to just disappear - but I sensed your reiatsu. I thought...hoped...if anyone would come with me and listen...you would."

Mitsuki did not reply at first, murmuring instead the release command to her zanpakutou and watching as the tiny fragments of spiritual energy scattered and sank deep into the nasty gouging wound. The aura around it suggested it had been inflicted by a Hollow, but there had been no Hollow sightings in District Four in some weeks.  
 _  
Which means Katsura's probably telling the truth?_

She pressed her lips together.

 _But even if I want to believe in him...I need...to be sure._

"I came here to look for a hidden Gate, actually," she said aloud, as she guided the last of the fragments into the wound. "They're all meant to be locked, but...I couldn't shake the fact I knew someone who might be able to open them. And here you are."

"Yes..." Katsura looked troubled. "Here I am."

Mitsuki turned her attention to the other shinigami, assessing them one by one for damage. As Katsura had said, the red-haired individual had suffered a blow to the chest, with a cracked rib or two, but the injury was not serious, and, as she looked at him, she frowned.

"Kotetsu Tenichi?" she murmured, and Katsura nodded.

"You know him?" he asked. Mitsuki shrugged.

"A friend of mine does," she said evasively. "Then these are officers from the Seventh Division?"

"You didn't know that?" Katsura seemed surprised.

"I don't spend a lot of time in Inner Seireitei," Mitsuki replied evenly. "I spend time in Rukongai, and out in places like this. I'm a healer. I go where I'm needed."

"I suppose so," Katsura's expression became clouded. "I'm sorry. I promised I wouldn't ask anything of you again. I don't really have the right to do so now. Maybe it was a mistake, showing myself to you - I guess you would've found them sooner rather than later, anyway."

"Maybe," Mitsuki sat back on her heels, gazing up at him. "You're hurt too. Don't you want me to look at that arm?"

"No," Katsura touched the ragged sleeve of his robe with his good hand, then shook his head. "I don't have the right to ask you to do anything for me. I wanted you to heal them, that's all."

"I see," Mitsuki's expression softened, and she spread her hand out over Tenichi's chest, a faint glow of kidou engulfing his upper body. "Then you are trying to remember the things I said to you, five years ago?"

"I would never forget them, even if I wanted to - they're engraved into my soul, I think," Katsura sighed, reaching up his good arm into the tree bough and pulling himself up onto the lower branch of the nearest laurel tree. "I've done nothing but think about it, since that day. And I didn't intend to ever speak to you again. But...I suppose part of me also wanted to. When I sensed you...I..."

He hesitated, and Mitsuki offered him a faint smile.

"I don't really understand what's been going on in Seireitei, though I know something has," she said softly. "And if you helped these shinigami, somehow, then you must know more than I do. Is there something you want me to know, Katsura-kun?"

"I don't know," Katsura admitted. "Just, this is the place that shinigami appeared, isn't it? The one that was frozen in ice."

"I suppose so. I came to look at that for myself," Mitsuki reflected. "Why? What do you know about it - or him?"

"Nothing. I've never met him. I just heard rumours on my travels, and I knew the Gate was here, so I figured that here was where he came out," Katsura pursed his lips. "I'm telling the truth, Mitsuki-san. I did open the Senkaimon. I opened it to let them out, but I made a deal - I said I'd get them out if they let me go, and I don't intend on staying. I couldn't take them closer to Inner Seireitei. It's too dangerous for me. But I knew your hospital was near here. I thought...in Fourth...someone would help them. And I promised I wouldn't kill any more shinigami. For Koku's sake. And for yours. Because I already disappointed you once. I don't want to do so again."

He curled up against the trunk of the tree.

"I don't want to kill people," he said softly. "I never did. But I did, and I can't change it. And the last time we met, you saved my life even knowing that I'd done that - to people you cared for. In spite of that, you helped my brother. I know that where he is now, he's happy and he's no longer alone. And...I can't ever repay those debts to you. So at the very least, I didn't...want to disappoint you. I wanted you to see...that I listened to you. So I wanted you to know...I was here. And that...I wanted you to help them. Not me."

"I believed in you five years ago," Mitsuki got to her feet, cupping her hands together to form a tiny black butterfly, which spread its wings across her palm before fluttering off into the sky. "I've sent for help, but I'm sure they'll all be fine. Even this one...his injury is deep but the bleeding is stemmed now and he'll heal. Kotetsu-kun's injury has probably also made him weaker, but it's not serious enough to kill him. As for the others...they're just exhausted. Dehydrated, too. I don't suppose they've eaten in a few days...but if you were in there too..."

She eyed him speculatively.

"I can't sense anything from you," she added. "I can't sense your reiatsu or feel your pain, either. I know your arm must hurt, Katsura...and I can see from your face that you're tired, too. I am a healer, remember. My duty is to heal those who need it. If I don't help you now, who will look after you?"

"I'm fine," Katsura offered her a wry smile. "I'm used to scraping a living and my body can get by without much fuel. I also wasn't in there as long as some of them, and I don't think being around Hollows bothers me as much as it maybe does them. I was a little shaky when I came out, and I don't really know much about my spirit power, even now, but I grew up in a much more hostile environment than they did, and I guess it helps. I don't need you to heal me - it will heal on its own, this time. But there is one other thing that you can do for me...maybe for them as well."

"Which is?" Mitsuki looked startled.

"Koku's Captain. You know him, don't you?"

"Juushirou?" Mitsuki frowned. "Yes. We were at school together. Why?"

"I thought so," relief flickered in Katsura's eyes. "I remember you saying that Koku was with someone you cared about. Good. Then listen. The Gotei have stepped up searches for me in recent weeks. I've done some thinking, and I've realised that by hunting for me, they're wasting resources. Your frozen shinigami isn't the only individual who came through a Senkaimon Gate. There are two more - and they're dangerous. I know they went to attack the Kuchiki manor. You're a Kuchiki, so I guess that'd bother you."

"Anyone being attacked bothers me," Mitsuki murmured, though her heart leapt in her throat as she recalled Retsu's words about Guren and his apparent injuries, realising that Katsura's claim was corroborated by her Captain's statements as well. "Was anyone...killed?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there to see, but I heard about them," Katsura's reply was vague, and gave the healer little comfort. "More importantly, the Dangai isn't just the Dangai. I guess they," he jerked his head towards the unconscious Seventh officers, "will report on it too, but who knows how long it will take for them to be coherent about it, and there's not much time. There's a whole other world in there, on the other side of the Gates. A world with sand and Hollows and...those two rogue shinigami were in there. Maybe for a really long time, plotting an attack. I don't know about your patient, but the other two...I can tell, it's something major. There are also lot of scary Hollows in there. I don't know if...they can get out of the Gates, but I saw one in the Dangai, so maybe they can. Maybe they will. Maybe they've been doing that exact thing for ages, and it's just that nobody's noticed. In any case, though, the ones inside the sand world are not normal Hollows. They can think and they can plan and they use a technique like shunpo to attack, only it's different. I could control them, but your comrades? They didn't do so well."

"So that's why they're hurt like this?"

"Mm," Katsura nodded. "That one," he indicated the most injured, "jumped in front of a claw like a moron, and it impaled him. In any case, by my estimation, the shinigami didn't seem really prepared for Hollows that think and hunt. I could read the Hollows' thought processes, so I could anticipate them and I could manipulate them to attack each other - but if I hadn't, some of them," he gestured to the collapsed group of officers, "would not be here now. And then there's the other problem. Those shinigami. Their reiatsu is all over the Gate in Sixth and it's not normal. It's scary. Scarier than Father's...maybe scarier than Koku's, when his rages out of control. I haven't seen them, so I don't know what they look like - but I don't need to see them to know that they're a threat. One of them, he has an aura like death, and there have been random incidents around Seireitei of corpses coming to life and attacking people. I'm sure it's them. I'm certain of it, and if the shinigami don't take it seriously, it's going to get worse. Your friend...Koku's Captain...he probably knows more about this than you do, and maybe more than me. But I want you to take a message to him, from me. I want you to tell him...please...that they don't need to look for me any more. I won't be causing any more trouble to anyone. They need to stop these shinigami before they do real damage. I don't need Koku's spirit power to know that people are going to die."

"Corpses...coming...to...life?" Mitsuki blinked, and Katsura frowned.

"You really don't know anything at all, do you?" he demanded, and Mitsuki shook her head.

"No, but I'm starting to build bits of a bigger picture," she said grimly. "If I take this message for you, though...Katsura, what are you going to do? You've helped these shinigami get out of the locked Dangai, which is fine - but..."

"I'm going to take myself out of the picture," Katsura said evenly, and Mitsuki was alarmed.

"Take yourself out...?" she whispered, and Katsura shook his head.

"You gave me this life," he said evenly, putting his hand to his chest, and Mitsuki knew that, beneath the worn fabric of his clothing lay the scars of the wound she had knitted closed five years before. "You gave it to me and told me to use it to atone for the things I did for Father. I've tried to do that. I'm not afraid of dying, but I won't take this life myself. It's the easy way out, so I won't. But while the shinigami are looking for me, they won't find out what's really going on. So please, tell your friend that I'm not going to be a problem for anyone any more. I've decided what I need to do. It's a bit of a gamble, but I think it's the right decision."

"You promise you aren't going to hurt yourself?" Mitsuki asked softly. "Your brother loves you a lot, you know. He'd be devastated, if you did."

"I stopped Koku from taking his own life, once," Katsura replied simply. "I wouldn't set him that kind of bad example. No, I give you my word. You gave me this life. I'm not so selfish as to choose to end it myself."

"Then you probably shouldn't linger here," Mitsuki remarked. "I sent the Hell Butterfly, and people will come to help bring these shinigami to the hospital. If you don't want to be captured, you need to leave. You're tired and you need rest...and to make sure you clean that wound, if you won't let me treat it. Do you understand?"

"You are going to let me escape, then?" Katsura cocked his head on one side, eying her keenly. "Even though to do so could get you into more trouble?"

"I was worried, when I came out here," Mitsuki admitted. "I knew that something was happening with Senkaimon, and when I sensed it open here, I felt sure it must be you. I was worried...but now I'm not. I know you haven't done anything, Katsura-kun. Even though I can't sense anything from you, now, I can tell. And it's not my job to capture prisoners. I heal people. I don't fight them."

"I don't deserve your faith in me," Katsura looked sad. "But I do try to live up to it. I won't hurt any shinigami, Mitsuki-san. Tell your friend you saw me. Tell him what happened - tell him what I said. Oh, and one more thing."

He gestured his good arm towards one of the unconscious shinigami, the only female member of the group.

"That's the daughter of Endou Hirata," he continued, and Mitsuki's eyes widened at this unexpected tidbit. "I know, right now she doesn't look much like a hime, covered in dust and with her hair all over the place, but she is. My sister killed her brother. I wanted to avenge Sakaki's death, but then you came, and you healed me, even though I killed your friends. I don't owe the Endou a debt, but I owe you one. So you can tell Hirata-dono that his daughter is safe. I'm not seeking trouble with the Endou. I don't want anything from them. And by returning his daughter to him, I want him to know I don't care. I could have killed her if I'd wanted. They all collapsed the moment they left the Gate, and I could have - but I didn't. I didn't hurt any of them. I'm not interested in revenge. You taught me that - that sometimes revenge isn't the right thing. Sometimes it's better to just let go."

He winked at her, but his smile was melancholy, and, with a whoosh of shunpo, he was gone. Alone in the clearing with the injured officers, Mitsuki swallowed hard, running over the conversation in her head.  
 _  
So now there's no choice. I'll go to Juushirou. I'll ask him - and I'll pass on Katsura's message. I don't know...what happened to the Seventh officers or why they were in the Dangai. I don't know why Kikyue-hime is here...I only met her in passing, so I didn't recognise her, not in this dishevilled state. He is right - like this, Katsura could have killed any of them to avenge his sister. But he didn't.  
_  
She sighed.

 _Maybe it wasn't wrong to heal him, five years ago. But something in his expression...it reminds me. When I was a student, I prized the life of Onoe Tomoyuki so much that I pulled him back from the brink. Because I did that, he existed in an unconscious limbo, and ultimately was made a puppet to kill by Aizen Keitarou. Looking at Katsura today, hearing his words...I feel like maybe I made the same mistake again. Katsura is his own man, not a puppet. He knows his own mind, but I feel as though...that fact is causing him pain. He took my words to heart - but somehow I feel they've become his burden. I don't know what he is planning, but it worries me a little. When he looked at me...for a moment, I felt he'd given up. That he really intended to hurt himself...but even if he lied to me, there's nothing I can do. I can't sense him at all. All I can do is get these officers somewhere safe, and then go to Inner Seireitei. I need to find out the gaps in this puzzle...and find out what exactly is threatening Seireitei now Keitarou is dead._  
 **  
**

* * *

"Well, the Kuchiki manor grounds have certainly seen better days."

Kinnya sat back against the sodden grass, resting his weight on his hands with a heavy sigh as his grandson carefully picked his way through the muddy puddles and slick ground to join him on the riverbank. Though his uniform was dirty, and there were signs of blood on his sleeves, the Thirteenth Captain seemed mostly unhurt, and at this realisation, relief flooded the old man's heart. When he had first sensed his grandson's reiatsu, he had been worried, afraid that Taiyourei's dominant spirit power would rip the young man to shreds in front of his gaze, but, as he took in Juushirou's form now, Kinnya realised that he had underestimated his kinsman's ability to fight under pressure.  
 _  
I always knew he was powerful, and that he had potential. But when we've trained, it's sometimes been inconsistent. Today, it wasn't. I suppose that was because it couldn't be...because it was for real. His life and mine were both in the balance...and I could not have kept fighting, so thankfully he could. I am old and I am rusty, Raiu. You may be a Royal Sword, and I may be the Rebel, but today, Juushirou proved that he's in no way our inferior. And perhaps it would have horrified Oniisama, had he really been here to see it - an illegitimate grandson born in the Districts - but I confess, now it's over, all I can do is be grateful that he was here and that he cared enough to intervene. A Clansman may not have, not in a battle of pride and honour like that one - but Juushirou sometimes acts from other motives, and every time he does, I am refreshed by his involvement in my life. I had given up on us...but he hadn't given up on me. I suppose that is the foolishness of a Kuchiki, compared to the idealism of the Districts._

Out loud he said,

"That was unexpectedly violent of you, my boy."

"You were about to kill yourself settling old family grievances," Juushirou sheathed his sword, sinking down beside his grandfather with a reproving look. "You came here to fight your brother to the death and you didn't tell me. Don't try and pass it off with jokes now, Ojiisama. I take that very seriously."

"I didn't come here to do any such thing," Kinnya protested, and Juushirou arched an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose it ended up that way. I admit, I wasn't expecting quite that kind of a fight. But Taiyourei was strong and she was resentful. And I realised that she could do as she pleased, because she didn't have anything to hold her back.

"I heard some of the conversation between you," Juushirou reflected. "Taiyourei accused you of killing your brother. You didn't deny it."

"I told you when first we met that old Clansmen like me all have skeletons in the closet," Kinnya sighed again. "It was one of the reasons I held back from meeting you, because I didn't want to taint you with such business."

"I think by the time we met, I was already pretty familiar with tainted Clan business," Juushirou said acidly, and Kinnya offered a humourless smile.

"Maybe that's true," he agreed. "I had hoped not to talk to you about that particular skeleton, but I suppose it can't be helped. I didn't kill my brother, no. But I did aid and abet him in the ending of his own life - something he hoped would bring his sons together and unify the Clan for the future. It's my biggest regret, Juushirou. I was always loyal to Senaya-nii - and as you see, I still am. Fighting his corpse reminded me...and at the same time, it didn't. There was nothing of my brother left in that apparition...but still..."

"Senaya-sama killed himself?" Juushirou's gaze flitted to the still form lying on the grass a short distance away. "I didn't think that was something Kuchiki did."

"It isn't, which is why it had to be so carefully plotted out," Kinnya grimaced. "My brother loved his sons more than anything else in his life. Well, all his children, to be truthful. But Guren and Seiren fought so as children and he didn't know what else to do. So he arranged his own assassination, and charged me with ensuring that, after the event, his sons were united in hunting down those responsible. Of course, the assassins were those whose loyalty made them willing to die for the cause, but even now, neither Guren nor Seiren knows the depth of their father's love, or his deceit."

"Hearing that makes me so glad I'm not a Kuchiki," Juushirou groaned. "I'm sorry, Ojiisama. That must have been a heavy burden to live with, especially if Senaya-sama expected you to bear it alone."

"I think today I realised for the first time how much of a burden it was," Kinnya admitted. "I am fond of my nephews and of Shirogane and Ryuu as well. But today I fought my Clan Leader...the man whose shadow I was born to be...and having his corpse shout accusations against me like that, in Senaya-nii's voice...I admit, it was more than I was able to deal with."

He swallowed, tears glittering on his lashes, and Juushirou sighed, resting a hand on the old man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I charged in," he said softly. "But I wasn't about to let my grandfather martyr himself over some old regret. You had a life then, but you have one now, too. A lot of people would grieve if you were gone. Me included. I am just as impulsive as you are, diving in to the rescue when someone I care for is in danger - and I suppose, in one way, I owed it for that day in the storm all those years ago...when you saved me from my foolishness and Keitarou's blade."

"Ah, we are kin indeed," Despite himself, Kinnya smiled, sending his companion a warm glance. "You needn't apologise, Juushirou. I was very happy to see you, as it happens. Although I don't remember ever seeing you use quite that technique before. We've only trained a few times with your sword in that level of release, and I don't remember it ever trying to bite me."

"Well, biting my grandfather is not very respectful, and definitely not filial," Juushirou's eyes glittered with wry humour. "Besides, it was a hunch - a gamble between In'you and I. I know your spirit power - the water your blade controls washes _reiryoku_ out of your opponents, but my flood can't do that. The waves that Sougyo no Kotowari musters are shields, but that is all they are. However, I do have one other skill that relates a little to yours. The ability to absorb and to refire energy."

"Yes," Kinnya frowned. "Yes, but with the level of power Taiyourei contained...to use such a skill...Juushirou, if that was what you thought to do...you are fortunate that the blade broke before she could burn you inside and out."

"No..." Juushirou shook his head slowly. "That was the gamble. Whether my dragon's teeth were sharp enough to shatter a Royal Blade. Whether Sougyo no Kotowari could do that before too much of Taiyourei's energy penetrated mine and forced me to deal with it. It was...a risk...but our intention was never to take her spirit power. It was to break her into pieces."

"To shatter the sword?" Kinnya looked startled. Juushirou nodded.

"I never fought Senaya-sama, or saw him alive," he said simply. "You did, which means you couldn't see him as anything but your brother. Even knowing it was Taiyourei, even knowing she was driving it - you still looked at the man, not the sword. But...if Taiyourei was really the source of the power, then Taiyourei needed to be taken out. And because Taiyourei's master is dead, she could use levels of power that a normal zanpakutou wouldn't be able to use for fear of killing the wielder. But, by the same token, a broken zanpakutou needs a living soul and the reiatsu of that soul to repair. So if Sougyo and I could break it...then..."

"Taiyourei wouldn't be able to fight any more," Kinnya's expression became one of wonderment, and then he laughed, reaching up to squeeze his grandson's hand briefly before turning his attention back to the broken blade that glittered in angry fragments across the grass. "I'm impressed. I've clearly managed, somehow, to produce a genius in my family line - though I am certain that intelligence didn't come from me."

"Don't be silly," Juushirou snorted. "You're the one who taught me to raise and release my sword to this level. And I've never used it before in battle. I hoped I never would have to, because if I'm truthful, I am still not entirely confident of holding it in release. If I hadn't had the element of surprise, she would have killed me, probably. But I had the objectivity. Like I said, that," he gestured at the body, "was never Senaya-sama to me. He was never my Great Uncle, or anything other than another corpse doll. I could make that judgement because he wasn't someone I loved. If it had been you, or Mitsuki, or one of my siblings...or Koku or Shunsui or one of my friends...then it would have been different. Like you, I'd have looked at the person, not the blade. And like you, I wouldn't have wanted to strike them down."

"I can't bring myself to do it now, either," Kinnya sighed, pulling his heavy body to his feet and limping painfully across the short distance to gaze down over his brother's soggy form. "Senaya-nii valued appearances so much. Even though I know I should put my blade through his heart, or burn the corpse, to make sure it can't happen again...I can't, Juushirou. I can't consign my brother to his grave in a state of imperfection. I will need to send for fresh robes before he is reburied...but although I know that to leave him is a risk, I...can't. It's one thing that I helped to put him here in the first place, even though it was done on his orders. I can't defile his body in death as well."

"But Senaya-sama isn't there," Juushirou moved to join him, a thoughtful look on his face. "Do you think even this necromancer could wake him a second time?"

"Shirogane did say that the man thought he heard a hime's voice. His companion mocked him for it," Kinnya remembered.

"Then it was Taiyourei he heard. Not Senaya-sama," Juushirou moved to carefully extract the broken hilt of the sword from Senaya's dead grip, glancing it over and handing it to his companion. "Maybe this should be burned...all of its pieces, just in case. I don't know if breaking a Royal Sword after the wielder dies is a problem or if it means the Sun sword won't resurrect again, but in the circumstances, I'm not sure I regret it. I'm not convinced Royal Swords are necessary or good things to have, given recent events, and it might be better for the future if Taiyourei isn't allowed to be reborn - at least for a long time. Koku's struggles have taught me that raising one is more trouble than it's worth. If we were to burn Taiyourei, Grandfather - would you be able to accept that? Then Senaya-sama could be reburied. His voice isn't here. His soul is gone. His corpse would be able to sleep in peace and nobody would disturb him again."

Kinnya took the sword hilt, turning it over in his hand.

 _Well, Raiu? What do you think? Is Juushirou right?_

 **Royal Swords are servants and partners of the living, Kinnya. Thanks to your grandson, you still number among that group. Your duty is, as it always was - to protect the living. Senaya is dead. Taiyourei is dead. Destroy the sword. It will change nothing, if you do. Taiyourei's soul was shattered from Senaya's body when the blade broke, but she still lurks there, deep in the fragments. If you burn the blade, then you set her free. The Sun sword may one day return - or it may not. Royal Swords are rarely broken, so I do not know the answer. But in this broken form, Taiyourei will be a prisoner forever. And for all her faults, no sword deserves that**.

"Raiu agrees with you," Kinnya raised his voice, offering his grandson a sad smile. "He says that Taiyourei is trapped in the pieces at the moment. Burning the blade will set her free and allow my brother to move on. Their bond was already severed...so it won't matter if we sever it a little more."

"I'm sorry, Raiurei," Juushirou bowed his head sombrely towards Kinnya's sheathed sword. "I realise we're talking about your sister sword, just as we're talking about Grandfather's brother."

"Raiu understands the finality of death. Probably better than I do," Kinnya reflected. "I am not sure if I can muster much kidou on my own. How about you? Between us, can we put an end to this?"

"I think we should try," Juushirou agreed. "Between us, we must be able to take care of Taiyourei's last rites."

"And then I suppose I will go and tell Seiren that we've made a mess of the Kuchiki manor grounds," Kinnya sighed heavily. "At least I can tell him that his father is no longer on the roam."

"Are you up to roaming yourself?" Juushirou looked concerned. "You forced your Bankai, and I can tell...it took a lot out of you."

"It did," Kinnya agreed, "and I'm an old man, so I don't recover as quickly as once I would from such activity. But I will be all right, Juushirou. There are probably still horses here somewhere, as the stables are to the rear. Unless you managed to drown them, which I doubt, I should be able to ride. In the current situation, there's not much time for taking care of wounds."

"No, but you don't need to do anything else just now," Juushirou said firmly. "Report to Seiren-sama, if you need to. I'll come with you to do that, as some of the blame is mine. But then you should go home and see Keiichi. You still need to talk to Jun'ei-dono about Katsura, don't you? Inner Seireitei you can leave to me - it's my job, and I can report this to Shirogane-dono if you need."

"Mm," Kinnya eyed his grandson critically. "I'm no more fooled than you are, my boy. You took some of Taiyourei's energy into you when your dragon bit her blade into pieces. You're covering it well, but I know that you're not feeling fully fit, either. It's hard work, to begin with, managing Bankai so effectively, and you are still very inexperienced with using that skill. The battlefield was full of my reiryoku and Taiyourei's as well, and your sword absorbs that matter easily." He gestured to Juushirou's stained sleeves. "I also saw you cough blood today, which is something you've not done in some time. I will be scolded if I let you come to harm. You have very attentive friends."

"I could do with a rest," Juushirou admitted. "You're not wrong, but I can walk, just as much as you can." He rubbed his chest ruefully. "I may have coughed blood a little, but in context, it's not as much as the last time I tried to use my Bankai. I didn't fully pass out, either, so I can manage. Besides," he shot his grandfather a sidelong look. "I'm not the only one who coughed blood today, am I?"

"Ah," Kinnya put his fingers to his lips sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders as they came away bloody. "I suppose not."

"You really did push yourself to the extremes, didn't you?" Juushirou sighed, shaking his head slowly. "I'm just glad I got here in time to intervene. I'm pretty sure I'm in better shape than you are, so we'll between us get word to Seiren-sama. Maybe he can arrange for Senaya-sama's reburial. Looking at the corpse, I think that needs to happen sooner rather than later...if Taiyourei's spirit is severed from it, it will begin to decay, and nobody should have to see that - especially not you. We should head to the Nagoya estate and report. Then you can go home, and I can go back to Seireitei. Whether I'll have a chance to take a break, I don't know - but I did get some sleep last night, so I'm sure I'll be fine. I am stronger than I was, and even if I cough a bit as a result of this, it was still worth my coming."

"Why did you come?" As they gathered the fragments of the blade into a small heap ready to burn them, Kinnya cast his grandson a quizzical glance. "I'm slow, but it just occurred to me that at no point did I give you reason to think there'd be a problem dealing with this here today. I certainly sent no distress signals or messages. What brought you to my aid? It's a long way to come from Inner Seireitei, especially without Gates. You must have pushed yourself through shunpo to get here - on what grounds?"

"Kohaku," Juushirou said simply, and Kinnya's eyes widened.

"Then that boy..?"

"Saw it raining blood," Juushirou nodded. "And a sun that was dead. He had no idea what he was talking about, but I did. And I put threads together. I've seen your Bankai, Ojiisama. And if I had been wrong, no harm done - but I couldn't take the risk I was right."

He rubbed his hands together.

"Well?" he asked softly, as his fingers glittered faintly with red light. "Let's put Taiyourei at peace. For the sake of Senaya-sama as well as for her own sake, it's time to bring this to an end."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Rokurou Tsunetoshi and the God of the Nunobiki Waterfall**_  
 _So I am already imagining all of you kind of blinking and going, what? Who? Where? At that author's note title. But I haven't lost my mind._

 _A long time ago, as a simple, naive Bleach fan, I believed wholeheartedly that Kubo-sensei would reveal Juu's sword powers, and his Bankai._

 _As a much wiser Bleach fan now, I know that not to be the case. But that fact alone made me determined that this time, this story...I wouldn't hold back. In the past, I have always been constrained where Juu is concerned because of the lack of official data on his abilities. People have complained to me about the fact that sometimes Juu isn't in those major battles - but that was because I was waiting for something that never came._

 _So this time, I decided that it would come. And when I stopped to think about Juu and the spirit power and the way I've written him to date, a story that I came across in my research for my PhD also crossed my mind._

 _In Spring of 2017 I was lucky enough to be based in Japan, and one of the places I visited was the Nunobiki Waterfall, in Kobe. This waterfall is very beautiful and has many poetic resonances, but while I occasionally dash them into this story, I don't really focus on Japanese poetry. I deal with warriors and war tales, and the story in particular that sprung to my mind was one relating to this location in a more brutal manner._

 _It focuses on a warrior of high rank called Shigemori and his retainer, Rokurou Tsunetoshi. They visit the waterfall, and Tsunetoshi, on Shigemori's agreement, goes to investigate. Tsunetoshi dives into the pool beneath the waterfall and finds a whole other realm beneath the surface. But his trespass angers the dragon god of the waterfall, who strikes thunder through the sky and lightning through Tsunetoshi's body, killing him outright. It is the spirit of this waterfall - this vengeful deity - from which I formed the basis of Juu's Bankai._

 _The combined form of In and You into a single Sougyo no Kotowari entity - the dragon of lightning and waves - was also deliberately done, because they have always been two parts of the same whole, two aspects of the same sword, and two elements that together make up Juu's power. Fuuinryuu_

 _actually means Dragon of Nunobiki. The connection between waterfall and dragon in Japanese orthography is particularly intense, as the character for waterfall in both old and revised kanji is essentially the dragon character with the three splashes of the water radical on the left hand side ( either_ 龍 - 瀧 _or_ 竜 - 滝 _). Nunobiki is also associated directly with this particular waterfall as well. For that reason, it can also be understood as the Dragon of the Nunobiki Falls._

 _The full name of the Bankai, including the sword name, is_

雙魚理・布引龍 _(Sougyo no Kotowari: Fuinryuu.) For anyone who doesn't recognise the choice of kanji for "sou" in Sougyo, there is a reason for this change. The character Kubo-sensei uses is_ 双 _, which is the simplified version of the character. It always kind of bothers me when old characters are given very new kanji for techniques and their sword names. It makes more sense to me that Juu's sword originally would have used the traditional character_ 雙 _, which only became obselete in Japanese after the Second World War. As this story is set way into the past, I have stuck with all traditional forms of the characters where necessary, including here._

 _Part of the reason I also took this line is that I have always written Sougyo as a descendent of Kinnya's sword, Raiurei, whose name means Spirit of the Rainstorm. Raiurei was inspired by stories relating to Susano'o, a decidedly rebellious deity from the Imperial Royal House who nonetheless slew a serpent (or orochi to be exact), stole a sword from its tail and used it to legitimise the Imperial house of Japan. It therefore seemed meet that Juushirou's own sword -while not a 'Royal Blade', had some of these aspects too - a lesser deity but also connected to dragons, water, storm and the desire to punish those who do what they really should not._

 _This is of course only one way in which Juushirou's Bankai could be represented, and I am not trying to make it canon by any means at all._

 _It has been a long time coming, but I hope it doesn't disappoint.  
_


	49. Yamamoto Blood

**Chapter 48: Yamamoto Blood**

It had proven to be an interesting and surprisingly productive day.

Shunsui sauntered down the main thoroughfare that divided each of the divisional territories, making his way thoughtfully towards the series of buildings and training yards that comprised the area belonging to the Eighth. Although he knew he had been lucky in the encounter with Tsuneyoshi that morning, with hindsight, he now realised that he did not regret being taken so utterly off guard. Because of that incident, he had learned a good deal more and, as he reflected on the conversation with Hiyama, he had also forged what could prove to be a useful alliance going forward.  
 _  
Of course, until Yama-jii confirms his story and that they're acquainted, I still need to be careful. It could be a trap._

Shunsui pressed his lips together absently.  
 _  
But I don't suppose it is. He didn't seem deceptive when speaking to me, and what he said correlated with Retsu-sama's story. I also have her book of the incident, which I will read when I can. Besides, if he was lying, telling me he knew Yama-jii would be self-defeating. He must know that we'd verify that...and we will, once Retsu-sama's message reaches the Academy._

He reached the entrance to the Seventh Division, pausing to gaze up at the imposing bird of prey that stood guard over the compound within.  
 _  
Plus, that's an added bonus. I don't suppose any of us expected Kikyue-hime and her companions to get back so relatively unscathed, but they are safe now, and we can stop diverting resources into finding them. Moreover, they'll probably be able to add more information to what we already have. Maybe, little by little, things are starting to come together._

He ducked beneath the claws of the hunting bird, making his way across the cobblestones towards the area where he knew Hirata had his office. Although several high ranking officers were currently missing, it did not appear that usual training drills had been suspended, as he could hear the sound of recruits running through their exercises, the occasional shout from Nakata or Hajime indicating that they were not being allowed any leniency, even in these circumstances.

 _Well, it's not as though I don't understand. Eleventh was attacked, and it makes sense to keep all those on site primed for whatever's to come next. Although it does mean their security today is unforgivably lax. If I was an enemy, I'd be able to walk right in - which is exactly what I intend to do._

Shunsui casually let himself into the main block, taking the first turning on the right and strolling along the hallway towards Hirata's office. The door was a little ajar, as though the Captain was primed in case of any unexpected messages, and, as he moved to knock lightly on the wood, the divide slid back, leaving Shunsui suddenly face to face with his old friend. At the quizzical look in the hawkish blue eyes, Shunsui offered a rueful smile.

"I see your guard isn't down, even if your personnel numbers currently are," he remarked.

"I sensed you coming from the moment you stepped into the Division grounds," Hirata replied evenly, folding his arms across his chest. "Well? I hope you have a good reason for trespassing. If you're going to summon a third Captain's meeting in as many days, Shunsui..."

"No, no Captain meetings. I promise. Not tonight," Shunsui held up his hands hurriedly, shaking his head. "No, on the contrary, I come bringing good news. I've been in District Four."

"I'm very happy for you," Hirata's eyes narrowed, and Shunsui could tell that he was sizing up his friend's appearance. "You certainly look like you needed treatment from someone. Those bruises are new since last night, and it really looks like someone used kidou to cauterise a wound or two as well."

"They're minor scrapes, but you're not wrong," Shunsui shook his head. "I had an encounter with one of our rogues, but thanks to Retsu-sama, I'm all right. But that isn't important at the moment. We took a trip to the hospital in Fourth District, where Mitsuki is currently stationed. I needed to speak to a patient of hers, but before I left there, a bunch of new patients were unexpectedly admitted."

"And?" Hirata arched an eyebrow. "Please don't play with my patience, Shunsui. It's not very great at the moment."

"I know," Shunsui relented, reaching out to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I can sense the Wind Hawk, lapping at the edges of your aura. But it's all right, Hirata. I told you, I'm bringing good news. The patients in question are your missing group of shinigami. They're tired and hungry, and a couple of them are a bit bruised, but they're none of them in danger of their lives."

"My...?" Despite himself, Hirata's eyes widened, and Shunsui nodded, slipping past his companion into the office and closing the door behind them.

"Kikyue and the others are back in Seireitei," he said softly. "They exited a Gate in Fourth District - one that isn't on our system - and Mitsuki found them. When I left, they were all being reviewed and admitted, but I was assured that none of them had life threatening injuries. The worst seems to be Ohara - he seemed a bit bloody, but apparently it's not a fatal wound. Kikyue was definitely among them. As far as I know, she has no injuries."

Hirata sank back against the wall of the office, removing his glasses and rubbing his brow. He closed his eyes, and Shunsui could sense the flickering relief at the edge of his friend's aura, the Wind Hawk spirit settling down inside his slender body at the receipt of this news. For a moment he was silent, composing himself, then he glanced up, meeting Shunsui's gaze with an apologetic one of his own.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You came to tell me as soon as you knew, didn't you? And I was rude to you."

"I'm used to people being rude to me. It seems to be an instinct I awaken in people," Shunsui grinned. "It's all right. I know you've been worried, and it's a tiny speck of good news in what has been a crazy week. I don't know how long the hospital intend to hold them, but I think most of them probably just need a bath and a good meal and they'll be safe to come back to barracks. I suppose it's possible they'll want to keep them for observation overnight...but at least you know now where they are."

"I will send Hajime to Fourth District immediately, to find out what he can and debrief anyone who's capable of speaking to him," Hirata decided, returning his spectacles to their perch on his nose. "I'll hear the full details when they return, but at the very least, if I send him, I can get a clear idea of their situation. You mentioned Ohara, too - which suggests he went into the Dangai after them, as we thought. What about Tenichi?"

"He was there too. I believe he had a couple of cracked ribs, but that's all," Shunsui looked pensive. "What will you do about them? They clearly defied orders, and Tenichi is on parole. Going into a locked space without permission is pretty serious insubordination."

Hirata sighed, offering a rueful, faint smile.

"I'll hear what they have to say," he reflected, "but I don't believe there is a clause in the parole document that details what to do in the case of Dangai trespass. Tenichi is not allowed to visit Thirteenth Division. I don't think Kai specified anywhere else."

"I see," Shunsui eyed his friend keenly, and Hirata looked sheepish.

"Knowing Kikyue is safe and alive makes me inclined to leniency," he admitted. "Does that make me a fool?"

"No," Shunsui shook his head. "It makes you a relieved father, and I won't judge you for it. Tenichi is your officer...and besides, even if what they did was stupid, it was done from loyalty to you and to Kikyue herself. And, if it ended the right way, hearing their story seems more sensible than ripping them apart with the Wind Hawk. No doubt they'll be able to fill in a lot of gaps - hopefully their adventures in the Dangai will help us someway to working out what we can do to settle the chaos here."

"Let's hope so," Hirata agreed. "And what about you? Are you going to tell me how you got those bruises and why you went to Fourth in the first place?"

"I'm going back home, first," Shunsui shook his head. "I have some papers to look at, but I suggest we convene again later on. Not a full meeting," he added hastily, as Hirata opened his lips to comment. "Something much more select and hopefully, in better company and humour. I probably have some good sake left, and I was hoping to go speak to Juushirou tonight. It's my turn to go to Thirteenth, I think, so I was going to get my data together and then go after the sun sets. You should come too, if you have the time."

"I might just do that," Hirata owned. "I'll see what information I can gather as well. A meeting at Thirteenth sounds more convivial than dragging to the Captain's chamber and staring at the gaps left by Guren-sama and Minaichi...so let's do that. I'll speak to my Vice Captain - and hopefully I'll join you later this evening, at Ugendou."

* * *

It had been a long time since she had last been at Thirteenth.

Mitsuki paused at the entrance to the Division for a moment, a nostalgic smile touching her lips as she remembered the first time she had come here. Then, it had seemed strange and alien, and the haori that Juushirou wore had seemed like a barrier between them - but now, she had a genuine fondness for the place, which had become the embodiment of its leader's belief in bonds and strong family spirit.  
 _  
If only I was here for a reason other than intrigue and work, though.  
_  
She let out a little sigh of resignation.  
 _  
Oh well. Maybe one day that won't be the case. It's been a while since I saw Juushirou, face to face. Letters are one thing, but it will be nice to speak to him at least. I do have a genuine reason to be here, even if the reasoning isn't entirely ideal._ **  
**  
"Mitsuki!"

As she crossed the courtyard of the Thirteenth Division, the sound of her friend's voice made her pause, and she turned to greet the Thirteenth Division's third seat with a smile.

"Naoko-chan," she said warmly, holding out her hands to grasp her companion's fingers in hers. "It's been a while. I've come to see Juushirou - is it possible?"

"I really hope you didn't pick now for a romantic surprise visit," Naoko hugged her friend, then held her at arm's length, fixing her with a searching look. "It's really not the time, if you did - but I can see it in your eyes. You're not here frivolously, are you? This is work-related...in which case, I'd better not send you away."

"Is something wrong?" Mitsuki looked concerned, and Naoko grimaced, letting out a heavy sigh and releasing her hold on the other girl's shoulders.

"Something? Try everything," she said wearily. "Let's start at the beginning, shall we? First, I don't actually know where Taichou is. He's not in his quarters and nobody's seen him since earlier this morning. I've been hunting all over for him, but I can't sense his reiatsu and if he went somewhere, he didn't tell me before he went."

"Not here?" Mitsuki frowned, spreading her own senses to scan the Division compound. To her consternation, she realised that Naoko was right, for Juushirou's familiar reiatsu trace was nowhere to be found. "What about Houjou-kun? Did he leave a message with him?"

"Houjou-kun hasn't seen him at all," Naoko groaned, taking Mitsuki by the hand and leading her across the courtyard to the wall, sinking down on the stone and pulling her friend down beside her. "You've been seconded to the middle of nowhere for far too long, I guess - but you probably don't know about what happened at Eleventh. Or do you?" she eyed Mitsuki doubtfully. "Retsu-sama has been involved in investigating the aftermath, so maybe you do."

"I know something's happened in Seireitei, and I know there have been...attacks by corpses on shinigami and on people in Rukongai?" Mitsuki said slowly, and Naoko nodded.

"It's a bit more than that, but at least you have a basis," she reflected. "Okay, in the simplest possible terms, you're right. That has been happening. The causes have been debated far and wide around Seireitei, but the other night, the Eleventh Division were attacked. It turns out they were attacked by other members of the Eleventh Division - individuals sent into the Dangai to do investigative work. Kohaku predicted something would happen there, and when it did, Houjou-kun went to Eleventh. He fought these individuals and saved lives, but let's just say that there were a lot of corpses at the end of it."

She grimaced, as Mitsuki's expression became one of horror.

"I know. Our case is that the Eleventh officers were dead when they left the Dangai, and as I understand it, last night more evidence emerged to suggest there is a rogue shinigami somewhere in Seireitei with the ability to raise the dead - but right now, it's all complicated where our Division is concerned. Houjou-kun was in custody after the incident, but he's been released back here as of this morning. He's still suspended, though, until there's a formal inquest - because one of the dead is the Vice Captain of the Eleventh, and proper procedure has to be followed. That means..."

"You're left holding the fort," Mitsuki murmured softly, and Naoko nodded her head.

"It's worse than that," she admitted. "The Captains officially agreed that, until further notice, I'm acting Vice Captain. That means right now...everything is on me. And it doesn't help that, on the first morning of that being the case, my Captain has vanished without a word to anyone. The Captain of the Eleventh was attacked in that night incident, and was wounded as a result. The Captain of the Sixth is also in a bad way. It's not a good time for my Captain to be missing in action. But I can't leave here to go search...so I'm pacing around the place looking for him, and, probably, looking for someone to take it out on, as well."

"I'm sorry," Mitsuki reached across to hug her friend. "I had no idea it was like that. I heard only bits and pieces...I didn't realise that Thirteenth had been so involved in this."

"Well, I believe in Houjou-kun," Naoko returned the hug with a resigned smile. "And it's not that I'm not happy to see you. But if it's my Captain you want, I can't help you right now."

"And the people behind this? How dangerous do you think they are, potentially?"

"I think it's pretty bad," Naoko reflected grimly. "Your cousin Shirogane-dono was also involved in the incident at Sixth and is recovering from the encounter - but he saw the individuals and his testimony was discussed at the Captain's meeting."

"What about Ryuu?" Mitsuki became anxious, and Naoko shook her head.

"As far as I know, he was sent to take charge of the squad, so he's fine," she replied, and Mitsuki let out a sigh of relief. "He's holding the fort at Sixth Division while Shirogane-dono recovers, so I suppose he's in a similar situation to me, really. But it was a big deal. Guren-sama is badly hurt, it seems, and even Kinnya-sama was here. Taichou told me what was said, late last night, when he told me that Vice Captain authority was mine in an official capacity until Houjou-kun's case is heard and his name is cleared properly. None of it makes good listening. One of them raises the dead, the other curses people by using their names. To bring down someone like Guren-sama is serious enough...to manipulate a squad of dead shinigami to mutiny and attempt murder on a whole Division is also not good. We don't know anything about them, but the rumour is that they're old. Maybe as old as Heaven's War - Dangai prisoners from three milennia ago or more."

"Heaven's War..." Mitsuki's eyes narrowed as her mind flitted back to Hiyama. "I see. I've heard about that too, recently...I don't suppose that was a coincidence."

"Nothing ever is," Naoko sighed heavily once more. "I'm so tired, Mitsuki-chan. I don't want to be Vice Captain. It's not my job. It feels wrong. Houjou-kun is here, and it feels bad, taking his responsibility and his role when he saved lives at Eleventh, acting as he did. I don't believe he killed anyone, but it doesn't matter what I think. He's been fine about it, but I never wanted to be Vice Captain of a Division. I love Thirteenth, so I won't let anyone down - but it wasn't why I came here. I like my position as Third Seat. I want things to go back to normal."

"I picked a bad time to come calling," Mitsuki said guiltily. "I can't really help it, though. I saw Kyouraku-kun today, at the hospital. And he looked like he'd been fighting. Now you say Juushirou isn't here, which is worrying to me as well, given everything you've just said. And the shinigami you mention...I have a patient at the hospital who seems to know something about them. He gave me a warning about them, which I reported to Retsu-sama. Next thing I know, Kyouraku-kun is there and wanting to speak to this patient. And then..."

She frowned.

"You said that the Eleventh went into the Dangai to investigate," she said slowly. "Did they perhaps go in there with people from the Seventh?"

"Yes," Naoko looked surprised. "Only they're still missing. Nobody knows what's happened to them, but they've not come back through the Gate and Sekime-taichou hasn't managed to locate where they are."

"Well, I can answer that at least," Mitsuki offered a faint smile. "They're also at my hospital. I...found them, collapsed in a copse in Fourth. It's a place which...well, there's no official Gate there, but there have been...rumours...and anyway, that's where they were."

"In Fourth?" Naoko looked stunned. "But the key should have opened the Gate near Twelfth...why there?"

"I'm the wrong person to ask about things like that," Mitsuki replied evasively. "Just, I definitely found them. Kikyue-hime was with them. They were all unconscious, and seemed exhausted - but only one of them had any serious injury and it wasn't anything I couldn't handle with Yuuyugo. I called for help and they're now at the hospital. Kyouraku-kun was going to pass the message to Hirata at Seventh when he got back here - so I came straight to Thirteenth to talk to Juushirou instead."

"Then they're alive," Naoko's eyes glittered with relief. "At least that's some good news in all this chaos."

Mitsuki opened her mouth to agree with her friend's comment, when a familiar spiritual presence suddenly darted across her healer's wits and she was immediately on her feet, moving instinctively back towards the entrance of the Division.

"Juushirou!"

"Taichou?" Naoko was alert at once, following her friend. "Are you sure? I can't sense anything."

"He's hurt. He's hurt, and that's why I can sense him like this," Mitsuki bit her lip. "He's moving, though...he's coming here."

"Hurt how?" Naoko demanded, but before Mitsuki could reply, Juushirou himself materialised at the gateway, pausing to rest his weight against the pillar of the entrance as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Taichou!" Naoko let out an exclamation, and Juushirou glanced up, seeing the two women for the first time. At the sight of Mitsuki, his expression became one of surprise but, as he met Naoko's quizzical green gaze, his eyes turned sheepish, and he steadied himself, holding up his hands in apologetic surrender.

"You look worried. I'm sorry. I should have left some kind of note."

"Yes," was all Naoko vouchsafed. "Mitsuki came to speak to you - in a professional capacity, so don't get any fine ideas that she's come to fuss over you. Your haori is a mess and you're soaking wet and covered in mud...is that _blood_ all over your sleeve? If the rest of the Division see you like this...hell, if someone outside the Division sees you like this, they'll think discipline has collapsed here because your Vice Captain is suspended!"

"I suppose I deserve that," Juushirou looked resigned. He took a shaky breath into his lungs, wincing slightly as he did so, and Mitsuki hurried to his side, taking him by the arm.

"Naoko is right, but telling you off can wait until we're somewhere you can rest," she said softly. "Don't argue with me, Ukitake-taichou. I'm going to supersede my rank and order you to lie down. Your chest is raw and you've been coughing blood. You might not think I can tell, but I can."

"I didn't know you'd be here," Juushirou said honestly, but he did not fight as the young healer carefully guided him across the cobbles towards the path that led to Ugendou. After a moment of hesitation, Naoko moved to take his other side, and they were soon inside the small chamber, Mitsuki removing Juushirou's sodden haori and hanging it up over the rail to dry through. Once inside, Juushirou sank down onto the tatami mat floor, taking an uneven breath into his lungs, and Mitsuki paused, glancing at him in consternation.

"What did you do to yourself, Juushirou?" she asked gently. "You've been fighting someone, haven't you? Did you get attacked by one of these rogue shinigami that I keep hearing about?"

"No," Juushirou shook his head. "If I had, I'm sure I wouldn't be in this good a state right now."

He coughed, grimacing, and Mitsuki's lips thinned as she sensed the pain radiating from the Captain's weak chest.

"I wouldn't say you're in a great state," Naoko said acerbically. "Taichou, is Mitsuki right? Have you been coughing blood?"

"A little," Juushirou admitted. "I didn't want you to worry...I'm all right. I did push myself, that's all. I am sorry I left without warning. It was something Koku said to me...and I knew I needed to check it out."

"Kohaku?" Naoko looked thoughtful. "I thought I told him that you were resting. When did you speak to him?"

"Don't scold the boy, Naoko. It's not his fault," Juushirou settled himself more comfortably on the floor, letting out his breath in a rush. "Enishi advised him to report any strange things he saw or felt to me and that's what he did. I told him to come in, and ultimately, I was the one that acted. I felt that what he said indicated Ojiisama was in trouble...and it turns out, I was right. Thanks to him, I was able to intervene and help. I'll be all right, and so will he - and now Senaya-sama is well and truly laid to rest. For good this time."

"Senaya...sama?" Mitsuki had been pulling dry nightclothes from Juushirou's stash of clean laundry, but at this she paused, turning to gaze at him in consternation. Juushirou nodded.

"You've heard about our friendly visiting necromancer?" he asked, and Mitsuki jerked her head forward in confirmation. "Well, his piece de resistance was to resurrect Ojiisama's brother. Or rather, the shell of Senaya-sama and his rather angry Royal Sword. Ojiisama had trouble, fighting his brother after all this time, but I was able to turn the scale. I just had to push myself a little to do it, that's all."

He rubbed his chest, coughing again.

"I'll change and I'll lie down, and I'm sure I'll be fine," he added, glancing at Naoko. "I don't think I have a fever, and I won't, not if I get out of these wet clothes quickly. It's not cold today, and I don't feel feverish. I am sorry that I worried you - but you can still send any urgent business to me in the meantime. I'm capable of reading documents and receiving messages, even if I'm here."

"You make it really hard to be angry with you, sometimes," Naoko groaned. "I suppose, if you went to help Kinnya-sama, I have to forgive you. But next time, please, at least tell me. This is my first day as acting Vice Captain. Take pity on my nerves a little too."

"I suppose I just knew everything here was in safe hands with you in charge," Juushirou shot her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Naoko. I'll be more careful."

"Then I'll go see to the paperwork that's on Houjou-kun's desk," Naoko sighed. "I'll let Mitsuki talk to you in private - I don't want to intrude on your changing, and I get the feeling that, whatever she wants to say, it's for a Captain's ears only."

She glanced at Mitsuki.

"When things are less manic, we'll catch up properly," she promised. "For now, though, I'm going to entrust my Captain to you."

With that she was gone, closing the door behind her with a firm clatter, and Juushirou winced, looking rueful.

"She has a point," Mitsuki broke the silence, setting the nightclothes down beside her companion and reaching up a hand to touch his brow. "Leaving her on her first day in a situation like this is irresponsible. Naoko is strong, but she's still human. And she has confidence issues, sometimes. You should at least have told her...she was worried about you for real."

"Message understood," Juushirou assured her, pushing her hand gently away. "I really don't have a fever, Mitsuki, and you didn't come to nursemaid me or fuss, I can tell. My chest is sore and I admit, I coughed up blood because of it, but I feel a little better already for being back here. I'll change, and you can talk - I promise to rest a while, so you needn't scold me. I had to intervene. Ojiisama is important to me...and if I hadn't..."

"I know," Mitsuki conceded. "But I didn't expect...Naoko-chan filled me in on some of the details, but I still have a lot of gaps about what's going on. It sounds very serious, if two Captains have already been badly hurt by this. When I heard that, I was worried about you too. And I know, at my current rank, scolding a Captain is insubordinate. But as your soulmate and unofficial partner in this life, we're equals. And on those grounds," she reached across to kiss him lightly on the cheek, "I have every right to tell you to think before you act."

"I've missed you," Juushirou admitted. "Even if you're telling me off, it's nice to have you here."

He began to remove his soaked clothing, letting out a sigh.

"But you're here for professional reasons, and I need to hear you out," he added. "Did something happen in Fourth? Something I need to know about?"

"I suppose it did," Mitsuki sat back on her heels pensively. "Firstly, Naoko told me that the officers from Seventh were missing, but they're not. They're at my hospital, as of this afternoon. They came through a hidden Gate and they're all now receiving treatment from my colleagues."

"Kikyue and the others?" Juushirou looked startled, and Mitsuki nodded.

"One had a deep stab wound that looked Hollow inflicted," she said thoughtfully. "It's not a fatal injury, though, not now the bleeding has been stemmed. I don't know his name. Another was Kotetsu Tenichi - I recognised him from his hearing and trial five years ago. His ribs were cracked, but it's not a serious break and it will heal without much medical intervention. The rest were tired and dehydrated. Probably hungry. Otherwise unhurt."

"Does Hirata know?"

"Kyouraku-kun promised to take the message."

"Shunsui was with you, too?" Juushirou had clearly not expected this, and Mitsuki shook her head.

"He came with Retsu-sama to see a patient of mine," she replied.

"I see," Juushirou reached for the dry clothing, sliding the soft fabric over his shoulders with a sigh. "This wouldn't be a certain mysterious frozen shinigami who also maybe came out of an unknown Gate in Fourth?"

"Then you do know about him."

"A little," Juushirou admitted. "If Shunsui went to see him, then I imagine he knows more."

"Does that mean that Katsura's warning got to you?"

"Katsura?" Juushirou paused in tying his obi, eying her in consternation, and Mitsuki nodded.

"I saw him as well, in that same clearing," she admitted. "He was the one who opened the Gate, and he sensed my reiatsu so he came to find me. I was there looking for the place Hiyama-dono - my patient - was found. Katsura wanted me to heal the shinigami. He was injured, too, but he wouldn't let me heal him. He wanted me to speak to you. He said he'd sent a message to Koku, that the Dangai was dangerous. He also knew about my patient, so I wondered..."

"If that was in the message too?" Juushirou pursed his lips. "I suppose it was, in a manner of speaking. He did send a message to Koku, it's true...but it arrived too late to prevent the Dangai expedition, even if I had known how to go about using his intel. He did tell Koku to speak to me, though...and now he's apparently given you the same message. He doesn't want to speak to me himself?"

"I guess not," Mitsuki was thoughtful. "I think his decision to speak to me was an impulsive one...he said that he originally didn't intend to show himself to me."

"So what did he want you to tell me?" Juushirou finished arranging his clothing, pulling his robe around his shoulders for extra warmth. Slowly Mitsuki outlined the details of her conversation with Katsura in the forest, and Juushirou listened in silence as she recounted the fugitive's words.

"I felt as though what happened five years ago was haunting him," she concluded. "I almost felt guilty for saving him."

"But when he says he intends to take himself out of circulation..." Juushirou faltered, and Mitsuki shrugged.

"I asked him if he meant to hurt himself, but he said he wouldn't. He knew it would upset Koku," she replied. "I don't know what he meant. He said it was a gamble, but the right decision. That's all."

"And this other world? Another spirit plane, on the other side of the Dangai?"

"Maybe. Perhaps Kikyue-hime and her companions will be able to explain that better."

"Dangerous Hollows with thinking capacity, and dangerous shinigami," Juushirou sighed. "Well, we know that the latter exist. Honestly, attention has already begun to shift away from Katsura towards these strangers, especially now we have Shirogane-dono's witness statement. There's something bigger going on. And the former...Katsura can read Hollows and he can manipulate them. If he says that, and the other information he's given us is true, then I don't see why we should disbelieve this statement, either. Besides, the Seventh officers will be able to confirm or negate that, too, I imagine. As for his helping them - I don't know, entirely, what to make of his motives, but it isn't the only time it's seemed like he's helped shinigami of late."

"I think he's still atoning for the past," Mitsuki said sadly. "I didn't mean him to punish himself forever with it. I've forgiven him, Juushirou - but he hasn't forgiven himself."

"You are more magnanimous a person than most would be in your situation," Juushirou reminded her. "Your friends were killed in that attack."

"Yes...but it wasn't really him behind it," Mitsuki pointed out. "Keitarou wanted me killed. He threatened Katsura when he failed to kill me, and I'll never forget how frightened he was, that night I saw him here at Thirteenth. I forgave him a long time ago...but when he spoke to me, his eyes were so sad. I can't sense him at all, now. Not his pain, nothing...not even when he stands in front of me. But I can see it in his expression. He said suicide was an easy way out. That suggests at some point he considered it, and also, rejected it, because he's still punishing himself for the past. I wonder if I did the right thing, saving him. It was an impulse decision...but maybe it did him more harm."

"You did your job as a healer," Juushirou shook his head. "How Katsura deals with it is his decision and also, his problem. You aren't responsible for that."

"I suppose that's true," Mitsuki sighed, leaning against him. "I've missed you too. Don't go fighting any more dangerous people before I get a chance to come see you again, okay?"

"I wish I could give you that promise," Juushirou grimaced. "I also wish I knew if your hospital was a safe space or not. We don't know enough about anything at all. And I am a little worried about this patient of yours, too. If Shunsui wanted to talk to him..."

"I don't think he's a bad person," Mitsuki reflected. "He wanted me to send a warning...he thought that someone might attack a person called Kyouraku Harumizu. I don't know who that is, but I thought of Kyouraku-kun because of his name. Then, seeing him today...apparently the warning came true. So if that's the case, Hiyama-dono is probably not an enemy. He doesn't seem like an enemy. But he has been a bit confused. He thought Retsu-sama was someone else, the first time he saw her. And he's apparently been asleep a long time. Well...maybe not asleep. More like...hibernating?"

"Hibernating in ice?" Juushirou asked. Mitsuki nodded.

"Yes."

"I wonder..." Juushirou sighed. "Naoko and Ketsui were in the Real World and they found something encased in ice. Naoko accidentally woke it - or so we thought. We were going to send an investigation there to find out what was going on, but then the problems began with the Dangai, so first all Real World transit was banned, and then all Gates were locked down completely. Nobody's been able to go back there, but if your patient came through a Senkaimon, and he was frozen...it does make me wonder."

"That seems possible," Mitsuki admitted. "He's only told me bits and pieces, but he was very worried about someone called the Soldier. He said that this person was a danger to this Harumizu, and he asked me who the strongest shinigami was in Seireitei. He asked about a Regent, but we don't have those. In the end, I wrote to Retsu-sama because she was my Captain, and it seems the warning helped somehow. I don't know who this Soldier is - but I suppose Kyouraku-kun must."

"Not necessarily," Juushirou pursed his lips. "Harumizu is an ancestor of his, and Shunsui is named after him. It's possible that he wasn't the target, but that there was a mistake. I'll need to speak to Shunsui too, when he comes back." He coughed, grimacing. "But I don't think Naoko will let me out of here again today. I suppose I'll sit quietly. Maybe, if it's important enough, Shunsui will come here. He often does, if there's something buzzing in his brain, and especially at the moment. Two Captains are out of action. We don't want to reduce our numbers any more."

"No." Mitsuki agreed gravely. "And I can't stay here to properly make sure you take care of yourself. I promised Saionji-san I'd be back at the hospital before nightfall, so I need to go. I just wanted you to know what Katsura said. I thought it was important...but I really hope that he's not going to do something crazy or impulsive."

"That has been his modus operandi so far," Juushirou groaned. "Well, at least we have the good news about the Seventh. I've managed to keep it from Ketsui, that his brother was missing, and now I don't need to worry about bringing him bad news."

"But surely people know about the mission into the Dangai?" Mitsuki was confused. Juushirou nodded.

"Yes...but Ohara and Tenichi apparently went in on their own, afterwards, to look for their comrades," he said with a sigh. "It seems as though Katsura may have gone with them - at least, your account suggests it."

"He said something like that...he made it sound as though he'd been forced to go, but I don't think so," Mitsuki said slowly. "If that were the case, he'd have escaped while they were unconscious. If he was their prisoner, he wouldn't have cared that they were hurt and he wouldn't have bothered to come to get me. I think he was worried about them. That suggests he did it of his own free will. He also knew who Kikyue-hime was, and wanted me to know especially that he knew. He said to tell Hirata that he didn't care. He could have killed her, but he didn't want to. That was important to him. He wanted me to know he wasn't pursuing any kind of revenge for his sister any more."

"It sounds as if he's grown up a little, then," Juushirou looked relieved. Mitsuki nodded.

"Yes, but from the worst kind of experiences," she said heavily. "I know, you're right - he killed my friends and I shouldn't worry. But I do. He was still so naive when it all happened...and now there's none of that naivety at all. Maybe that's the cost of being a murderer...I don't know. But I don't like it."

She bent to kiss Juushirou's cheek, then got to her feet.

"I need to go," she added. "And you need to rest. You don't have a fever, not at the moment, but if you feel warm later, then make sure you take something. I know I left enough herbs and powders here with you to tide you over, but if you need anything else, send a message. And try and take care of yourself. If these enemies are really this dangerous, I don't want you to do something else reckless and stupid."

"I'll try," Juushirou promised. "Take care going back, Mitsuki. Thank you for coming. Your company and your information are both very welcome in these parts."

His eyes softened.

"Try not to worry about Katsura," he continued. "If the path he's had to walk has made him grow up and think more about the world, then it might be that he never crosses paths with the shinigami again. And, if he keeps helping us, he might find that folk stop looking for him. It's really up to him how he lives his life, though. He's an outlaw, and we can't do anything unless he comes and asks for help."

"If he did ask for help, Juushirou - would you help him?" Mitsuki rested her hand on the door of the chamber, turning to send her companion a questioning look. Juushirou was silent for a moment, then he sighed.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I'd need to know what I was helping, first, and why. But I would listen to him. So if you see him again, you can tell him that. I will listen to him. I don't really intend on taking him prisoner, not if he's not related to the current incident - and if he knows information we need, I'm willing to set the arrest warrant aside and just listen."

"I'll tell him, but I'm not sure I'll see him again," Mitsuki sighed. "Thank you anyway, Juushirou. I know it's difficult for you to say any more than that, and I accept it. I'm the vigilante who decided the murderer of my friends deserved to live...but that murder still happened, and it can't be ignored. So long as Katsura doesn't ask for help, he can only be seen as an outlaw and a criminal. And I can't really help him, either. It's wrong of me to expect you to take on another burden, when you've already done so much for his brother."

"I'm sure the subject will come up again," Juushirou said evenly. "Travel safely, and don't fret. I promise not to leave here this evening, not even if ten invites come from Eighth."

"Then I'll head back and check on the Seventh officers, I suppose," Mitsuki slid open the door. "I'll write if I learn anything else I think you should know!"

* * *

"Yuuichi-sama! Yuuichi-sama!"

As Yuuichi approached the borders of his own manor lands, he heard someone call his name, and he reined in his horse, turning the beast impatiently towards the direction of the noise. A messenger, his clothing the colours of the Unohana, rode at breakneck speed towards him, and, as he saw the Yamamoto Clan Leader halt his progress, relief glittered in the young man's eyes. It was already dark, and Yuuichi realised that, in this kind of landscape, it would have been easy for them to miss each other. He had taken a roundabout route to his family's manor, for much of the Yamamoto's older documents were stored at a separate estate no longer used regularly by the family, and, as a result, it was well after sunset that he had reached the edge of the main house's territory. Although he had had a mostly fruitless search through the old scrolls, he had found occasional references to a man called Kunimori in ancient documents relating to Heaven's War, but it had troubled him more to realise that there were more gaps than there were complete records, and so he had continued on to his home manor, hoping that, perhaps, the missing volumes would be somewhere among the family papers that his father had insisted on keeping closer to home.

It felt as though something had been written out of the Yamamoto family history, and Yuuichi was determined not to return to Seireitei until he knew what.

 _And now a messenger, when I have errands of my own. I trust he doesn't mean to summon me back...I need more tangible evidence before I can return and face the Captains, not least with Ikata and the others killed. If a Yamamoto is behind it, then I must find that out and deal with it - I don't have time for other trivialities._

"Yuuichi-sama! I'm glad that I caught up with you! I bring an urgent message - a message from my Captain, Unohana Retsu-sama!"

The man's horse was drenched in sweat, Yuuichi realised, and the messenger pulled back on his own reins, giving the exhausted, panting beast a chance to catch its breath. "With the Gates out, I was worried I wouldn't get here in time. I'm glad that I did."

"A message from the Unohana? From Retsu-sama?" Yuuichi's lips thinned. "What can she want? She wasn't at the meeting...surely she doesn't seek to send me on some errand of her own?"

"I don't know, sir," the messenger bowed his head apologetically, fumbling at his belt and pulling out a scroll of paper wrapped and sealed with the crest of the Unohana. "I'm not privy to the contents. I was told I should convey it with the utmost urgency - though if I may, sir, I do know that a similar message was sent to your kinsman, Genryuusai-sama, by a different messenger, at the same time that I left."

"To Genryuusai-sama?" Yuuichi had held his hand out for the scroll, but at this he paused, consternation touching his fine features. "That's unexpected. There's no further information you can give me?"

"No, sir," the messenger shook his head sadly. "I was told that it was a Captain's level message and that the contents were secure and to be protected with my life till conveyed direct to you."

"I see," Yuuichi's gloved fingers closed around the proffered scroll, his thumb already loosening the wax seal. "And you were asked to bring back a reply?"

"No, sir. Just a confirmation of your receiving it," the messenger bowed respectfully once more. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your journey, Yuuichi-sama - thank you for accepting my Captain's message."

"Tell her I received it, and I will doubtless discuss the contents with her when I return to Inner Seireitei, if it doesn't require my response now," Yuuichi frowned. "You may go. Your duty is finished."

"Yes, sir," the messenger saluted sharply, then wheeled his weary horse around, pressing his toes to the animal's flanks and forcing it into a reluctant gallop back the way it had come. For a moment Yuuichi watched him leave, then he sighed, turning his attention with some irritation to the message in his hand.  
 _  
What is that crazy healer up to now? What could she want? Surely someone will have told her that I wasn't in Inner Seireitei...? And to Genryuusai-sensei as well? I wonder. That messenger will probably wear out that horse for good, riding at such a speed to get here. True, the Gates are still out, and it's a nusiance, but..._

He reluctantly removed the seal, unravelling the ribbon that held the scroll closed. It fell unnoticed onto the grass, as Yuuichi unrolled the scroll. Laying it out across the front of his saddle, he carefully illuminated the surroundings with a soft beam of well controlled kidou energy so that he could read the brief contents. It was indeed from Retsu, he realised, written hurriedly in her own hand, and marked at the bottom with her Clan Leader's seal. It was unusual for Retsu to send any kind of message across Districts, much less with the stamp and seal of her family, and something about the sight of it put Yuuichi on edge.  
 _  
Something important, then. Something she felt I ought to know...something that couldn't wait till I got back._

He bit his lip, reading over the contents carefully.

' _Yuuichi-sama_ ' [the letter read],  
 _My apologies for disturbing your private business, but I have a message of considerable urgency to convey. I have received reliable information suggesting that the individual who caused harm to Guren-sama is a Yamamoto, by the name of Kunimori, and that his ultimate goal is vengeance against your family for a grievance long since unsettled. I have no time to convey full details here, but I have seen Guren-sama's condition, and I do not believe this is an enemy you should face lightly. It seems probable that Genryuusai-sama may be well poised to handle this threat, and I have contacted him as well. Please forgive my impudent suggestion that you ride to the Academy to meet with him immediately. I do not know Kunimori's current location, but I believe he is probably in your vicinity and you should take care not to engage him under any circumstances. With the respect and honour of District Four, Unohana Retsu, Captain of the Fourth Division and head of the Unohana Clan_.'

"A Yamamoto with an undisclosed grievance against my family, huh?"

Yuuichi's eyes sparked with anger, and his fist closed around the letter, the flicker of kidou flaring and vanishing at his gesture.  
 _  
Kunimori. So I was right. The gaps in the records are more than coincidence. Most likely they relate to some heinous criminal act that my predecessors removed to shield the honour of this family. That makes this errand even more important. It means that the attack on Atsushi-dono and his companions was no coincidence, as I feared. Ikata's death and his potential disgrace...and even Enishi's situation are also probably part of this as well. Attacking a comrade of mine is also unforgivable. The Yamamoto have good trade arrangements with the Kuchiki, and agreements based on honour that go back to my father's time. Smearing the reputation of my family in such a way? Unforgivable. Father would never have stood for it, and neither will I.  
_  
He thrust the letter roughly into the folds of his silk obi, gripping the reins of his horse more tightly.  
 _  
Retsu-sama has sent a similar message to Genryuusai-sama. And, impudent it may have been, but I will follow her advice. It may be that Genryuusai-sama knows more about this situation than even she does. But this is also my Clan, and my land. And if there is a threat here, I have an obligation to my people to ensure that danger doesn't touch them. A Clan Leader doesn't shy away from his duty to protect. Father drummed that into me and I won't be found wanting now. You weren't at the meeting, Retsu-sama, but I was. I know how this individual attacks. And so long as I don't give him my name, this enemy's witchcraft won't work on me. Guren-sama may have been taken down by such a spell, but I should be a match for someone who can't kill a Vice Captain level officer in open combat._

He nudged his toe against his horse's side, pushing it into a cautious trot as he wound his way carefully through the forests of the District. He knew this land well, having grown up here, and all the short cuts and hidden avenues spread out before him like an instinctive map. The Yamamoto territory was broad, mountainous and full of hiding places, and Yuuichi used this knowledge to his advantage, picking his way around the main towns and cities and taking his horse off the beaten track where possible as he surveyed the landscape for any indication of fighting or distress. The gaps in his family's records also nagged at his senses, and even though the night was serene and quiet, he could not help but scour the road ahead for signs of trouble.

But there was nothing. The tracks were as much as ever, with even the less well travelled roads lit by well-maintained kidou lamps to protect the safety of the local people from bandits and thieves, and the odd night traveller or trader that he passed paused to bow to acknowledge him with the respect he and his predecessors had earned through years of good, solid government and fair taxation. Everything was tranquil as he drew around the outskirts of the village nearest to his own personal domain, and as he crossed the small stream that marked the boundary of the main Yamamoto estate grounds, he found his indignation relax into a sense of relief. Perhaps Retsu had been wrong, he reasoned, or perhaps the danger had not yet reached District One. The Academy was a further ride from this location, for it stood on the opposite side of the Yamamoto manor from the archive where he had begun his research, but it seemed that did not matter. There would be time to consult with Genryuusai, and then discuss between them a strategy by which to ensnare this interloper and deal with him once and for all. Though the head of the Yamamoto since the death of his father, Yuuichi was under no illusions about the level of Genryuusai's power compared to his own, and he felt comforted that such a great warrior still stood and fought for the silver and white livery of his District, even so many years since he had rejected the title of Clan Leader himself.  
 _  
I will leave a message at the main house, then, to beware of strangers, as it is on my way...and I will then ride directly to the Academy. I will demand an immediate audience with Genryuusai-sama, which, if he has also received word, should be no difficulty. Even if it should be late at night, I believe he will see me. All will soon be under some control, and this insurrection will end. More importantly, the honour of my family will be restored. I will not have murder and chaos committed in the Yamamoto's name, so the sooner I act on Retsu-sama's intelligence the better._

As he drew closer to the main estate, something inexplicable prickled against his spine, and he paused, gazing up at the moonlit silhouette of the sprawling estate as if trying to reason out what it was that had suddenly made him feel uneasy. The grounds were as quiet as the woodland, he realised, but it was that exact thing which had put him on edge. The Yamamoto estate was a busy one, held firm under the leadership of Yuuichi's eldest son Hikaru, who acted as deputy over the Clan in his father's absence, and even at night there was the bustle of retainers going about their duties, and messengers hurrying to and from their horses. Even the whinnies and hoofbeats from the stables seemed absent that day, however, and although the sky overhead seemed as peaceful and cloudless as normal, there was a sudden chill in the air that he could not quite explain.

And then, from the silence, he heard a weak voice calling his name.

"Otou...sama. Otou...sama!"

It was a woman's voice, and, as Yuuichi turned his horse, he saw a frightful figure stumbling across the land towards him. She was dressed in the colours of his family, but it was the deep and unmistakeable hue of red staining her clothing in the moonlight which led Yuuichi's heart to still in his chest. Without thinking about what he was doing, he dismounted his horse, hurrying forward to catch the woman as she seemed certain to pitch forward on the grass. Something small was clutched in her arms, and, as Yuuichi supported the young woman's slender frame, he realised that it was wriggling and squirming beneath her touch, a tiny cry of protest bursting from its lips.

It was then that he realised that this pitiful figure was his daughter-in-law, Mariko, and that, clutched in her arms, was his infant grandson, Mitsuaki.

"Mariko..." he murmured, and the woman looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears that quickly overflowed and cascaded down blood smeared cheeks. Beneath the soiling, she was ash pale, her eyes wide and full of fear, and Yuuichi felt his terror growing as he took in the horror of her appearance.

"Otousama," she whispered, and Yuuichi carefully righted her, turning her so that he could meet her gaze head on.

"What happened?" he demanded, his tones more terse than he would have liked, but his companion swallowed hard, the fingers of her free hand digging into the sleeves of his robes as if looking for comfort or salvation.

"Otousama, you've come to save us! You've come...please the Gods..."

Her words were faint, dazed and incoherent, and Yuuichi resisted the urge to shake her, mindful of the infant still clutched in her grasp.

"Where is Hikaru?" He murmured, and at the sound of her husband's name, the woman's eyes seemed to fill with fresh tears. She bit her lip, merely shaking her head as if words were beyond her, and Yuuichi gritted his teeth.  
 _  
It seems the danger was here sooner than I anticipated. Apparently this was its target. This Kunimori...Retsu-sama was right, but I cannot simply leave this situation without ascertaining what has happened. This is my family, and I must...  
_  
He glanced at the tearful, bloody Mariko, taking in her trembling form and her pallor. Despite how tightly she held him, the infant seemed to realise the gravity of the situation, for although his dark eyes were wide and full of alarm, he whimpered softly, as if afraid to cry out loud and disturb the eerie atmosphere. Inwardly Yuuichi made up his mind.

"I will do what I can," he said softly. "That is my job, and you can have faith in it. I will see to Hikaru and to the others, but you clearly cannot stay here, not in this state of dress. Listen to me, Mariko. What I say is very important."

"Otousama?" Mariko's dazed eyes glittered faintly with hope, and Yuuichi composed himself, hoping he seemed more settled than he really was.

"Go to the nearest village," he instructed. "There is a traveller's inn there, and they keep horses and carriages on my behalf. Demand a carriage in my name, and ride to the Academy immediately. It is late, so use my name and make sure they listen to you. Tell them I will pay them double, if need be, but do not let them turn you away. Take the child with you and ensure you both reach Genryuusai-sama. Tell him what you cannot tell me. You must. I am relying on you, as a kinswoman of this Clan, to do your duty by your husband, your father-in-law, and your son, to explain this matter in full. Do you understand what I am telling you to do?"

Mariko swallowed hard, but her head jerked forward in a tiny nod, and Yuuichi saw the determination returning to her gaze. He released his hold on her, patting her lightly on the shoulder.

"Hikaru sent you and the baby to safety, didn't he?" he murmured, and Mariko nodded again. "Then you must also fulfil his wishes, too. Go to the Academy at once. Leave what is here to me."

"Yes...sir," Mariko's voice wobbled, but there was purpose in her words, and Yuuichi sighed.

"I will come after you as soon as I am able," he promised. "In the meantime, waste no further time here. If there is danger, you and the child must not be here. Go."

Mariko bowed her head to him, and then, as if summoning inner strength that even she had not known she possessed, she gathered her son up more securely in her arms, turning and fleeing across the landscape in the direction of the village from which, on a normal day, Yuuichi would hear the carefree sound of children playing.

He watched her go into the darkness, his expression unreadable as he contemplated the circumstances in which his steadfast and pragmatic eldest son might have given such an uncharacteristic order.  
 _  
Hikaru knew that he was in danger of his life. It may already be too late to save my son and heir, but if my grandson lives, the Clan will endure. I see your thought processes, Hikaru...but I pray I am not too late to commend you on them. Mariko's robes were stained with blood. Something terrible has happened within this estate...and God help me, as Clan Leader, I must see for myself what it is._


	50. Shirogane's Dream

**Chapter Forty Nine: Shirogane's Dream**

"I heard from Naoko that you were grounded."

Shunsui pushed back the door of Ugendou, lounging up against the door frame and offering his friend a lazy smile. "One day into the job as your acting Vice Captain and she's already turning the disciplinary screw, huh? I guess it's a good thing I decided to come here tonight, instead of inviting you to Eighth. I would hate to rouse the wrath of your new deputy, but I am astounded at the speed with which you annoyed her."

"I probably deserved it," Juushirou glanced up from his book, setting it aside with a warm grin and gesturing for his friend to come in. "I went off on an impulsive quest of my own and I neglected to leave a message telling her where I was."

"Tsk," Shunsui tut-tutted, bringing his body into the room properly and sauntering across the small chamber towards his friend. "Well, from what she told me, you were fighting without official clearance. From the fact you're greeting visitors in night robes, I'd say she was telling me the truth. What happened? Naoko-chan said it was something to do with Kinnya-sama - but you didn't leave with him, did you?"

"No...I went after him, because Koku thought something was wrong at the Kuchiki estate," Juushirou sighed. "Well, no. Koku had no idea it was about Grandfather or where it was, but he said something that made me worried. I went to check if everything was all right, and it wasn't. I helped him out, and we resolved it between us - but I did rather push the boat out."

"I see," Shunsui eyed him keenly. "Bankai, huh?"

"Shh," Juushirou sent his friend a dark glower. "Don't use the word."

"Whyever not?" Shunsui sank down on a nearby cushion, sending his friend a quizzical look. "Are you keeping it a secret from your squad or something?"

"Not especially," Juushirou shook his head, "but if Naoko knows the extent to which I used my spirit power today, I think she might be even more cross with me. She took care of morning drill and let me sleep in a little first thing - I don't suppose she'd be amused to know I used that recouped energy in such a reckless way. My Bankai is a long way from perfect, yet, and it takes a lot of energy to both release it and hold it for any length of time. It's the first time I've ever used it in any kind of combat situation...and she doesn't need to know that I did."

"I see," Shunsui let out a low chuckle. "Well, if that's the case, then you look remarkably good. I know that you've only managed to release it at all a handful of times, and I still remember that, the first time you did, you ended up at Fourth's Infirmary for about a week."

"Don't remind me," Juushirou groaned. "In any case, I was a bit shaky coming back and I did cough blood. But I didn't start a fever this time, which is progress. And to be serious for a moment, Shunsui - if I hadn't, Ojiisama would probably have been killed. He found it harder, emotionally, to fight his brother than he thought. Even though it was Taiyourei - it was harder on him than on me. I have no connection to Senaya-sama, so I was able to do what he couldn't. Between us, we took care of it. Seiren-dono is seeing to reburying the body...breaking the sword seems to have severed their connection, and we both think it won't be possible to raise this corpse from the dead a second time. I suspect Senaya-sama will probably decay quite quickly now the bond is broken, so the sooner he is reburied, the better." He sighed. "In any case, Ojiisama was going back to the Coastal Province to speak to Shirogane-dono's son...whereas I headed back here."

"I did bring sake," Shunsui set the bottle down on the table. "I don't know if you're well enough to drink it, but I stopped by Seventh as well. I hope you don't mind, but I invited Hirata to join us tonight. I thought it might be useful for all of us, to settle little details between us."

"Hirata, huh?" Juushirou looked thoughtful. "I don't mind, but that reminds me. Mitsuki came to see me, earlier. She said she'd seen you at her hospital, and also that Hirata's missing shinigami turned up in that vicinity as well."

"Yes," Shunsui rubbed his chin. "I didn't have much chance to speak to her about it, though. It was a little convenient, I thought, that she slipped out and then suddenly she's finding them in Fourth District, when nobody had a clue where they were before. Did she shed any light on that with you?"

"Katsura brought them back," Juushirou said simply. "It's as we suspected. He seems to have helped them. He almost certainly went in with Tenichi and Ohara, and he definitely came out with them. Mitsuki said she was looking for a hidden Senkaimon...something to do with her mysterious patient, who I believe you paid a visit earlier today. In any case, we can come to that in a bit, but apparently when he sensed Mitsuki's reiatsu, he stopped her and asked her for help."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"It seems as though he is as impulsive and inscrutible a problem as ever."

Before Shunsui could respond, a third voice joined the conversation, and both Captains turned to see Hirata watching them from the doorway. "I assume it's all right to come in? You are discussing deep and dangerous secrets in here where anyone can hear you, so I imagine it's fine if I listen to this?"

"Hirata," Juushirou shot the Seventh Captain a rueful smile. "Of course."

"You were discussing Katsura," Hirata closed the door carefully behind him, coming to sit on one of the other vacant cushions with a sigh. "Is what you just said true, Juushirou? Katsura brought my daughter back to Seireitei, and then flagged down Mitsuki to ask for her healing help?"

"It seems that way," Juushirou agreed.

"Why would he do that?" Hirata looked flummoxed. "If helping my shinigami isn't strange enough, why would he randomly stop a healer? It doesn't make any sense...why show himself and take the risk of getting into trouble?"

"Mitsuki was one of the healers Katsura attacked in the Spiritless Zone," Juushirou said softly, meeting Shunsui's gaze with a solemn one of his own. "He's also the one who warned Mitsuki, a few days later, that Keitarou was after her life. Of course, he didn't say it in so many words, but he did warn her that she was in danger. He also helped Mitsuki take her injured friend to help back then, too, even though he was the one who caused the attack in the first place. He is as you say - impulsive and inscrutable - but it seems that he sought her out because he recognised her reiatsu. It's possible that he took them to Fourth because he knew she was there - according to what Mitsuki said, Katsura knows about a mysterious patient that turned up there not long ago, and he seems to have learned she was involved in the treatment. Shunsui can tell you more than I can about that," he added, and Shunsui nodded. "But it seems as though Katsura feels some kind of connection to Mitsuki. And so he went to find her, because your shinigami needed help."

"Mitsuki's patient is key to everything we've been investigating, too," Shunsui added. "I will explain in detail, in a bit, but I have learned a lot of things today, all of which are exceptionally useful to us going forward."

"So I am meant to assume Katsura is not an enemy, now? Am I supposed to see him as a friend?" Hirata looked blank. Juushirou shrugged.

"I don't know," he said slowly, "but Mitsuki did say this. Katsura wanted her to know that he knew Kikyue was with the group. He named her. But also said that he didn't care and wasn't interested in killing her. He wanted you to know that, too. I don't really know why - but it seemed to be important to him that you knew. I think that, whatever his true thoughts or feelings, that at least is probably genuine. It would have been really easy to kill Kikyue when she was away from this place, and Katsura told Mitsuki that there was some other spirit plane in the Dangai, where there were a lot of Hollows. Given Katsura's abilities, killing Kikyue by Hollow would have been very simple to do. We know he has that ability. But instead, he brought them back and found them a healer."

"I swear, he bemuses me more than his father ever did," Hirata groaned, clutching absently at his long dark hair. "His actions are so contrary, I don't know if he's being superlatively clever and deceitful, or if he's just an impulsive idiot acting on whims without any overall master plan."

"But he did help them come back, and he didn't hurt your daughter. Whatever else, that much we know for sure," Shunsui pointed out. "Katsura is not involved in any of this business. Whatever other things we might want to interrogate him for - I think we can properly rule out that he has any connection to the corpses or what happened at Sixth."

"I tend to think so, too," Hirata agreed reluctantly. "All right. I suppose, for now, I'll take it at face value, though when I can, I intend on interrogating my people in detail, to find out exactly what happened."

"How are they?" Shunsui asked. "I know you were going to send Hajime-kun to the hospital - did he manage to report back to you?"

"Yes," Hirata nodded. "The healers wanted to keep them all overnight, but most of them are just exhausted, not really hurt. I sent word that Tenichi and Kikyue should return to barracks this evening, if fit enough, as Kikyue was in charge and Tenichi went into the Dangai without permission to find her. I will get to the bottom of their story early tomorrow, and then interrogate the others when able - but it doesn't seem like delaying would be a good idea. The majority of the other officers will return at some point tomorrow morning. They may want to keep Ohara longer, as he has more significant injuries. I am hoping to get my way regarding Tenichi, though, as his bones will probably heal without much intervention. Ohara has a deeper wound, which seems Hollow inflicted, but he was sufficiently well to rouse up and tell Hajime that it was his fault he and Tenichi defied orders and entered the Dangai. I don't intend on punishing them for it, because it produced results none of the rest of us have managed - but I will ask about Katsura, and I will want a full explanation about his involvement."

He frowned, a faint shadow touching his pale blue eyes.

"One didn't make it back," he added sadly. "I don't know exactly what happened to him. Hajime said that Hashimori tried to explain it, but it didn't make a lot of sense. Something to do with a sword and a chamber...I suppose that's something else I'll need to ask about, when they return to barracks."

"Nothing to do with Katsura?" Juushirou asked softly. Hirata shook his head.

"No mention of him in Hajime's report," he replied laconically. "Either my officers are too tired to report clearly, or didn't want to mention his being there. But I think that, if he had killed one of my men, someone would have said so. So I assume not. If I learn anything different tomorrow, of course, I will let you know."

He settled himself more comfortably on his cushion.

"That's about all I can report for now," he added. "I assume you two have more to add?"

"Juushirou's been playing the hero in District Six, helping his grandfather put his brother back in his grave," Shunsui said casually, and Juushirou sighed.

"Something like that," he agreed. "Mitsuki was here when I came back. I spoke to her about Katsura...but that's about all I can add to this."

"Then I suppose it's my turn," Shunsui said frankly. He fumbled at his obi, producing the old book that Retsu had given him and setting it down between them on the floor. "I've spent some of my day reading this, but it really didn't begin that way. I started this morning at my brother's manor...I had no idea that today was going to be as interesting or as dangerous as it turned out to be."

"Every day seems to be a little dangerous at the moment," Juushirou grimaced. "So that's why you have bruises?"

"I met the friendly local necromancer," Shunsui agreed blithely. "He was perfectly amiable and very apologetic for disturbing me - until he saw my name on my sword scabbard. Then, he decided I was Kyouraku Harumizu, and he really wasn't interested in my denials."

"He attacked you?" Hirata demanded. Shunsui nodded, his expression becoming serious.

"I think he would have killed me," he said grimly. "This man may not have hurt Shirogane-dono, and I grant, when I first encountered him, I thought maybe I could get him to tell me things, as he didn't seem in the slightest bit hostile. But, as soon as he saw that name, it was like a switch went on inside of him. He changed in a split-second, and then I knew death itself was after me. His sword...I parried his blade a few times with Amaki, and his aura scalded my weapon. Amaki even told me that I should run away...which is something Amaki never tells me to do. And I wanted to. Believe me, I've never wanted to run away more in my life. But if I had, who knows who he might have killed. It's a sobering thought when you realise that you're the strongest shinigami that Eighth District has to offer, and you're not even within an inch of this person and the kind of power contained in his blade."

"But you're not hurt? At least, not badly," Juushirou was concerned. Shunsui grimaced.

"Before you check my pulse, I'm not dead, and I'm not a zombie," he said evenly. "I was rescued by Retsu-sama, whose impeccable timing came as a result of your Mitsuki's warning," he added, glancing at Juushirou. "The warning she received came from a patient of hers - the mysterious frozen shinigami who apparently came through this unknown spirit Gate and who is being treated at the Fourth's hospital as a result. But I'll come back to that in a bit. Retsu-sama apparently knows a lot more about this necromancer than any of us - and it's a shame she wasn't at the Captain's meeting, as we might have known more about him sooner, too."

"Retsu-sama does?" Hirata asked. Shunsui tapped the book that lay on the floor in front of him.

"She gave me this," he agreed. "Turns out that this guy is a kinsman of hers - one from Heaven's War, who's been in the Dangai for a long long time. He holds the Royal Blade known as the Soldier, and it means that it is next to impossible to kill him. The Soldier controls the line between life and death. That's why he can wake corpses. And he's an Unohana."

"That's hard to imagine," Juushirou's brows knitted together at this.

"Apparently the Unohana used to be quite a warrior family," Shunsui shrugged. "Back before Heaven's War. To summarise the whole story, this Soldier guy was not a fan of the war, either. But the Unohana were kind of messed up and there was an attempt at a coup. The lord and his heiress were killed, and the Soldier decided that the best idea all round would be to use his sword to bring the heiress back to life. She went on a murderous rampage...and apparently he lost his wits as a result of using the power and did likewise. It all ended very badly, and because killing the Soldier is next to impossible, he got chucked into the Dangai. But not before my ancestor, Harumizu, muddled up his memories. The idea was to keep him from coming back for as long as possible."

He sighed.

"The patient that Mitsuki has been treating is a man who calls himself Hiyama Toshiyuki," he added. "He's apparently been frozen in ice in the real world for the past three milennia, waiting for the Soldier to return. I had a long and detailed conversation with him about things, and I think he's on the level - in any case, his story agrees with Retsu-sama's, however insane it might sound to take a step like that. He also apparently knew Yama-jii when he was a young man, and the person who cursed Guren-sama. Retsu-sama has sent warnings to District One, because apparently this 'Kunimori' is a Yamamoto after all. I believe he's Yama-jii's uncle - but Hiyama seems to think that Yama-jii's sword might be able to stop him."

"My head is spinning." Hirata groaned.

"There is one other thing," Shunsui sent Juushirou an apprehensive look. "In the course of the discussion, it came up that Harumizu was able to manipulate memory like that because he also had a Royal Blade. Hiyama said one of the reasons Heaven's War broke out was because too many of them were around in the world at the same time. In any case, Harumizu's was the Mirror Sword. And it seems likely..."

"The Soldier is looking for Koku?" Juushirou whitened, and Shunsui nodded.

"It seems likely," he agreed darkly. "But right now, he's still labouring under the confusion of the spell, at least a bit. He doesn't know what Harumizu looks like, otherwise he wouldn't have attacked me. Hiyama thinks that sooner or later he - or his sword - will figure it out, but we have a little time to work out what to do to keep Koku safe. Obviously Koku can't fight this guy, so we need to think of something else."

"No kidding," Juushirou looked bleak.

"Unohana Tokitori Tsuneyoshi," Hirata picked up the book, turning it around to read the characters on the cover, and Juushirou started, glancing at his friend in surprise.

"Did you say Tokitori?"

"That's what's written here," Hirata held the book out, and Juushirou took it, his brow creasing in consternation.

"Time and bird," he murmured, running his index finger over the cover absently. "Shunsui, is this..."

"The Soldier's name," Shunsui agreed. "Why? Does it mean something to you?"

"Koku mentioned the word Tokitori this morning, too," Juushirou remembered. "He connected it to the hototogisu, and summoning the dead to the Shide mountains. I thought it might be the necromancer, then, but now, I'm thinking about what he said in a whole new light. Koku said he felt as though he knew this person. Not that he actually did, but that it seemed like he did. Now you say that this person is called Tokitori, and he is after Koku..."

"Maybe Kyouka Raigen remembers its previous life," Hirata suggested. "I'm only just clinging onto some of the details here, but if Harumizu could manipulate memory, and Kyouka Raigen can see the past, it makes sense that somewhere, those two elements will probably collide. If Harumizu had a Mirror blade, and now Kohaku does, then it's the same shard of the same Royal Sword, only reincarnated, right? Stands to reason that Kohaku would sense something...if his sword knew Harumizu, then maybe it seems like he did, too."

"Maybe..." Juushirou looked hesitant, setting the book down on the ground once more.

"I don't pretend to understand a lot about that boy's spirit power," Hirata offered Juushirou a rueful smile. "But I have learned that what he says is worth listening to, even if it doesn't seem to make sense. So if Kohaku said he felt he knew the Soldier, we should probably take that seriously...maybe even encourage him to investigate that feeling more."

"You mean, make himself hallucinate?" Juushirou's expression became one of disapproval, and he shook his head. "No. I won't do that to him. If he knows something, he'll report it - he's been good about doing that so far, and Enishi encouraged him to keep doing so, even given the consequences of his suspension. But I don't want to make the lad unwell. We don't really know what Kyouka Raigen is or isn't capable of, but I promised him I wasn't going to use him in the way Keitarou did. I'm not happy that he's become wrapped up in this...and I'm not going to deliberately try and make it worse."

"I think it's probable that Koku is tied up in this," Shunsui said gravely. "More than just by a coincidence of birth, I mean. I've been thinking a lot about what Hiyama said, and what has been going on. What you said just confirms it as well. We talked about it before - the possibility that Kohaku triggered something when he destroyed the Senkaimon five years ago. It's highly likely to me - and Hiyama agreed - that his doing so probably woke this Soldier and broke the memory spell. Tokitori is fixated on the idea that Harumizu is alive. Even though he doesn't recognise anything about the man, apparently the other guy - Kunimori - told him so. Kunimori sensed Harumizu's spirit, but it must have been Koku. The only way that seems possible to me is if it's not just Kyouka Raigen that remembers Heaven's War, but Koku's soul itself. I don't know how similar it is to the real Harumizu, but it must be close enough for someone whose memories aren't muddled to recognise it. That makes me think Koku is probably Harumizu's reincarnation. He raised his zanpakutou when he destroyed that Gate. It's not a huge step to assume that the awakening of the Mirror also woke Tokitori."

Juushirou looked troubled.

"But that doesn't make it his fault," he murmured. "If he knew that, he'd be upset."

"You can't protect him forever, Juushirou," Hirata said matter-of-factly. "Kohaku is a lot stronger inside than sometimes I think you give him credit for. To be able to stand back and allow Seireitei to kill his father would have been one thing, but to actively choose to make it happen in order to protect thousands of strangers is another."

"Kinnya-sama also said that the Mirror sword is demanding from the start and a lot of people don't make it to summoning," Shunsui agreed. "I've thought of something else, though, since you mentioned what he said. Hirata's comments just then made me recall it. When I killed Keitarou, he said something odd. He said it didn't end with him, and that the future was in his blood and in mine. He seemed so smug-faced about it, I worried about what he meant - but then everything settled and so I dismissed it as him being melodramatic. But he must have known what 'Kyouka' was, and he must have intended Koku to summon - or be swallowed up by - Kyouka Raigen. I don't know if he knew the tale of Tokitori, and it seems unlikely that he would. But, he did used to see things in Koku's visions. Maybe he saw something like this - something that told him even when he was gone, the world would still be in danger because of Koku's spirit power."

"That's hugely unfair on Koku," Juushirou objected. Shunsui shrugged.

"Koku doesn't always remember everything he sees, and Keitarou used him as his own personal prophet for long enough, stuck in that hut," he reasoned. "I'm not saying that Koku himself is a threat. But what if Keitarou did see something of this and that was what he was saying? Koku hasn't betrayed us and Katsura doesn't seem inclined to be hostile now either. But it's that comment - in his blood and in mine. Well, Harumizu was my ancestor, and Koku is Keitarou's son. They're both connected through the Mirror sword. And now some angry guy is after the Mirror Sword, and we're in a lot of trouble. None of it is Koku's fault...but what if Keitarou had some inkling that Koku's weapon was capable of waking a greater enemy to cause havoc to Seireitei? What if that was his ultimate plan overall, if Koku had managed to summon Kyouka Raigen sooner? Hell, I start to wonder if Keitarou wasn't fooled by my lies about the Senkaimon...whether he knew Koku had been there and had awoken his blade."

"I think you're jumping through a whole forest of conclusions," Hirata held up his hand. "Maybe Keitarou did see something, but to tie it directly to this and make it part of his intention is a leap. Keitarou wanted to kill us, but I can't see that even his zanpakutou would manage to manipulate these individuals. What all this has taught me is that Keitarou was just a shinigami. A very annoying one, clever and dangerous - but not exceptional. He hid his weaknesses through guile, but he had plenty of them and he could be killed. The problem was finding him to do it. By contrast, this necromancer is basically unkillable - isn't that what you said? And we're dealing with a whole other level of danger."

"Hirata's right," Juushirou said slowly. "Maybe Keitarou did have an inclination something else would come, or maybe he didn't, but it doesn't really matter either way. Koku had to do what he did five years ago. It was the right thing to do. It's up to us to figure out how to deal with the situation now - and I don't want to bring him into danger if it can be prevented."

"Nobody does," Hirata said frankly. "But we're not exactly in a situation whereby we can choose. The Eleventh is decimated. It seems more luck than judgement that Sixth Division didn't take heavy losses, too, though Guren-sama is still unconscious and Shirogane-dono out of action for the time being. Shunsui's been attacked, although thankfully Retsu-sama was able to intervene. We don't know where the danger is next or how to counter it. Kohaku may be the only way to find that out. I am not suggesting we use him or forcibly manipulate him into using his spirit power - but I don't think that you can keep him in the dark."

"Knowing Koku, he will find out himself, anyway," Shunsui said grimly.

"Maybe," Juushirou admitted reluctantly. "But let's find out all the details we can, first. Let's authenticate your Hiyama's story, and see what Genryuusai-sensei can add to the equation as well. If he can deal with the threat posed by the other individual - who may be powerful but apparently, isn't immortal - then we can focus all our efforts on the Soldier. If he doesn't know yet who Koku is, and isn't inclined to attack randomly, it seems more prudent to find out as much as we can before we make a dangerous move."

* * *

"You are late back this evening, Mitsuki-san."

As Mitsuki slipped through the sliding doors of the Fourth District Hospital, the sound of her Captain's voice made her pause, and she turned, eying the head of the Unohana with a guilty expression on her face. Retsu's eyes gave nothing away, her demeanour as gentle and unimposing as ever, but Mitsuki had known Retsu long enough to know that there was a question unspoken in those words, and she bowed her head, raising it apologetically to meet the older woman's gaze.

"I'm sorry, Taichou. I had an errand...I promised Saionji-san I'd be back by sundown." she said quickly. Retsu glanced briefly towards the window at the sunset, then back at her subordinate, tilting her head on one side to regard her thoughtfully.

"Saionji-san said that you were in Inner Seireitei," she reflected pensively. "I was surprised when I heard he'd given you leave to go there. He didn't know your errand...and nor do I...but it is unlike you to abandon a patient on a sudden whim. Some of your colleagues thought you had been collecting herbs - but few of those grow in Inner Seireitei."

"No, ma'am." Mitsuki agreed sheepishly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't tell Saionji-san all the details, it's true. But I did...go to Inner Seireitei. I thought...you and Kyouraku-taichou were with Hiyama-dono, and he's not really unwell, not now. I thought..."

"I wish you had told me your intentions," Retsu sighed, gesturing for Mitsuki to follow her along the hallway to the office that stood at the end. She looked tired, Mitsuki realised, as though she had been wrestling with some heavy burdens herself, and, remembering Guren's current health, she bit her lip, obediently doing as she was bidden. Once inside, she stood apprehensively before the desk, trying in vain to read her Captain's state of mind. There was a moment of silence between them, then Retsu sighed heavily once more.

"You went to Thirteenth Division, didn't you?" she asked softly. Mitsuki started, looking guilty. Slowly she nodded.

"I did," she admitted. "I did, but not...I mean, I had a reason. I wasn't just...it wasn't a dereliction of my duty, Taichou. I promise."

"I should think not," a faint smile touched Retsu's tired lips. "I feel I can trust you in that regard. No, I am curious to know what your errand was that so urgently took you there. Kyouraku-taichou took the words of Hiyama-dono to Inner Seireitei, and that is, in any case, a matter for Captains. But I understand it was also you who found the officers from the Seventh. It is unlike you to make such a find and then not wait to report it fully, but leave it to your comrades while you take a trip. It occurred to me that perhaps, one of them spoke to you - something that needed to be conveyed with urgency?"

"They were all unconscious," Mitsuki shook her head, her cheeks reddening at her Captain's perception. "I did what I could for the worst injured, but I didn't think any of them were going to die."

"Mm." Retsu paused for a moment, then, "And the location of a hidden Senkaimon? You happened to stumble on that as well?"

Now there was no hiding the gently probing tone in Retsu's voice, and Mitsuki lowered her gaze, unsure about how to answer. The silence stretched for an uncomfortable few moments, and Retsu eyed her subordinate officer thoughtfully, though for the life of her Mitsuki did not know what the clever healer was thinking or seeing. At length, she spoke.

"Mitsuki-san, you are not in the habit of lying to me," she said evenly. "For that reason, I will trust you to answer this question with nothing but the absolute truth. Do you understand? Whatever you tell me, I will believe - but if it turns out to be otherwise, I will be very disappointed."

There was no real sense of scolding or threat in the Unohana Captain's words, but Mitsuki felt the tension in the room rising all the same. Slowly and uneasily she met the other woman's gaze, nodding her head mutely. Retsu pressed her lips together.

"I went to the clearing, where the Seventh officers were found," she said softly. "I detected the Gate, but I could not open it. It has long since been sealed to Gotei blades, but its presence is unmistakeable. In the same vicinity, I picked up faint traces of alien reiryoku - just the faintest indication of someone else being in that clearing. It is an individual good at hiding themselves - but in using some skill - perhaps shunpo - they left a hint of themselves behind. I suppose that, even if I don't say my thoughts, you will be able to tell me who this individual may have been."

Mitsuki swallowed hard, looking stricken at this question, and Retsu raised her eyebrow.

"Mitsuki-san?" she pressed, and Mitsuki let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples in agitation.

"I'm sorry, Taichou," she said softly. "You're right. I was alerted to the location of the injured shinigami by this person. He came...to find me. He knew it was me, and he thought...I should help them."

"Mm." Retsu digested this for a moment, then, in her next words, she shattered Mitsuki's composure completely.

"He came to you because you helped him, five years ago?"

"Taichou!" Mitsuki's eyes widened in dismay, and Retsu smiled slightly.

"We are talking of Aizen Katsura, of course," she said comfortably, folding her hands together on the surface of the desk as she regarded her companion's discomfort. "Well? I am correct, am I not? Aizen Katsura was the one who alerted you to the Seventh officers. And he came to you, because he felt you would listen - because five years ago, you healed his wounds and helped him to disappear."

Slowly Mitsuki nodded her head, her whole body trembling now with the realisation that her Captain knew far more than she had ever guessed. At her reaction, Retsu sat back, gazing at her companion pensively.

"I wish you had confided that in me sooner," she said softly. "I had surmised it, of course. I know you were at Seventh, that day, and that for some time afterwards, your whereabouts were unknown. And you are a kind soul, Mitsuki-san. To see a youth in peril of his life, even one such as that...I can't imagine you would let that go."

Mitsuki buried her head in her hands.

"What are you going to do?" she asked uncertainly. "I won't lie to you, Taichou. It's what you said. I helped him then and so he trusted me now. I didn't know, when I healed him, who he was and what he had done - but he told me, and I still...I still let him go. I didn't help him, but I did heal him. And I told him...to use his life and atone for his sins. Because I know he was scared...Scared of Keitarou, scared of what had happened. And also...I knew he was sorry."

"And you believe this young man is someone you can trust, now?" Retsu's question lacked censure, and Mitsuki took a deep breath, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But at the very least, I don't think he's involved in the things that have happened. And I do think...he listened to what I said, back then. I don't think he's our enemy, Taichou. I know what he did was unforgivable. I was there, so I understand how awful it was. But...I can't forget that he also saved me, and helped me take Seri to safety. I know he was to blame...but...I think that was the real Katsura. And I know, it was wrong, to heal him. I know it was wrong not to report it to you. But..."

"But you reported it to Ukitake-taichou?" Retsu asked gently. Mitsuki bit her lip, nodding.

"He had Kohaku," she confessed. "I had...to do something. Kohaku wasn't guilty. Juu...Ukitake-taichou was the only one who might have protected him, so I had to..."

"And that is why you went to Inner Seireitei, to report to another Captain your meeting with Katsura today," Retsu nodded her head as if confirming something to herself. Mitsuki looked ashamed.

"When you say it like that, Taichou, it sounds like insubordination to your authority," she owned, and Retsu shook her head.

"I am not concerned with that," she said, dismissing it with a flick of her hand. "Rather, I wanted to speak to you about Katsura. I could have challenged you, a long time ago, about the events of that day. I suspected it for a long time, but I did not voice it. Like you, I suppose, I didn't want to reach a point where I had to decide whether he should live or die. My Clan find such debates distasteful. I understand your motives, and I will keep your secret. But in light of that, I think you understand Katsura's current state of mind. He gave you a message, didn't he? Will you tell me what it was?"

"He talked about a strange world inside the Dangai, where some rogue shinigami had been hiding," Mitsuki recalled. "He also said he was going to take himself out of the picture, somehow, because the Gotei pursuing him was distracting them from dealing with the real danger. He seemed very sad, somehow, Taichou. I felt like maybe I hurt him more by helping him back then."

"And you believe his words?"

"Yes, ma'am." Mitsuki nodded firmly. "I can't sense anything from him now - not deception, not pain, nothing. But I believed him. I think he took to heart what I told him, when I healed him. I think he's trying to atone."

"I see," Retsu considered this, then she sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Very well," she said at length. "This conversation is over, and it would be better if it were not repeated. I will not disclose your indiscretion - I am actually rather inclined to support it, given that Katsura has not shown himself to be hostile since that point. If he comes to you again, though, I should like to know his message myself. I would like to speak to him, but I suppose that won't be possible. But next time, Mitsuki-san, please remember you have your own Captain to report to before you take a message to a foreign Division. Even one with whom you have such cordial connections. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Mitsuki bowed her head before her Captain. "I'm sorry, Taichou. I promise, it won't happen again."

"Then you are dismissed to see to your patient," Retsu said simply. "I must return myself to Inner Seireitei. I am expecting word from Genryuusai-sama at some point. He may come here, to see Hiyama-dono. He is to be permitted access, and you should tell him whatever he seeks to know. Can I entrust that to you in my absence?"

"Yes, ma'am." Mitsuki nodded. "I promise. I'll remember."

"Then I should head back," Retsu got to her feet. "And Mitsuki-san? Try not to let your emotions drive your will to heal in future. Katsura may or may not be proving himself an ally. But you could put yourself in real danger if you aren't careful - and I would be grieved to lose such a promising healer from my squad."

With that she was gone, and Mitsuki sank back against the wall of the office, closing her eyes with a sigh as she reflected on the conversation.  
 _  
I'm lucky my Captain is so broad-minded. She's right, and I know it - but at least I feel she understands. Maybe, if she knows, it's better. If trouble happens, she might help me...and I do think Katsura isn't dangerous, not now. I hope that I'm right about that, because if I'm not, it will become messy._

She opened her eyes.  
 _  
Not that I'm not worried about what he said, but I have other things to do now. Hiyama-dono is my responsibility. I need to leave Inner Seireitei and the dangers there to Juushirou and Taichou and the Captains. I'm a healer, not a fighter. And for now, I have duties to perform. For the time being, I'm going to let the intrigue alone and act as a healer stationed in Fourth District is supposed to act._

* * *

 _Everything was in darkness._

 _All around him was silent. In the stifling blackness, Shirogane struggled to bring breath into his lungs, unable to move even an inch in any direction. Something heavy was pressing down on him, and no matter how he struggled, he could not free himself from its tight hold._

 _There was a moment of disorientation, then the darkness suddenly exploded into a plethora of lights, none of which were in any particular focus. Blues that might have been sky, greens that might have been grass - browns that might have been wood, and whites that might have been robes all mixed together so that Shirogane could not tell whether he was inside or out. The brightness of the light dazzled him, as though it were reflecting off his very being, and yet he could still feel the sensation of something holding him. Something...or maybe, some_ one _._

 _From somewhere far beyond where he was, he became aware of the sound of whispering. The voices were faint and indistinct, yet still he strained to hear them. In the open air, he was suddenly desperate to know where he was and what defined his surroundings - but more, it was the pulsing energy of other life forms that had really captured his interest. Greedily, Shirogane found himself trying to latch on to these presences, seeking their words, seeking their identity. Abruptly, the whispering stopped. In the eerie silence, Shirogane heard a voice speak._

 _ **Yomasete, Shodoku no Maki.**_

 _The syllables were spoken in a different voice, commanding and ruthless in its tone and Shirogane knew immediately that he had heard it before. Was the voice talking to him? It seemed so. For the first time he was aware of the book, its wide, ghostly pages spread out before him like a stage awaiting a leading man. The book slowly opened, as though opening a pathway into Shirogane's own heart, and the world exploded into a cascade of glittering green lights, each one as vivid and as mesmerising as the other. The lights were trying to form words, and Shirogane could not help but watch as, little by little, the green lights engraved characters onto the ghostly pages._

 _He tried to turn his head away, unnerved by what he saw, but the more he tried, the less he was able to fight the lure of the green reiatsu, pulling him closer and closer to the page. The whispering had begun again, this proof of other presences just beyond his reach. The sound was almost deafening now, yet although he could see the writing and hear the voices, he could not make out a single word from each. He didn't know, and it frustrated him. He could not understand...and yet, for some reason, he wanted to. He wanted to_ know _._

 _There was a whoosh of energy, and then, in vivid clarity, Shirogane found himself surrounded by images. They seemed like illustrations, rather than glimpses of reality, drawn together by specks of fragmented reiatsu. Shirogane did not understand what the images meant, but he could not look away as they flitted through his senses, making him feel dizzy and disorientated at the speed with which they changed. All around him, he was aware of intensifying waves of green light. As the grainy illustrations broke apart to reveal a much more real setting, however, Shirogane knew that this wasn't a memory of the day his Uncle had been taken down. Wherever he now was, he had never seen it before. It was a foreign room in a foreign chamber, and yet for some reason Shirogane's heart began to beat faster. He didn't know this place, and yet, deep down, he did. He knew that this place mattered, and that now, he was going to know everything._

 _His narrow field of vision began to open up, and Shirogane brought into focus the pair of hands which cradled the book in their grasp. They were old hands, wizened by age but also scarred by battle experience, and calloused from where they had trained with a blade. Little by little the world extended outwards, tiny details becoming increasingly in focus with each passing moment. From the hands of the wielder, Shirogane was able to make out his robes, white and silver at their base, but they were splashed and stained with red. As his range of vision grew even wider, Shirogane was aware that the blood spread not only over the man's clothing, but also up his arms, and across the floor in a sinister red pool. Now unnerved by what he was seeing, Shirogane struggled against the curiosity that compelled him to look, but failed. His gaze was drawn in the direction from which the blood had come. Little by little he made out the shadowed shape of a man's foot, then a leg, half concealed beneath the folds of bloodsoaked robes. The legs attached to a body, across which Shirogane could make out the distinctive signs of blade injury, but it was as he reached the chest and then the neck that he felt his whole being freeze, for at the top of the neck there was nothing but space where the head should be. Although he tried to look away, Shirogane found that he could not_ not _see it, and he could not_ not _know that death had happened in that room. Who the person was who lay on the floor, he didn't know. Who had died, he couldn't tell, but as he felt his gaze forced further and further across the scene, he could see that someone else was in the room. Someone alive, and on their feet, sword held in their hand. Someone whose whole body was trembling...trembling with anger or fear, Shirogane did not know. The person was speaking, but whatever words he spoke, Shirogane could not understand them. Frustration bubbled up inside of him, taking precedence over the horror of the scene. He wanted to know. He_ needed _to know. This individual held the key, and now, at last,_ he would know.  
 _  
And then the voice spoke again, deep and resolute._

 _ **Hirake.**_

Shirogane's eyes snapped open, his body drenched with sweat as he drew hurried, panicked breaths into his lungs. His heart was racing in his chest, and for a moment he did not know where he was, but as the vivid sensations of his dream returned, fresh waves of terror flooded through his system. Not wanting to be alone in the oppressive darkness of the sick room, he pulled himself to his feet, grabbing for the nightrobe that Shikiki had left at his bedside. Pulling it hastily onto his body, he stumbled across the dimly lit room, trying desperately to find his way out. He could not make out the door in the gloom, but the glitter of the moon through the open shutters at his window drew his attention, and, without thinking what he was doing, he had crossed the chamber, resting his hands on the sill with the intention of climbing out. He did not know how high up he was, or whether what he was doing was dangerous. All he knew was that he needed to find somebody - anybody - who could rescue him from the things that he had seen.

A scramble and a thump and he fell onto the grass below. Although his room had been a floor up, his clumsy descent had been checked by a clutch of thick bushes, the branches of which caught on his robes like fingers trying to pull him back. Feverishly, Shirogane struggled to free himself from their grasp, in his half-dazed state convinced that they were the fingers of the unknown individual who had held the book and whose words still echoed coldly within his thoughts. Ripping the robe free, and with no care to the scratches or bruises that now covered his delicate skin, he darted across the quiet Fourth Division garden, not knowing what exactly he was looking for, but just wanting to get away.

"Shirogane-dono!"

The sound of a voice startled him from his daze, and he swung around, momentarily dazzled by the bright light of someone's Kidou lamp. There was an exclamation, then the lamp was dumped hastily down on the ground as a pair of strong hands grabbed him, swinging him around to meet their gaze.

Although Shirogane's first instinct was to fight and run, something in the gentle concern of this person's aura calmed his panic, and as he drew a deep, shaky breath into his lungs, he realised that the person who had stopped his headlong flight was Madeki, the Third Seat of the Fourth Division.

At the sight of an obviously friendly face, the tension and panic flooded out of Shirogane's body. Suddenly exhausted and confused, he sank down onto the ground, resting his hands against the grass as he tried to regain his composure. Madeki did not release his grasp on the other man's robes, concern in his gaze, but he seemed to realise that Shirogane was struggling to pull his wits together, and he waited, allowing the Vice Captain a moment to compose himself.

At length, Shirogane raised his gaze to meet Madeki's once more.

"What happened?" he murmured, and Madeki frowned.

"I should be asking you that, I think," he said gently. "You're outside and I don't know why. I sensed your reiatsu spike. It's my night duty, fortunately. Stopping a Vice Captain in full flight isn't something every member of the Fourth is able to do, but you and I were classmates, once, and I know your reiatsu very well. You weren't well this evening, Shirogane-dono. I was coming to check up on you, when I realised you were out here, instead of in your room."

"I'm outside." Now Shirogane's wits were returning to him at speed, and he raised his hands, examining the scrapes against his skin with growing consternation. "How did I get out here? Was I sleepwalking?"

"Again, you'll have to tell me," Madeki turned to glance up at the window of the room, then, "but looking at the state of your clothing, I would say you jumped out of the window and fell in the bushes. Why you did that...I can't tell you. But you weren't yourself when I found you just now. You seemed afraid of something. Can you remember what happened?"

"There was a dream..." Shirogane moistened his lips as the horror of the nightmare bit by bit began to return. He shivered, then, "I don't know what it was. I was trapped, somewhere. I couldn't not see anything. There was an old man with a book. He said some words. There were green lights. Pictures. Someone was dead. I don't know who. They didn't have a head. There was blood...everywhere. I didn't know where it was, but I wanted to...I wanted to know everything. And there was someone else. And...the voice said, Hirake. And then...and then...it was over."

"What was over?" Madeki pressed softly, and Shirogane closed his eyes.

"I woke up," he said at length. "I don't know what woke me, but the last thing I remember in the dream is that the voice said Hirake and then there was this explosion of...something. Whatever it was was such a jolt through my system I woke up. And I knew it was over. But I don't know what was over, Madeki-dono. I don't know what any of that meant. All I know is that...that man, the one who hurt Guren-sama...he had a book. He said those words. I'll never forget them. And it was like I was inside his book. Inside it...trapped..."

He trailed off, and Madeki frowned.

"I want to get you inside," he decided. "It's cool out here and you're still recovering from your experience. If you're having disturbing dreams, clearly it's upsetting you on a deeper level. I'll give you something to help you sleep more deeply - but in the morning, we should talk about this dream in more detail. It might be that you're remembering something from what happened to Guren-sama...and even if not, I don't want you jumping out of windows in the middle of the night because of night terrors."

"I've never sleepwalked before," Shirogane reflected, allowing the healer to help him to his feet. "If that's what it was. I'm not sure. I think I was awake, but then again, I wasn't. I don't know what came over me. I felt like I had to get away. I didn't want..."

He faltered, looking confused.

"I don't know what I didn't want," he realised. "In the dream, I wanted to know everything. But...when I woke up...I felt like someone was trying to kill me. That they wanted to suck all of me out and take it from me. Just like they did to Guren-sama. Just like that."

"Madeki-dono? Shirogane-nii!"

As they reached Shirogane's room, the Vice Captain realised that it was no longer either in darkness or empty, for a worried figure stood in the doorway. Her own night-robes had been hastily covered by work clothes, telling Shirogane that Shikiki had been roused from her sleep by his disturbance, and something in her anxiety made him feel ashamed.

"Shirogane-nii, are you all right?" Shikiki was immediately at his side, as Madeki helped the young Kuchiki back into bed, removing the tattered robe and tossing it over the rail to be dealt with in the morning.

"We think he was sleepwalking. He had a bad dream." Madeki was the one who answered the question. "He went out of the window, but he landed on bushes so he's just scraped, nothing worse by the looks. I'm going to go get some first aid supplies to clean up the scratches, and then I'll give him something to sleep. I'm sorry we disturbed you, Shikiki - but since you're here, will you stay with him? Whatever it was, it was apparently quite upsetting, and I'd like him to stay put now."

With that he offered Shirogane a reassuring smile before disappearing down the corridor, and Shikiki sank down on the bed, shooting her friend a concerned look.

"Sleepwalking? That's not like you."

"It's absolutely not like me," Shirogane agreed grimly. "I'm sorry, Shikiki. I woke you, didn't I? I didn't mean to cause a fuss."

"It's all right," Shikiki dismissed this with a flick of her fingers. "I sleep on this corridor and it's not uncommon for me to have to attend to a patient in the night, so I tend to sleep quite lightly. I'm more concerned about you right now. You were much better, earlier this afternoon, but now you're pale as anything. You don't feel sick or anything like that?"

"No," Shirogane shook his head. "Just shaken up, I think. I guess I had a rush of adrenaline after the dream and then just acted on it...now I feel tired more than anything. Tired and bruised about from my ill-advised choice of room exit." He raised his arm, gazing at the scratches pensively. "I suppose I was lucky I didn't do worse. I don't really know what happened. Just, the dream was so vivid. Madeki-dono thought it was about Guren-sama, about what happened...but I don't know if it was. I think I dreamed about the person who hurt him - but wherever I was, it was completely different. I'd never seen that place before. It wasn't in District Six."

Shikiki's brows creased in consternation, and she reached across to touch his wrist.

"Your pulse is quicker than it should be," she reflected. "It's something else, though, that bothers me. I knew you were in distress, but it wasn't just your reiatsu I sensed just now, when you and Madeki-dono came in. There was something else, too. It was only faint, and I can't fully explain it, but it felt a little bit like the aura that was all over you when you came back here. That man's sword...I wonder if his reiatsu is giving you nightmares."

"Could it do that?"

"I don't know. I don't know enough about it." Shikiki admitted. "I can't sense it now, either, but I don't think I imagined it. Did you really jump out of the window?"

"By process of elimination, I must have," Shirogane looked sheepish. "Maybe it's not a good idea to leave my shutters open in future, just in case. I don't really remember that clearly what I did, to be honest. It's embarrassing to admit, but I think I just panicked. It was dark in here, and I wanted to get away. I don't even know what from. In the dream, it was like I wanted to know everything. And there was somebody dead in the room...so much blood in that place...but it was the other person, the one that was alive...I wanted to know about. It rushed up inside of me, like I was suddenly about to learn something important...and then there was a huge jolt of energy and I woke up."

Shikiki bit her lip, looking troubled.

"That doesn't sound like a very normal dream," she murmured. Shirogane shrugged.

"I don't know what it was," he said darkly. "I haven't had nightmares like that since Ribari-sama died and I was doped up with that hallucinogenic serum. That's what it felt like. Like nothing was real, but everything was. Everything was _real,_ Shikiki. Even though it's impossible that any of it was. I felt it. All of it. Like I was there. Like it was happening around me. But it turns out I was here...and that's never happened to me before."

Shikiki was silent for a long time. Then she sighed.

"I think you need to rest," she said at length. "You seem all right now, and I can't sense any foreign matter in your aura, but I'm going to keep an eye on you, and make sure you really haven't been poisoned by this other reiatsu. For now, though, I think you should take what Madeki-dono brings you and try to sleep again. You won't dream further, not with that...and in the morning, we'll see if we can figure everything out."

"I don't know what there is to sort out. I'm awake, now, and it's over," Shirogane reflected. "But I'll do as you say. It wasn't a nice feeling. I'm glad you and Madeki-dono were around...I don't know how far I might have run to if Madeki-dono hadn't stopped me."

"You were really scared, weren't you?" Shikiki realised. Shirogane nodded.

"I've never been more scared," he admitted. "Whatever that was, it felt like it came from deep inside of me. Like no matter how far I ran, I couldn't escape. If that man's reiatsu is still inside of me, Shikiki, and it caused this, then we need to find a way to get it out. I don't want another nightmare like that."

"I don't want you to have one, either," Shikiki said gravely. "We'll do what we can, I promise, to make sure it doesn't happen again."


End file.
